Writing Prompt

“Of course I can. Also weapons aren’t allowed in the hospital,” I say, scanning the strange man’s outfit in search of the holster he held his scythe in. “The knife is cool though. I’ve never seen one with a retractable handle.”

The man slumps with a sigh. Beginning to rub his temples, he says, “This is awkward.” He loosens his black tie and shakes his head at me.

Slightly frustrated with his unwillingness to follow the hospital rules, I shoot him a stare. “It’s only awkward if you make it be. Just go put the knife in your car,” I explain, trying to keep my teeth unclenched.

“It’s not a knife. It’s a scythe,” he replies as he straightens his posture. I open my mouth to ask if anyone cares and if there’s really a difference, but he continues. “And that’s not the awkward part.”

I adjust my scrubs and push away my anxious thoughts about how this asshole is probably mad at me. I briefly remind myself not to start a fight if he tells me I’m the awkward part of our conversation. All I’m trying to do is my job. He’s the one that’s obviously uncomfortable.

“We’re soulmates.”

It’s safe to say I wasn’t expecting that comment from him.

“The prophecy foretold that the mortal who could see me would be my wife and queen, my other half, my soulmate.” It’s almost comical at how fast he composed himself. No longer is he exasperated but stoic as if he’s afraid to show any emotion for too long.

My reply to him is very simple. “What the fuck?”

“It doesn’t matter right now, wifey. I have a soul to collect,” he says without a care.

Almost automatically, I blurt, “Family only.” Habits are hard to break.

He dismisses me with a wave. “It doesn’t matter. You’re the only one that can see me. Let me do my job.”

“Let me do mine,” I say, placing myself between him and the door.

“Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t really care.”

“Funny.” His words are flat.

“You’re a strange man who believes he’s invisible and you’re trying (and failing) to come on to me.”

The man’s mouth molded into a hard line. “I’m not coming on to you, but even if I was it wouldn’t matter. The fates have already decided,” he says. “My name is Azrail. I am death.”

Taken aback, I stumble away from the man. Azrail. Death. “You’re not funny. You can’t make jokes like that in a hospital,” I breathe.

For the first time, sympathy crosses Azrail’s face. “I have to take him. It’s in the fates,” he says.

“My soulmate is a murderer?”

Azrail grabs my hand. “I’m so sorry, flower. Someone must do it.”

“He was really sweet. Like a grandpa.”

“It’s his time,” Azrail says.

“I can’t believe all of this,” I say. Azrail squeezes my hand. “Do what you must.”

With a sad smile Azrail says, “He won’t feel a thing.”

I’m standing outside the patient room, i was asked by the family that nobody can enter the room only if there are family. A person get’s near the room and i’ve told them that, only family can enter. He looks at me strange with a weird confused face. “ you can see me?” He tells me. I felt confused why would he ask me that? He starts telling me that he is lost and that he is worried because he went to his house and all his family is crying for him. “I scream as loud as i can, but nobody can see me or hear me!” He started to cry and i told him not to worry. I told him to wait in the hallway. I wanted to check the patient inside the room. I didn’t want to believe it but i had no other choice. I go inside the patient room where he is dead. I open my eyes as wide as i can, “omg!, it’s him”. It was the same guy in the hallway. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “ i could see ghost”. I mumbled under my breath. I was so shocked, I wasn’t terrified. I had no fear he looked like he was a great genuine guy. I wonder what happen. I told him to Tell me more about himself. He told me that all he can remember is that he was on his way to his girlfriend house to celebrate there 5 years anniversary when out of nowhere a big trailer came from behind and made him spin 7 times in the air, and 3 times in the ground.. “that’s all I remember”. I looked at him but I didn’t want to tell him. He looked confused and then started to say he is starting to remember things. I also walked into a big bright light but i started to walk in when I remember i had to go to my girlfriends house. I was dirty covered in dirt and blood. So i walked home when nobody was there only my little sister weeping in the floor saying, “why did this happen to my older brother”. I tried to talk to her but she couldn’t see me. So i just thought to myself that they were trying to pull a prank. I go to the kitchen and there’s a sticky note in the refrigerator saying “ Doctor Medical Center in San Pablo Ca 94801”. So i just came here too see what was happening. I come in and i see all my family and friends. In the floor crying and praying for me. I got really scared because they couldn’t see me. My mom was in the phone with my girlfriend and she told her i was in room 124B but i was in front of her. I came here to the room to see what was she talking about. “ May i come inside”. He told me I told him, “ please be strong”. There his body laid.

Oops ... I um ... yes ... I can see you ... we can I see you? And are they dying? Can’t they have just a little more time to say goodbye to their family? Almost all of their family is here ... they just need a little more time.

‘Yes, of course I can see you,’ I said, trying to ignore the random appearance of a sharp looking scythe. I couldn’t explain what just happened and I didn’t want to either.

‘But you shouldn’t be ab...look, I need to get past,’ the hooded figure before me stepped to my left but I followed and remained firmly in its way; no one was breaking the rules on my shift. ‘Just let me past and I’ll be out of here before you can say “There isn’t an afterlife”.’ It tried darting to my right but I channeled my county-level amateur dodgeball days and ducked back in front of him.

‘I said, “family only”,’ I said, beginning to feel the agitation redding my face. ‘If you don’t turn around now I’m going to have to ask you politely but firmly to leave the premise.’

The figure, it’s face shrouded in darkness under the heavy hood, flicked back the robe covering its hand and checked a watch on a bony, skeletal hand. My eyes widened, I felt myself gulp. What kind of trickery was this?

I heard some muttering and turned round to see faces watching from all around the waiting room. I had completely forgotten where I was. And in that moment, the skeletal, robed figure must have seen it’s opening because the next thing I knew it had shoved me out of the way and was darting down the corridor towards where we kept the terminal patients.

‘Stop right there,’ I shouted. My offensive instincts kicked in and without thinking, I threw my clipboard straight at the running figure. It was all I could do to hold back the cheer as the clipboard walloped the intruder on the back of the head and it flew forward, skidding on the floor.

I jumped on its back and took it in a headlock. But something didn’t feel right. I knew the feel of a human body from my semi-pro wrestling days and all I could feel here was emptiness. And bones.

I let go, the hooded figure slumping to the ground. Slowly, methodically it got to its feet, brushed down its robe and carried on walking.

‘Up you get,’ a voice said beside me. I looked up to see another hooded figure standing above me, face too in complete blackness. ‘That was silly wasn’t it.’

‘Err, family only here, you can’t come here...’ I trailed off.

‘Yeah, yeah, I think you realise it’s time to go, don’t you? You messed with the inevitable. The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins? I’m afraid you can’t change that.’

I felt an odd calmness about me. Like I had already accepted what was happening to me. This other hooded figure before me held his bony hand out.

‘Come on, death is not the end of an adventure but the start of a new one.’

He’d been around here before-I’d see him as he often would sit there,like he was waiting for someone,brooding quietly underneath the hood of his black jacket. I would look away for only a few seconds,and he’d be gone.

I never thought much of this man,really. He most likely had an ill family member,so there was no need to report a grieving man such as him.

Until it was my turn to check on the terminal patient,Tomas Thatcher who had been diagnosed with cancer the previous Christmas.

It had been the normal job,make sure he was comfortable,and consoling him,as he often spent did days in bed silently and hollowly thinking about his inevitable death. It was rather...melancholic. But I tried my best without giving him false hope.

What was odd was the same man I had seen before was watching the clock just on the opposing side of the hall to the man’s room none-too-eagerly,a grave look in his sunken eyes. It was barley a second after I exited that he slinked towards that room,but I didn’t remember Mr.Thatcher saying he would have any visitors today. He was always wishing he could see his only son on a Wednesday.

“Sorry,family only.” I said to the man,knowing he was not Tomas’ son,but he stared at me. A nurse walking by gave me an odd look as I continued to watch the man,but I ignored her in favour of what he said next.

“You can see me?” to which I raised an eyebrow and nodded. In his hands,however,appeared the answer to my question. A scythe.

This was Death.

That’s why he was here. Tomas Thatcher was about to have his soul reaped.

The recognition in my eyes was apparently obvious as he shook his head sorrowfully. As if reading my thoughts he said, “Yes,I’m death.” as if he were stating the sky was blue, ”Though that doesn’t explain how you can still see me. That should only be possible of wandering spirits or other reapers. “ he continued.

“Well...I don’t feel close to death.” I said. If he was so chilled with this situation,why should I worry? And his presence was...oddly serene. “And you aren’t. Not by a couple years.” he agreed,nodding firmly,still calm even if he stated she was only a handful of years away from her death date.

There was a silence,before death looked at the clock again,before gesturing to my still outstretched hand. “Can I get on with it then,I’ve got another job in 5 minutes.” He asked,to which I nodded,putting my arm down,still in some sort of daze.

He entered the room.

He never came back out,but I still see him sometimes. I send him discreet smiles and waves,which he acknowledged with a nod but didn’t return.

I catch Emma’s eye as she looks up from her clipboard. She’s staring at me, a faint smirk on her face, and I can almost ignore the materialising scythe long enough to take a swing at her. Honestly, It’s a wonder so many bitches go into nursing. I drag my eyes away from her patronising smile. I look at the man with the scythe. He’s not smiling- in fact he looks rather concerned. It’s too soon to tell whether this has anything to do with his layman clothes morphing into a torn black robe. ‘Are you...’ he starts to say, and Emma’s looking back at her clipboard, the smirk still on her face. The man takes a device not unlike an iPhone from his robe. He presses buttons, he taps the screen, he scratches his head. ‘Is William Scott in there?’ I stare at his scythe, and whisper: ‘Is that a scythe?’ He smiles, and the scythe is gone. ‘Sorry. Bit spooky, right? You’re not supposed to be seeing it. Or me, for that matter. This...’ He shakes the device, holds up to his ear, shakes it again. ‘This thing’s on the fritz. The guy in there, is he sleeping?’ I nod, ever so slightly; Emma’s looking my way again. The man turns, noting Emma’s gaze. ‘Sure stares a lot, doesn’t she? We should go in here. We... I guess we need to talk.’ I open the door behind me, let him walk in first. ‘I’ve gotta say,’ says the man. ‘Normally when this happens... and it happens a lot, it’s been years since they upgraded these things...’ He shakes the device once more. I wonder what he’s trying to achieve. With all the shaking. ‘Normally people are a little more shocked. You know... scared. They see the scythe, they think the worst.’ ‘You’re the reaper, right?’ He blinks. ‘Is this... have we crossed paths before?’ ‘Nah. But it makes sense, right? Terminally ill dude in here. You walk up, wanting inside. And you’ve got a scythe. A magical scythe, from the looks of it-‘ ‘Well, I wouldn’t call it magic.’ ‘You’re the reaper. The god damn grim reaper. You’re right, I should be more surprised.’ ‘But you’re not.’ I shake my head. The old man in the bed struggles for breath. ‘So you’re here for him,’ I say. ‘Well, I’d assume so. But like I said-‘ Holds up the device. ‘Fritz. So I can’t get a name. And for some reason you can see me. We keep warning the... the boss. If they don’t upgrade these things soon, it’s gonna be more than one person who’s able to see us. And when more than one person can see us, more than one person can talk. And people listen to groups. One person claiming they’ve seen the reaper? Mental institution. But a group of people? That’s when folks listen. That’s when it’s-‘ ‘Right. Got it. Device thing’s fucked up, I can see you, you’re here for this guy but you’re...’