With Loss Comes Love

"Death will come to greet us all" my grandfather once told me that when I was younger. It wasn't until his passing I finally saw what he meant.

At his funeral the pastor spoke. Everyone dressed in black, listening to his words, looking into the coffin as if to see the last of my grandfathers life fade from this existence into the next.  But I felt something different. Someone else was around. My eyes went from his coffin to my surroundings. There was a man in the background, his gaze was fixed upon the scene in front of him. He looked vaguely like family. 

"I'll be back" I said in a hushed tone towards my mother, the words trailing off as I headed towards the mysterious figure. As I neared closer. The figure seemed to shift. The familiar face began to hold a skeletal figure. Was this man deathly ill?  With each step its figure changed more, held in its hand looked like some sort of weapon.

"E-excuse me.." I stammered out. 

The figure stepped from the tree, a large scythe held tightly by a skeletal hand, its eyes were sockets but nonetheless still trained on the funeral going on behind me

"You're here for my grandfather, aren't you?" I said in a soft tone. The figure turned its gaze to me, a chill creeping up my spine.

"Yes. It is my duty to guide his soul to the world beyond" its voice sounded like a whisper 

"My grandfather once told me that death will greet us all. That his cold embrace will lead us into a land that we can finally be happy" I stepped closer, the distance between us only mere inches

"Without my hand to guide them. Their souls would wonder endlessly with no hope of salvation." The reaper responded

"Well..." I said as I looked up into the lifeless sockets "...are you happy?" 

"Happiness is felt through a connection of life. I am surrounded by the reminecence of what was once a happy soul. A soul that was once full of life, stolen by my embrace" the reapers hand clenched tighter around the scythe 

 "Have you ever loved someone?" I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

The reaper fell silent, looking up to the funeral as it came to its end, the people dispersing from the scene.

"You said happiness is felt by the living. Maybe the living can show you the meaning to happiness and love" I said, a soft smile on my face, my cheeks burning a soft pink

The reaper turned its gaze to me once more

"And whom do you think could show me such emotions?  I take from the living what others held most dear" the reaper responded in almost a spiteful tone

"Well...me. You take from the living to lead them into a life they may live better in. You should be more deserved of love then any being on this planet" My tone raised with each word, tears seeming to fill my eyes.

The reaper stopped, its eyes on the coffin

"A soul willing to show a reaper happiness and love?" The reaper said in its hushed tone "thank you"

It's head shifted to look back at me, its face seeming to show a smile.