I love you, Death

My first memory of Death is a shower of rain in the late days of September.

I remember seeing people getting busy crossing the streets to get to their works while trying to avoid getting wet in the early morning.

I was only thinking of the latte I was going to order in the nearby coffee shop before going to work.

I was so naive.

So unprepared.

The streetlights turned red and that is my cue to cross the pedestrian.

I started walking in the middle of the heavy rain while clutching the red umbrella I just bought two weeks ago.

Today is my bestfriend's birthday so I was even thinking of what present will I give to her later that day. Maybe I'll just buy her shoes. She fancy those.

I had so much plans.

So much dreams.

But Death is cold and hard hearted.

Of course, he never cared for those.

A loud shrieking sound of a car startled me and the next thing I knew, I felt my whole body being crushed into the ground.

Screams of panic envelope the place and people started to surround me.

I can't move.

And my breathing started to hitch up.

The pouring rain is gently touching my face while I laid there in the ground, unable to move even a muscle.

I tried to gasp for air but I feel like my lungs is starting to give up on me.

And it was only then that reality finally striked me.

I' am going to die.

My coffee, my job, and my future, they will disappear just like a flash. I even thought of getting a leave to travel next week but I guess I can never be able to do that. I' am going to die.

Death is so easy.

So unexpected.

It will come at the moment you least expected.

God, I didn't even turned twenty for me to die like this.

I can feel my whole body in an excruciating pain. So painful that a small part of me is just wishing for someone to end it.

The rain is starting to slow down while murmurs around me is getting drowned with the blaring sound of the car that hit me.

I kept my mind conscious. But who am I kidding? I can already feel my body slowly giving in to death.

My blurry vision wandered around as I tried to get a sight of the people around me.

And that's when a dark image of a man caught my attention.

He's standing amongst the crowd while his faceless dark hood is looking into my direction. He's not even holding an umbrella to protect himself from getting wet from the rain and I don't know if its only me but just the sight of him gives a chilling effect on me.

I saw him took a few steps closer until he's standing next to me.

He's wearing a faded jeans and a dark hooded jacket that hides his face. I can't even get a clearer vision of him.

A cold, chilling wind passed through me and I don't know if its only in the rain or the feeling that this strange man is giving into me.

"Janna Parker."

That's my name.

But wait, how did he even know that?

"Time check," he said blankly then looked at his wristwatch. "Seven fifty two in the morning. Cause of death, pedestrian accident."

Wait, what?

What is he even talking about?

My eyes looked around to see some reactions from other people but it seems like I was the only one who can see him.

Wait, don't tell me---

A sudden ringing sound of a phone cut my thoughts.

"Shit." He grabbed his phone from the pocket of his jacket. "Hello?"

He sounded irritated.

I think someone is talking in the other line before his blank voice changed.

"WHAT?!" he suddenly roared and that made me flinch. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT I GOT THE WRONG Janna Parker?!"

His breathing hardened and I heard a cracked from his phone.

"YOU BLOODY IDIOT!" he roared. "I gave you one simple job, Atlius. Just one simple job! And it is to give me the RIGHT LIST! The right list, the right time, and the right cause of their deaths, but guess what you've done, you fucker! YOU FUCKING MADE ME ALMOST GET THE SOUL OF THE WRONG JANNA PARKER!!!"

I heard small voices from the other line and it seems like it made him more upset.

"Now put this on your stupid little, tiny, notes, Atlius." He's gritting his teeth so hard. "When I get back there, I will kill you. Do you understand that, Atlius? And as a grim reaper, you don't take that as a joke! I will literally grabbed your fucking stupid soul from your useless body and feed it to the demons in hell! Do you understand?!"

Grim reaper?

So this man in a dark hood and faded jeans with a unmanagable anger is a grim reaper?

Just what am I getting myself into?

I heard someone answering from theother line but he just angrily hanged up.

I can't see his face from the dark hollow hood that's covering his head. But it is so clear that he's furious from the hard breaths that's coming from his chest.

His faceless dark hood turned to look at me and that made me felt colder. I mean this strange man is staring at me and I don't know who or what he is!

He just stared at me under his faceless dark hood and I don't know why I'm staring back at the face of death.

My eyes are starting to get heavy and my consciousness is slowly slipping away.

But I still tried my hardest to grasp for life.

I don't wanna sleep.

I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, that'll be the last time that I will find myself breathing.

I flinched when I heard his strange voice under his cloak.

"Oops." He said using that emotionless voice. "Wrong Janna Parker. Guess I can't take your soul today, sweetie."

I felt like being sick just hearing his emotionless husky voice talking to me.

"Let's meet again, Janna."

There is a promise in his voice and I don't even like it.

He's not even friendly.

He sounded like threatening me and that one hundred percent terrifies me.

We just stared at each other for a second and I don't know why am I even doing this.

Why am I getting lured up into his faceless gaze?

"Now get some sleep, darling." He sighed blankly. "Sleep in this world while you still can."

I wanted to stay concsious but I guess my body is starting to betray me. It's like my body is following his orders and I can already feel my eyes starting to get tired.

That's the last thing I remembered before I finally fell into unconsiousness.

And surely, the grim reaper is watching over me.