The Man And The Reaper

• Adam El Horri, Grade 8, McKinnon Secondary College
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Read Write Repeat 2015' competition

The Man stares into the existence of the ever fleeting grandfather clock.He see’s the big and little hands almost hit the 12.Midnight.The Reaper will come.The Man knows this.His grief overcomes him.He doesn't fear the Reaper but he does fear the anticipation.The wait.The dwell.He looks at his living room for the last time.He see’s the coach he bought in 98’.The clock his grandfather gave him, ironically.The bookshelves,the desk,the tallboy and the little swirly chair,he bought them all with the house.He feels a nostalgia but it is too late to go back.

The space around him explodes into a blue narcotic gas.A portal appears in the middle of the room.He has arisen.The Man’s stomach sinks when he sees the scythe in his arms.The Reaper's black robes mask his thin build.The room zooms in to darkness like a camera focusing on an object.He walks up the stairs from the depths of nowhere.His bones looking withered and unarguably ancient.

The Reaper stares at The Man.This is like every other reaping but he senses something growing that cannot be understood by him.An uneasiness overgrows him.But he cannot sense what The Man can feel because if he feels then no one will be taken by fate.This Man knows his fate.

“Marco Raphie of Earth you are being reaped by death and will come with me.” The Reaper says in a dooming voice.

The Man held on for so long but he bursts into tears.The water droplets running down his face for the last time.Every drop is accounted for.The Reaper extends his hand, spread open.The Man grasps it.He thought death would be lonely but the darkest person in existence is one of the closest people to him.

The Reaper is still uneasy but now a happy uneasiness.They walk a slow tango to the portal.The deep dark canal of nothing scares The Man.His final thoughts are thinking about his guidelines, in life if he ever met someone he would always try to remember their face.He turns his head and watches The Reaper’s face.The Reaper’s skull grinds slowly to line up with The Man's eyes.Even though his eyes are filled with space he looks like he is crying.This is the first time The Reaper has felt.They smile at each other.They walk down the invisible steps.The portal slowly closes to metaphorically say it’s over.Still staring in to each others eyes.The door to life shuts.

God stares back down to the events that occurred.The Man's dead body is laying on the floor.Lifeless but he still feels The Man’s bond with The Reaper.