Lady Death

My pulse felt weak, I was slowly succumbing to death. The wicked lady. The damsel that had cursed my family long ago, never forgiving our otherwise afflicted souls. Member by member she’d taken us, until that day. It was the end of the deal, that day, either her or me, no one backed me up, I was alone, no family, no friends, no allies. Everyone supported the mischievous woman. ‘She’s here for a reason; You can’t go against Nature’s oldest creature; She will take you whether you like it or not’, people had told me. Good, then they could all perish. I was going to fight her, I was oblivious to their rude statements.

However at that moment even I thought of myself as foolish. The woman was using her power, and I, sword in hand, could not do her any harm. Death was protected by her age and knowledge. I was protected by a weak mind and a broken shield, both of which she could go through. I lay in the cold, marble floor, my stomach had gone against me, she had turned it against me. I could feel a warm sensation inside me, inside my stomach. No one had to tell me it was blood. I already knew that.

I spat the red oozing liquid. No use, I reminded myself, it was but a small portion of the waves inside me. And the welcoming committee. I didn’t want to die there, I wanted her to die. I wanted her to pay for all the lives she had taken, for the sake of my family. It was my responsibility, my duty, to see Death fall. I couldn’t – wouldn’t – die beforehand.

In that instant I realized what my mind was thinking and had kept hidden from me until that very moment. I was afraid. Afraid, the word sent chills through me. I’d been afraid of Death and her powers since I was but a young boy. Not only me, my whole family had been afraid. Why? Afraid of my nemesis, my killer? How could that be so? And, why had it only been my family? Didn’t everyone fear Death as well? It made perfect sense to me, and it didn’t to anyone else. Good, they could all perish. But I wanted to live, not to die. Didn’t everyone? Why did my common sense didn’t seem as common to anyone else?

“Stupid”, my voice broke the silence in the marble chamber. There was no reason for that silence, I should be able to break it as I saw fit.

“Who’s stupid, darling?” , a charming, female voice said.

My mouth went dry, my heart sped up. It was her. The only, the cursed, venomous snake of a woman. Afraid. The smell of decay filled my nostrils, apart from that, Death was charming, she pulled off a certain beauty only she could achieve. A lady with graying hair, honey eyes, pale skin and a torn, black robe. Her fingernails grew long, like claws, and her teeth. . . they looked pointier than an average set of teeth.

I was paralyzed by her looks and her unexpected appearance until she repeated her query.

“Who’s stupid, deary?” My eyes spoke of murder, hers of amusement. I clutched my sword and didn’t think twice, and if I did, it didn’t matter. I charged at her, my body doing one last effort, using my remnants of energy. The blade glimmered under the faint rays of sun the chamber received. In one swift motion, Death grabbed my hand, made me drop the blade. She was too strong for someone with her complexion. My hand, all the bones, shattered under her fist. I howled in pain.

“Who is stupid, boy?” She asked for the third time. Her hand now on my shoulder, she was going to break it if I didn’t respond. Or even if I did, I couldn’t know.

“You are”, the strength she posed on my shoulder flickered, I continued, “Everyone is, Birth is stupid, humans are stupid, Life is stupid, you are stupid”. It felt good, how I could insult her sisters and her and everyone to her face.

I never knew why, but Death looked hurt, as if my words had hurt her more than my blade. I took my opportunity, foolish it was, I unsheathed my dagger and stabbed Death, her heart, stomach, lungs and neck. No blood came out, just a thin, black mist. She looked worse at that moment. Death, the woman that ruled and judged human life had been murdered by me. I had avenged my family. It had been too easy, too incredibly easy, I should’ve tried it years ago, I thought.

It was my turn to be stupid then. I didn’t leave the chamber, I was too stunned by my success. Maybe, if I had given more thought to the whole thing, things would’ve gone differently. The black mist that sprouted form Death went back into her body. She was healing before my eyes and I did nothing. She stood up and I did nothing. She grabbed my neck and I could do nothing. She choked me until all life leaved my body. I died.

“Stupid man, one cannot challenge me. I am not just some common enemy you can dispose of. I am Death, judge of all, ender of stories. I am here by nature and you were here because I willed it so. Stupid man, you got what you deserved”, Death’s last words to me were spoken with venom and elegance. I hope she dies.