A dense fog surrounded the unforgiving land. Almost nothing resided there except a few sparse trees, a couple of bushes, and Death himself.
"Give her back! Give her back to me!" A small fairy flew in front of Death's face. Her small beady eyes locked onto his glowing red ones.
"I cannot!" Death's icy voice washed over the sparse land.
"Why not!" she screeched. The fairy's shiny wings came to a sudden stop. She floated down to the grainy gray ground. Her knees and hands touched the land. Her tears flowed freely. "It's not fair! I don't understand! Why her? I promised her . . . !" The fairy thrust her right hand down.
"Mimora, all things must come to an end, even you." Death exhaled, releasing a massive stream of smoke.
Mimora's top half shot up. Her knees remained planted on the ground. She placed her hands on her hips. "Do you hate humans? You make their lifespan shorter than us fae!"
"I have no qualms with humanity. I collect. Life is the one who gives the spans out." Death glanced toward his scythe.
Mimora stood up, shaking. "Then where is Life?"
". . ." Death studied the blue and green fae. "That I cannot give you. Life does not like me. There is no correlation between us."
Mimora's wings fluttered as she jumped up. "Then how does this cycle work? How is it possible? Life cannot exist without Death!" She pointed a finger at him. Her little cheeks lit up.
Death shrugged, breathing deeply. "It just does, because like Life, I am everywhere and nowhere. I know every end, even before the babe of a human or fae takes its first breath. Every action has consequences, even this meeting. I can only stretch my scythe out, not recede it. Even if I so wish, balance must be kept."
"Balance!" she shrieked. "How is this balance? Railey was just a kid! A little girl!"
"I can assure you death was easier for her than living." Death reached both hands up to his hood, shaking it out. His scythe floated by itself, beside him. He quickly attached his bony left hand to the weapon.
"Who are you to decide that? To say that? The rumors are true. Death does not feel a thing!" Mimora placed both hands on her hips again. Her legs pressed together as she leaned toward him, sneering.
Death's left hand quickly tighten around his scythe. ". . ." His skeletal head glanced at the ground, as his red eyes grew dim. He took a deep breath, releasing more fog. "I feel everything. Every emotion that is known, I have felt. Even the things I did not wish for." The skeleton in the hood moved closer to Mimora.
Mimora backed up, placing her arm in front of herself.
Death pointed his right hand behind her. A small bright light shown from his fingertips. "I can show you!"
Mimora blinked multiple times. "Show me what?"
"How death was a small mercy for her."
A swirling portal of dark blue and light blue shadows opened up behind Mimora. She puffed out her cheeks again. Her arms crossed over each other. "Hmph, fine, show me. I highly doubt that I will change my mind."
". . ." Death sighed. A sudden ache passed through his bones, causing him to feel heavy. Death walked by the fae, stopping before the portal. "I know for a fact you will come to understand." Death glanced at her. "You will not thank me for it. You may even come to hate me, but that is Life, the jerk."
Mimora gasped as her eyes flew open. "Did you just call Life a jerk!?"
". . ." He hesitated for a moment. "No . . . that is the correct answer, right?"
Mimora shook her little finger at him. "You did, I heard you!"
"You are laughing at me, aren't you? I can imagine it now—you, slapping the armrest of your chair while pointing out in front of yourself. This situation is your fault." Death turned away from his thoughts, as he entered the portal. "Come along."
"Hmm." Mimora's cheeks puffed out, but she followed him through the portal.
When Mimora and Death exited the portal, they found themselves in a hospital room. Mimora glanced around, taking in the whole room. Some machines beeped and let out low hisses of air. The room appeared to be a small one-person occupancy. Flower arrangements decorated the window sill. An older woman leaned against the window. She looked like she had not slept in days.
Mimora then turned her attention to the bed in the room, where a bald little girl laid motionless with half-closed eyes. A large triangular breathing mask obscured most of her face.
Mimora studied the girl with streams of tears creating wet lines down her face. She covered her mouth. "Railey!"
"She cannot see or hear you," Death chimed in.
"Mommy!" Railey gasped, clenching her white bed sheets.
Mimora listened with rapt attention. Her eyes grew wide. "What do you mean she can't see me! Children can see us fae!" Mimora floated up, her hands clenched against her tiny legs.
"You can only view because that is balance," said Death. "It must be kept. You are not to be here. You are not to interact with the dying humans."
Interrupting Mimora and Death, the older woman spoke to Railey. Her voice seemed to get caught on every other word. "Wh-what is it, b-baby?"
"It hurts," Railey uttered.
"I know, baby, I know baby." The woman's hands shook as they clenched the window sill.
"Make it stop, Mommy," said Railey.
The woman fell to her knees, covering her eyes. "I am sorry." She shook her head. "I can't. The doctors are afraid to give you any more medicine."
"Okay, Mommy, don't cry. I can handle it. I will be a big . . ." Railey suddenly drifted off to sleep.
The woman remained kneeling, facing the floor. She crossed her arms above her head, holding in her screams.
Mimora floated beside Railey. "Hey, Railey, we will play together."
Death interrupted her. "Again, she cannot hear you."
Mimora wielded on Death, catching a glimpse of the outside hallway. She spotted a shadow entering another room. Then a shadow following a man on a gurney being rushed down the hall. "What is that?" She floated to the entrance of the room.
Death exhaled, again releasing a stream of smoke. "Me . . ."
Mimora looked around, then back at him. "All of them?"
"Working always," Death replied.
"Even now? In this instance!?" Mimora went to the middle of the doorway, ready to flee.
"It is not your time," said Death.
Mimora's lips trembled. "When is my time?"
"It is painful to watch. One cannot intervene, even if they so wish." Death released more smoke, filling the room.
Mimora lost track of everything in the room. All she could see were white clouds. "Hey, what are you doing!" Mimora tried to clear the smoke out.
Death shrugged before speaking. "Fast-forwarding time."
"Stop it! Let me see Railey!" she screamed into the smoke. Mimora tried reaching out to grab Death. She only managed to grasp air. After struggling for a few minutes, she grabbed onto something hard. Her eyes focused, and Death was right in front of her. "Yeep," Mimora yelped in surprise.
A long drawn-out beeping sound began. Doctors started rushing into the room.
"What is that sound?" asked Mimora.
Death shrugged, "I have no idea. I do not understand fae or human medicine."
"What do you understand then?" Mimora threw her hands up in the air.
". . . death . . . she is dying." Death stated.
"Then shouldn't that sound be associated with death?" Mimora roared, forming tiny fists with her hands. She threw a punch at Death's face. Her punch connected and Death's face moved slightly.
". . . ow."
Mimora's eyes widened, then she frowned. She rubbed her eyes as tears developed again. "That didn't hurt. I know it didn't. I hate what you are showing me! I hate that you are right!" Mimora floated down to the white-tiled floor.
Death turned toward a wall, his back facing Mimora. "It did not hurt superficially, but emotionally."
Mimora blinked. "What?" She instantly stopped crying. "What do you mean by that?" Mimora's tone softened.
Death looked at the floor with dim red eyes. "It is time for you to go home." He turned around.
Mimora stood up. "Wait, I . . ."
Before she could finish, he sent her away sighing heavily.
Death returned to his sparse land only to see it a little greener. "No . . . I am not dealing with this." He turned away, only to be met with bright blue eyes. Death swung his scythe, and the person jumped back.
"Too close! That could have killed me, Grumpy Pants!" The man spoke sourly, while eyeing Death cautiously.
"Learn personal space, Life." A heavy stream of smoke trailed from Death's mouth. His eyes became a bright fiery red. "It wouldn't have killed you anyway—maimed, yes."
"Chillax. Just came to see how you were doing after talking to fairy-poo. After all, any damage you do to me, I can take it off the fairy's lifespan." Life grinned, only to be met with a menacing stare-down from Death.
"Get out!" When Death spoke, his voice echoed all around them.
Life moved into Death's personal space.
Not intimidated, he continued. "She came all the way here, faced horrors, climbed mountains, and fought off things ten times her size just to get an audience with you."
Life poked Death, causing greenery to sprout on his black cloak.
Death swiped at Life again, and again Life dodged. "Whose fault do you think that is?" Smoke filled the area.
"Man, you are so moody." Life summoned a chair. When the white chair appeared, he sat down. He placed his elbows on the armrest, leaning into his hands.
"Again, whose fault is that?" Death clenched his scythe. "Ingrate, you are a rotten existence," he muttered, grinding his teeth in anger. "If I find a piece of your blonde hair anywhere, I will step into your area."
Life quickly held his hands up. "No, denied. I do not need to redecorate."
"Then quit coming to mine," Death huffed, exasperated.
Life's eyebrows furrowed. "Never," he stated, wrinkling his nose. "If you had your way, I would never see the light of day."
Death swung his scythe above his head. He walked until he stood directly in front of Life.
"That is not going to work. By the way, are you viewing her death? Is that why you are always so peeved at me." Life rubbed his chin. "Who is this 'she' anyway?"
"I view her demise always." Death brought his scythe down above Life's head.
Life jumped out of his chair, landing on the ground.
Death's scythe came into contact with it, turning the chair to dust.
Life's heart pounded. His breathing increased as he clenched his chest. "Do you end up killing me? Just asking because you are getting pretty close lately."
Death turned away walking. "Go snuff yourself out."
"Wait, What! Death, stop being a big baby!" Life called after Death. "You better not be heading to my area!"