“You’re back” it says with a cheery whisper.

“I’m back” she said.

“I thought it would be longer before I would be, but here I am”

Sammy felt the vibrations of death around her, almost like it was shuddering at Sammy’s warm body hitting her frozen grasp again.

Relaxing her body, Sammy didn’t even flinch at deaths cold fingertips. After all, it was the second time this week, and it was becoming more frequent now that she was older. Right before her heart stopped this time, it had beat her into a sweat. Deaths icy fingertips were a welcome chill.

“One day” Sammy thought to herself.

“One day I will just stay here forever and I will never really know why or what happened”

Sammy had known death her whole life, they were familiar in a way a nosy neighbour would be in a young lady’s life. Death was there, popping in and out for a chat and gossip, willing her advice and wisdom. Sammy was comfortable with her in a way she had never been with anyone else. She felt understood.

When she left, Death left the door open a little more each time as Sammy grew older, so that Sammy never really knew at what point death expected her to follow.

She wanted to many times. Her and death would talk about real things, things that souls were made of. Sammy didn’t need to open up to death because death already knew her inside and out.

“Why can’t I just follow her?” Sammy said. “It won’t let me”

Death would be there, patiently waiting, but understanding why Sammy could not yet follow. She never told Sammy when or how it would happen when it finally came.

So when the time came and her heart stopped beating for those minutes, Sammy’s soul felt free. Coming back around was the hardest part. Every heartbeat felt like a door closed, and her dear friend death was left behind for the real world to consume her again.

“Until next time” Sammy would think, wondering if then, maybe then, she could bring a key for death to find her when she pleased.