A Sickly Child's Story

Left alone again, those words sent Reian into the last he wished to forget. A stupid mistake he wished he never made. The day he made a deal with the God of Death. 

"Wh-what?!" Reian's mother said looking down at him as he slept. "I-is there some kind of cure? There has to be right? People survive this all the time right!?" She asked the doctor franticly. 

"Ma'am not many people survive leukemia but we'll do everything we can to help," the doctor said with a crestfallen expression. Reian had a really bad fever and red spots all over his arms. 

"He's all I have left...you have to have something to help him...please," Reian's mother said with tears in her eyes. 

"We'll try everything we can ma'am, we'll let the boy sleep for now," the doctor said. Reian's mother nodded, kissed him on the forehead and walked out of the room. After a while, Reian opened his eyes and looked around the room. 

"Am I going to die? I haven't even had my 10th birthday yet, I don't wanna die yet," Reian said to himself looking up. He put his hands together and prayed. "Oh Lord and Heavenly Father, if you can hear me please don't separate me from my mother just yet. She has nobody else but me and I haven't even turned 10 yet, I don't want to die, I haven't even lived yet so please if you can let me live a lot longer. Amen," he said concluding his prayer. 

"Praying to a God that has no desire to keep you alive? Utterly useless," a voice said, Reian looked around the room. He could find the source of the voice. 

"Who's there?" Reian said, in a small scared voice. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the voice said sounding annoyed, "I'll tell you what kid, I'd really appreciate it if you would pick a side," 

"Pick a side?" Reian said confused. 

"You've been drifting between life and death and quite frankly I'm annoyed with it," the voice said irritated. 

"I-I want to live," Reian replied. 

"Doesn't everybody? If you really want to live then just live already," 

"The doctor says I'm sick and I might not have long enough to live," Reian said with tears forming in his eyes. "I can't die yet, my mom will be all alone if I do,"

"Why don't we make a deal then?" the voice said in a mischievous tone. 

"What type of deal?" 

"If you let me walk around in your body for a while, I'll extend your lifetime. Not only will you outlive your mother but you won't suffer any longer," 

"So if I want to live longer then all I need to do is share my body with you?" Reian said with a weak smile on his face.

"Exactly and do as I ask every once in a while," the voice added. 

"I would have to think about it, maybe I'll ask Mom about it," Reian said. 

"Just saying kid, this little tug of war you got going on won't last much longer." the voice said, "you might even end up dying tonight," 

"I guess you're right," Reian said giving the voice's offer some thought. "well the I-" Reian spoke as the doctor and his mother came back into the room.

"Oh my little Rei, how are you feeling?" Reian's mother said holding his hand.

"I'm great Mom, guess what?" Reian said excitedly.

"What is it Rei?" 

"I'm going to outlive you one day," Reian said with a weak smile.

"Oh, really?" Reian's mother asked as she looked up at the doctor, who shook his head slowly. "I bet you will Rei, you'll outlive us all one day," Reian's mother said as tears fell from her eyes.

"Don't cry Mom everything will be okay," Reian said.

"These are happy tears, I'm glad I got to be your mother Reian," she said as the doctor put a hand on her back.

"This is very heartfelt but I'm going to need an answer," the voice said as a man appeared on the other side of Reian's bed. The other man had his arms crossed, the man had tattered clothing and looked pale. "I don't have all day and neither do you," 

"I'll take your offer, mister," Reian said. "I just want more time with my Mom," Reian said.

"Reian, who are you talking to?" his mother followed his gaze.

"The man sitting right there," Reian said moving his head a bit. 

"Reian there's nobody there," his mother said panicking. "Reian look at me okay, I love you. Mommy will see you again one day alright, just be strong and wait for Mommy," 

"Great to hear it kid, just grab my hand," the man said as he stretched his hand towards Reian. 

As soon as Reian grabbed a hold of the man's hand, he felt a chill go down his spine. He shivered and the man laughed.

"what was that?" Reian asked the man, "and who are you?"

"Well Rei, that was the cold chill of death and I am the god of death," the man said. "In a way, you just made a deal with the devil,"