Home Is Where The Heart Is

Sunday, May 29, 2005

"She will not survive the night."

Thunder boomed outside, the resonant echoes ringing throughout the room.

The doctor stood over her body, his face a mask of his emotions.

"I am sorry. She has lost too much blood. Perhaps if she was brought in earlier..."

I heard nothing else.

Death is not merely a process, a journey that we must all undertake. The Angel Of Death is not only a messenger but an escort as well, a spiritual entity to bear the deceased to the realm of the afterlife.

And occasionally... that journey can be interrupted, or even forestalled.

The voice did not falter.

There exists the means to challenge Death. It is possible for any mortal strong enough and brave enough to do so, and in the process redeem the soul of his or her beloved.

A faint aura of mockery crept into its tone.

Of course, often enough simple foolhardiness is sufficient reason for doing so.

The presence began to colaesce into the faint image of a slender female figure draped in black, face hidden by a voluminous hood.

Again the voice began, but this time the words bore a much bigger semblance of reality.

"You seek the soul of the female Death has marked as His now, do you not?"

Mistrustingly, "What the hell you do you want?"

"Unlike so many earthly wishes, this is one that I can help you with."

"How so?"

"The passing of a mortal is never an absolute matter. Should you choose to accept, you will find out just how much so."

"You haven't answered my question."

"Quite right."

"Then this is bullshit. You can't help me."

"Conclude what you will. However, since you have no compelling evidence to the contrary, my earlier statement will simply have to stand."

I grunted sceptically.

"You understand that the continued existence of your mortal life on this plane cannot be guaranteed, should you decide to undertake this venture."

"Right."

"Death does not treat those who mock His authority lightly, indeed."

"I understand."

"No, you do not." She shook her head, her words filled with an ethereal sadness. "The bargain for a mortal's life always requires an equal sacrifice, namely the life of the bargainer. Even if she should set foot in your mortal world once again, you will not be there to greet her."

"In other words: you will not survive this."

A short pause. "I suspected as much."

"And you still wish to proceed."

A much longer pause. "Yes, I do."

An immortal is not meant to display emotion, and yet I could not help but hear the echo of a sigh in my mind.

"Why do you do this?"

"You know why."

"No, I do not. Not until I hear the words from your own lips."

I ground my teeth together. "Love. It is for love."

"Do you even know what you are saying? "

"Of course."

"Again, you do not. Do not be so fool as to throw your life away on some idealist notion that you are sacrificing yourself for a greater good. Once you realize how foolish you have been in your final decision, you will have all eternity to regret it as you burn with the ceaseless fires of Hell."

"You will watch from your eternal torment as she leads her life without you. A life that you will not enjoy with her, as she even forgets that you ever existed."

"With due respect, I know exactly what I am talking about."

"And exactly what do you mean?"

"Just what I said. I would never be able to live with myself otherwise, in this world or the next, were I to abandon her to her fate."

"Emotions. It is amazing how often and how blindly you mortals listen to them. Do you not know God's love for you?"

"If as humans we have become obsessed with only self-preservation, then I think we've become a sorry example of God, haven't we?"

"Blasphemy. And yet your words have a certain logic about them. Very well, you shall have your chance to show how brave you are before Death."

Again that faint tone of mockery.

"Or how foolhardy."

I didn't hear you leave,
I wonder how am I still here
I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory

Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want, but I can't hide
I won't go, I won't sleep,
I can't breathe, until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide,
I cannot be, until you're resting here with me

I don't want to call my friends,
They might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed,
Risk forgetting all that's been

Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want, but I can't hide
I won't go, I won't sleep,
I can't breathe, until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide,
I cannot be, until you're resting here with me

I won't go, I won't sleep,
I can't breathe, until you're resting here with me
I won't leave, I can't hide,
I cannot be, until you're resting here with me

- Dido, Here With Me

Runnin' away, you can't pretend...
10:24 PM