I woke with a start, having dreamt about lizards, rats.

And death.

It wasn’t the most unpleasant dream I’ve ever had

But it wasn’t pleasant.

Slowly opening my eyes, I felt refreshed.

No.

More than just refreshed.

Renewed, as if someone had let me sleep away all the late nights.

As if someone had massaged out all my knots in my entire body.

Like someone had breathed new life into me.

What a wonderful feeling, never slept this good.

And as my eyes grew into an open slit, I had to briefly close them again, the sun blinding.

Turning my head to the side, an involuntary groan leaked out of my mouth, the painful sun being a stark contrast to the wonderful feeling in my body.

“Good morning”

Something sung, a voice like honey, the voice of my mother coming to mind

When we were younger, when life was simpler.

My eyes opened again, opening in the voice's direction.

Seeing mom .

But her face was contorting, morphing. I couldn’t quite grasp the exact features, yet it was clearly mom’s face.

I opened my mouth to speak, surprised at the ease it floated out.

“Mom?”

And she laughed melodically, beautifully.

I found myself smiling, feeling happy.

“So that’s what I look like to you? Always interesting to know.”

My head tilted to the side, my face contorting into confusion.

Yet, I didn’t feel confused.

She smiled at my reaction, letting her beautiful voice seep out again.

“But no, I am not your mom.”

She said easily, something that should have surprised me more, but I wasn’t.

It was weird. But at the same time, it wasn’t.

“Then, who are you?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

She asked instead, one brow raised above the other.

Although when I looked again, it wasn’t raised.

It just felt like it was.

“Uhm, yeah”

I asked hesitantly, but somehow not feeling hesitant.

“Aren’t you the curious one? Hehe, yeah, I’m Death. And you’re in my realm.”

She said, not taking me by surprise, which took me more by surprise.

I don’t know.

Although, now that I think about it, her morphing resembles that centaur god.

Yet, she seems more... Stable?

Her smile widened as I kept quiet, and I felt safe. As if I could tell her anything and she wouldn’t judge me.

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“It wasn’t a bad dream, was it?”

I asked, not feeling sad about it, but a little melancholic.

She shook her head while gently stating.

“No."

My eyes looked away from her, down at my body, seeing through it, down to the ground.

I lifted my hands, seeing my legs underneath them, seeing the ground underneath my legs.

“How is she? The human?”

My hands weirdly comforting for being ghostly.

“She is fine, she is sad that you’re gone.”

She responded, sharing my wonder for my hands.

Even letting out a delightful laugh.

I smiled at that, forgetting the regret of leaving her.

My head wobbled up, meeting the wonderful face of my mom, morphing slowly into the face of the human.

Seeing two wonderfully green eyes.

Reflecting my dull brown eyes.

I shook my thoughts away, staring out and away from her.

Seeing nothing.

Nothing

And more-

No.

Something is there.

It looks

It looks like a door.

“What’s that?”

I asked, staring intently at the door.

“What do you see?”

She asked me, following my gaze towards the door.

“A door.”

I answered simply, feeling my legs pushing me upwards without the help of my hands.

Floating up.

“Interesting, I thought you fauns didn’t like doors.”

She stated, more to herself than to me.

Shaking her head and looking out over me.

Somehow I knew that, even though she was behind me.

“That’s your afterlife. Your forever after. Your eternity. ”

She responded, seeing me wandering slowly towards the door.

Very slowly I moved, feeling drawn, feeling like something wonderful was behind it.

Then I stopped.

“What’s behind it?”

I asked, looking both at the door and her.

“Everyone, everything and anything.”

She said with a smile.

I turned around to meet her.

“Is it fake? Is it just for me?”

“Hmm, quite the non-believer, huh? Didn’t think that of you. But it doesn’t surprise me. You’ve met many things that defy your fate.”

A quick response, leaning more towards a statement than a response.

But she quickly shook her head, her face smudging reality as it twisted from side to side.

Before slowing to a stop, looking at me.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to go off on a tangent. But no, no it’s real. Your ancestors are waiting for you."

I smiled, happy that I wouldn’t be alone.

But it vanished quickly.

“What about her?”

She smiled gently hearing that, her eyes growing soft.

Literally.

“Oh, oh you’ll meet her. Eventually.”

She paused for a second.

Or a minute.

Or an eternity.

“You’ll meet them all. Eventually.”

I turned away from her, looking at the door in the distance.

Taking a step

Getting pushed back.

And now, I felt confused.

Actually confused.

I turned to her, actually turning to her.

Seeing a smile.

A smug smile.

“Oh, I didn’t say? You’re not welcome yet. Your time hasn’t come.”

I stared quizzically at her, my mouth dropping open.

And she laughed loudly, echoing throughout my very soul.

“Ahahaha! You should see your face right now! Priceless, I tell you. Priceless!”

My face gawked at the so-called god

My previous awe vanishing into a pool of surprise.

Slowly coalescing into a pool of annoyance.

Of mild anger.

“Hey! What do you mean?”

The god wiped a tear from her eye, eyes gazing upwards, her face morphing, her size changing, yet being the same

through it all.

And I stared mildly dazed.

“Hahaha, oooh. It isn’t every day I can play a prank, you know. Oh, that was fabulous.”

My brow furrowed further, staring the god down.

And as its eyes saw mine, a wicked yet playful, smile covered its face.

“I’m not surprised the human likes to play with you, what wonderful expressions you have.”

Then suddenly, something started ringing, sounding like small bells all going off at the same time.

Sounding both annoying, yet melodious.

“Oh, is it time already? Well “mister butler”, it’s been nice knowing you. We will see each other another time! Byebye!"

The god said in a chirp, sounding excited.

Then my world drowned in colour, vanishing.

My body going through stages upon stages of morphing, pain, and pleasure.

As if every part of my body had to be recalibrated .

As if every emotion had to be felt .

As if every sensation had to be checked.

Then everything turned to black.

And then there was colour.

And I noticed myself staring up at a blue sky with my back firmly pressed against something hard.

“Mister butler!”

She yelled excitedly

And I just blinked in response.

The god of death waved as the faun vanished from its realm.

Its smile was not disappearing even as the faun went away completely, going back to the mortal realm.

It even smiled as something enormous, gigantic, entered its realm.

A feat even gods had a hard time doing.

For the god of Death didn’t like visitors.

“We meet again. Dragon”

The god said, not looking into the Dragon’s eyes.

Not needing too.

“You know I can’t let you do this? The other god’s will get mad.”

The Dragon huffed out blue flame, filling the realm in warmth.

Radiating power of the highest grade.

The god sighed.

“I understand, I know. But I gotto play by the rules, no matter how much I like someone.”

The Dragon stood up on its hind legs, stretching its neck, touching the ceiling.

A ceiling that shouldn’t exist.

“Okay, I’m sorry. But this isn’t like last time... I’ve already been warned, and it won't go down easy with the others.”

The Dragon stretched out its wings

Its scales glittering in the sunless realm.

“Huh, that could work. Well Dragon. You have a deal!”

And without a trace

The Dragon disappeared.

And the god of death’s smile vanished.

Replaced by pity.