When Death is Your Friend Part 3 (Short Story)

Author’s Note: Merry Christmas, guys! I hope you enjoy. I’m going to try and update soon, but I have been working on another book recently that I don’t put on here, and I actually got pretty far, but anyway, enjoy! <3

A bitter chill breezed by, making Death clench his fists tighter as he strolled. The winter was not his favorite time of year. Houses nearby were decorated with colorful lights and animals, a jolly yet stale air about the scene.

He met her on the porch, already dressed in boots and a scarf. She carried a rolled-up parchment.

Needing no introduction, she looks up to see him, eyes widening in recognition. She steps closer, nearest to excitement he’s ever seen her. Death’s eyes caught on a delicate necklace now resting on her neck. It seems she received a present this year.

“Hey, I made something for you. I was hoping to see you today,” she mumbled awkwardly, before holding out the paper for him.

Death slowly took hold of the parchment, unrolling it. The slightly rough, off-white texture was covered with light colors, splatters, and strokes, creating shapes and backgrounds. These were animals. Death looked up at the girl.

“I…I took up painting. I like it, and I hope you like that one too,” she says, shy but hopeful, a smile reaching her face, and it was so genuine and powerful to him that he couldn’t bear to take it away.

“Of course. I will treasure this…” his voice is gruff, hands pausing to try and understand what animal it was.

“It’s a fox,” she gives a small laugh, embarrassed, and is happy he liked it. “I was trying to paint nature.”

“It’s a very good fox,” he says, pocketing the painting with a small snap.

She seemed intrigued by the snap, but didn’t question it. 

“Would you like a walk?” Death questions, an awkward attempt at warmth leaking into his words.

“Sure,” the girl nodded, stepping down the porch to the icy streets with him. Her coat was a bit scuffed up, but freshly washed, along with her hair in the shade of a very faded pink now.

They walked mostly in silence, but a comfortable one, filled with the sounds of crunching snow and wind gusts. Her large scarf hung near her knees, in a well-loved state. Death felt a warm pleasure in the thought of her smile being around more often.

They passed a small playground with faded colors and rusty chains for the swings, and Lilith’s face brightened slightly at the sight.

“I used to play here after school,” the girl said, an air of awe around her.

Death was polite, trying his best to keep her mood up, and offered to take them there.

They stepped up the snow-covered hill to a swingset nearby. The girl got on one and swung lazily, looking up at the clouds in the blue sky.

“We used to play hide and deal here,” she whispered, a glazed over look in her eyes. “I used to hide under the slides and get caught pretty soon, but I never wanted to win. I just wanted to be found.” Her feet kicked the ground a little.

Death had never played this hide and seek, but he could gather a clue of what it was. It was quite obvious.

“They always went home before me,” the girl went on quietly.

Death sat there as a quiet support, letting her go through the motions without interference. It was a comfortable type of security he left her with. 

They made their way back down the road, the gentle breeze turning more forceful, making the girl’s hair whip around to her face. She raised her hands, pulling it back in annoyance.

“Want to make a snowman?” She said it as a hopeful question, one that melted away some more of the ice in his chest. 

She led him to a deeper part of the forest nearby, laden with deep, fresh snow. They got to work, her humming Christmas tunes. Death did most of the dirty work, rolling the snow until it was the size she wanted. The reward was seeing the girl’s eyes start to light up in a way they hadn’t in years.

They used nearby rocks for eyes and buttons, and she got on his back, with his slight reluctance, to grab branches in the tall trees. Death wasn’t very used to being gentle or friendly, but it was getting easier with his new friend.

Once finished, their snowman was a bit lopsided, but she was proud of it. She then plopped down into a nearby layer of snow, sinking in a little bit, then moving her arms and legs to make a snow angel. Death watched nearby, making sure she was safe, and taking a moment of peace from the usual horrors of his duties. It felt nice.

“I never did this with friends,” he heard her voice say nearby, almost wistful. She had sat up when he looked back with a bit of pity.

“Thanks for being my friend,” The girl said next, and Death was left staring at the snow on the leaves of a tree nearby.

It was strange that a human girl was thanking him, Death, for being her friend. But it felt right somewhere in him, too.

~Made by Ashlynn Blue, do not try to copy.~