Death at Home

The door swung silently on its hinges and Death entered the home. The cold air of home welcomed him and was ready to warm it with the logs he carried. Within moments, Death’s home was made warm and bright with the light of fire.

​“Ah,” Death sighed, carrying his bag to his room.

Through the halls and up the stairs, Death soon reached the master bedroom which welcomed him with that same cold air. Flicking the light switch on, Death placed his suitcase down and began unpacking. The trip was a long one, relatively speaking. Despite the more morbid moments, Death enjoyed him time on the ship.

The sun had bleached his bones to a healthy colour, or unhealthy if you looked at it that way. However, despite the opportunity to read, Death spent more time napping than reading. Which is why once he removed his clothes and his basic hygiene kit he was face-to-face with the book he had hoped to finish.

Staring at it for a long time, Death sighed once more.

“Tonight,” he told the book. “I have put you off for long enough.”

With the slightest of chuckles, Death packed his clothing into the drawers and wandered off to the kitchen. Seeing as it was so late at night, Death didn’t both making a full meal, but instead, tried his hand at making a smoothie. Remembering the smoothing he had on the island, Death began collecting ingredients from the fridge and pouring them into the blender.

It was tough going at first, but after twenty minutes of poking everything in the blender to get it to blend, Death soon had a mediocre smoothie in hand. Before he had a chance to sample it however, there was a knock at the door. Death hesitated, remembering his book, but he couldn’t keep her out.

“Death, welcome back,” Conquest greeted with a smile.

“Thank you, it’s good to be back,” Death replied making room for Conquest in the doorway. “Please, come in.”

Conquest knew the place well and was soon in the living room, followed by Death who held an extra smoothie.

“Thanks,” Conquest replied, falling back into the comfy sofa. “Anything interesting happen while you were away?”

“The usual,” Death told her. “I saw dolphins, so many dolphins.”

“Hm, that’s nice.”

Death sipped at his smoothie slowly, wondering what he was missing. For one, it could have been properly cooled.

“Death?” Conquest began. “Forgive me for asking, but you know I must.”

“Go on,”Death replied.

“Have you been keeping up with your duties?”

“I have, my vacation our work.”

“I’m glad to hear it...you don’t give the Four any trouble, do you?”

“I’m a major part of the Four, Conquest, I’m not so self-destructive. Mind if I ask you something?”

“Yogurt.”

Death snapped his fingers in a eureka moment.

“The next smoothie will rock the world, I’m telling you,” Death told Conquest, she smirked and eased back into the sofa. “Is something else bothering you?”

“I can’t find War,” Conquest told Death. “I was hoping you…”

Death looked at Conquest and she fell silent.

“What is the point of seeing every living thing in this world and not sharing it with others?” Conquest asked

“Get over your aggression, Conquest. War will show himself when he feels the time is right.”

“I know, but I would like to know what he is planning.”

“Something else is on your mind. It’s hanging over you like a cloud.”

“Yes, that group in New Haven...they’re making a lot of noise. Not that I blame them with the Saints presence.”

“I have been watching them too,” Death replied with some notable cheer in his voice. “It seems that even our champions get along.”

Death finished off the last of his smoothie and began running through a shopping list for the next day, mentally adding yogurt to the list. Conquest stared at the lounging Horseman and followed suit, planning the next day.

“I’m not looking forward to the day,” Conquest told Death. “Mortals struggle with this feeling their whole lives and you would think I would overcome that feeling after all this time.”

“Do you want my help?” Death asked.

“I’m sure you would happily give it, but you my pride wouldn’t take it.”

“The curse of Conquest, pride. You hang onto it and it leeches off of you. That will need to change if you are to overcome this fear.”

“It’s not fear!” Conquest yelled. “It’s a feeling and we can’t have that in our line of work.”

Death remained silent.

“I’m going to go,” Conquest murmured. “There is a lot to do.”

“You know I still feel,” Death told Conquest. “Of the four of us, the one shouldn’t feel anything should be me, but I do. You are allowed to feel, Liz.”

Conquest leaned against the wall, her back to Death.

“You can have fear too,” Death continued, gathering the smoothie glasses. “Fear is rather healthy, especially when it is fear of death. It helps you avoid it.”

Death walked past Conquest and made his way to the kitchen. He began running water and cleaned out his smoothie glass. Taking Conquest’s, he filled it up again and placed it on the kitchen island, in front of a bar stool. As she drank, Conquest looked at Death as he dried a glass.

“What do you fear?” Conquest asked.

“That I will be there the day you die,” Death replied simply. “For both our sakes, try to outlive me.”

Conquest felt fear tugging at her, that sensation that clashed with her courageous side. Death placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You can crash on the couch if you want to,” Death told her. “Just don’t stay up all night watching horror movies...again.”

Death walked off to brush his teeth and moments later he was in bed, holding his book. With a more comfortable sigh, he began reading. That is until heard the TV announce a horror-thon before Conquest turned the volume down in a panic.

Death shook his head and returned to reading about Jessie’s infatuation with Paul’s cheek bones.

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