Ch. 4 - Death Comes Knocking

Within the week, Naomi and Damien both practiced their newly learned skills. They've practiced so much, to the point people around them started talking.

Damien became known for his devilish smile. The girls would swoon at his soft smile, while the guys respected his sharp demeanor.

Naomi on the other hand became known for her wise insight. She carried herself with graceful stoicism, but she made sure to keep her heart on her sleeve to let others know that she was a reliable confidant. Easily, she gained the trust of many.

Miss Labelle, who watched from afar, was pleased to see their progress, but was not surprised to see their quick development. She always knew that Naomi and Damien had the potential to be exceptional, and it was a matter of simple direction to find it.

Attention for both Naomi and Damien wasn't new so they both adapted quickly to their rise in popularity, but it was crazy to see how easily people did get swayed by the smallest of things.

It's just unfortunate that Naomi wasn't able to approach Damien sooner before he mastered that smile of his. The last they had talked was during their first meeting with Jeremy.

Naomi didn't want to admit it, but sometimes she'd wanted to enter that circle of his and claim him, "I saw his smile first!"

But that is absolutely a fantasy that Naomi simply indulged in as an afterthought.

——

Even though putting up appearances had its great advantage, it didn't mean that it was easy.

Recently Naomi found herself more tired than usual, and at times she was tempted to think that it was her own foolish thinking that living like this proved to be more tiring, but her tiredness slowly started manifesting in her physical condition.

When the end of the day neared, for example, every time she'd stand up, she'd get dizzy spells, and she almost always had to take a full minute to reorient herself. It was a good thing, the momentary pause fit with her purposeful slowness, but it did earn her a few strange stares.

After the dizzy spells, came nausea. Nausea came sporadically, and it came at moments Naomi least expected it. She'd be mid-conversation with her peers when she'd feel her whole stomach curl over.

That left more for her to explain every time she rushed out of class to go to the restroom. She was lucky she hadn't had any major accidents, but there were a few close calls.

A week later, Damien and Naomi were to meet Jeremy for the second time, but Naomi called in sick as her nausea came as early as she woke up that day. Perhaps, Naomi was doomed for the rest of her life.

Even just taking time and effort to use her brain made her bed-ridden. She had watched over Damien to compare their progress, but Damien showed no symptoms of physical ailment.

Naomi buried herself under her covers, and closed her eyes to once again escape into her own world. The only company she shared was the cicadas lulling her back to sleep.

Naomi easily slept her morning away, and in the midst of the afternoon haze, she dreamt a comforting dream.

Her mom came over and cared for her. She cooked for her, wiped her down, and gently stroked her hair away from her face. It was a dream Naomi appreciated once in a while. It'd been a moment since she's dreamed of her parents.

"Mom. Dad. Thank you."

Since their death, Naomi didn't allow her mind to wander off to them often, but it didn't mean she missed them less.

Naomi got overwhelmed by her emotions once again, and as if all that she had held back during the past few days, came rushing out all at once.

She cried for the rest of that night, holding her mom and dad's hands.

"I love you." She called out once again. "I miss you." They were words she'd never say normally, but just for today she'll say the words she never got to say to her own parents.

——

The next day, Naomi felt refreshed despite what had happened the previous day. When she walked around her room though, she felt as if the dreams she had yesterday weren't dreams after all.

There were small things she noticed that weren't there before, like the bowl of water next to her bed, the towel on her head, and especially the pot of porridge in her kitchen. No matter how she looked at it, it couldn't have been her who's done all this, and as much as she'd like to think so, her parents certainly weren't the culprits either.

Who was it?

When Naomi entered class that day, she made the effort to keep the stoicism she's practiced, but just for these few days she would shed her natural warmth. She would completely embody Damien's stoicism, and once in a while, like the devil, she'd smile at another's misery.

Like waves, a new set of rumors made it around the academy. A new rumor that involved Damien too.

"Do you think something happened between Naomi and Damien for their personalities to change this quickly?"

"Damien must've coerced Naomi into this. Have you seen the look in his eyes when he isn't smiling?"

"I saw Damien enter her room the other day. Do you think it's something to do with Naomi's strangeness today?"

The last statement sent Naomi for a loop. Had it been Damien who cared for her that night?

——

Damien, who was also hyper aware of his reputation, heard the rumors that's been going around, but he's been so used to scorn, he cared very little about what people had to say at this point.

There was one problem though.

It started one day. Damien was on his way to class, when he spotted Naomi repeatedly trip over some stairs. She even had a few close calls.

Damien let her fall over those multiple times, of course, but the stranger part of it all was how Naomi kept getting back up as if nothing had happened at all. She didn't even look around to see if anyone was tripping her, like some crazy person.

Even Damien was a little shaken by the strange incident.

It wasn't until Damien finally looked closely when he saw Death clinging onto Naomi's legs.

Death or as most people know it as, the Grim Reaper, was a scraggly hooded figure. Its face was hollow and certainly was not for the faint of heart, but seeing Death in the position it was in, would certainly make one question the seriousness of the entity.

It clung onto her like some pest.

Damien and Death exchanged knowing glances, but so nonchalantly Death would simply disappear, and Naomi would return to normal.

The same type of incidents kept repeating over the next few days, and somehow Naomi kept her act up. She was still helping people out even on the verge of fainting. She was still acting stoic and graceful, all while Death clung to her shoulders. It seemed almost as if Death was having some kind of fun, but why Naomi?

Damien wasn't sure whether it was Naomi's time or not either. Death had never been this fickle over taking someone before.

Usually, Damien didn't meddle in the affairs of Life or Death. Death, however, didn't relent. It kept appearing above Naomi, and the frequency of its visits increased the more Damien tried to ignore it.

The more Death visited, the paler and more gaunt Naomi became.

This slow death, it was sickening.

Damien planned to end it once and for all on the day they were meeting Jeremy, but as if Death knew, on that day, as soon as Damien woke, he felt Death's presence strongly. He followed the all too familiar feeling of suffocation and nausea, all the way to Naomi's room.

So many things could have happened to ensure Death's victory that day, but Life must've favored Naomi as well. When Damien got to her dormitory her doors were wide open.

"Death!" He called out as soon as he entered her room. "Don't do it!"

A few onlookers drew near Naomi's door upon hearing Damien's voice, but Damien couldn't allow them to get involved in the matters of Life or Death.

Damien shut the door, and as if on cue the crowd of onlookers gasped on the other side of it. He didn't have much time, especially now that they had an audience.

Death cranked his head towards Damien's direction. It wailed as it pointed to Naomi's lifeless body, "This girl. The Underworld is asking for this girl."

Damien looked at Death in confusion. He usually knew what the Underworld wanted, but since it wasn't fully his domain yet, he must've missed something important.

What was it about Naomi that was so important to the Underworld?

"If it is her time, then take her. But if it is not, let her go. I will take responsibility if the Underworld is angered. I will return quickly so you wouldn't need to take any blame or punishment."

Death wailed and spun around, "Thank you, Damien," before floating away for good.

Naomi's expression eased up as soon as Death left the room. Her heavy breathing slowed, and the color in her skin returned.

Damien sighed in relief. He hadn't been involved with Death in so long, but everytime they did meet he'd always found himself drained of all his energy. Even demons had no immunity over Death, although they make a hard bargain to avoid its grasp.

Damien neared Naomi and under her voice she whimpered. "Mom. Dad. I love you. I miss you."

Tears streamed down her face, and the path it took seemed to blossom in a warm rosy pink, a color he hadn't seen on Naomi since Death appeared over her.

Human life was so frail. Even the kindest of people could disappear within a single moment.

The thought had never bothered Damien before. He was no stranger to morbidity, but he definitely sat in discomfort as he watched Naomi slowly fade away. The fact that he let it all happen nauseated him the most.

Damien turned away. His job was done now. There was no need for mindless brooding.

Before he could even make some distance though, Naomi grabbed his hand, locking them within hers.

"Please don't go." She cried, and held tighter.

Her touch ran warm compared to Damien's, and although he had all the power to pull away. Damien sat down and held her hand.

He would stay, just so he could make sure Death wouldn't return.