When my spirit left my body, I didn’t think anything of it. My Aunt Kate, however, was crying, frantic, and calling for a nurse to come revive me. This happens more than it should but that’s all because I have a bad heart. Aunt Kate says I got my bad heart because I was born too soon but I don’t think that’s why. In fact, I don’t think my heart’s bad at all. Without it, I would’ve never met Death, who is the bestest friend ever!

Whenever we hang out, we play the best games! Way better then the ones on my Nintendo switch. There’s a huge difference between pressing buttons and well….this! I fly around the room my soul no longer bound to my frail body. When I fly around the room a second time I see death standing in the middle of the room and they give me a wave. I smile, moving to the middle of the room and floating down to the floor.

“Death! I’ve missed you. Do you want to fly around the room with me? We could play space invaders and make the lights in the hospital flicker again.”

“Hmm,” death considers my offer. “You’re due to revive any minute now so we really shouldn’t, Mel.”

“Aww, come on, Death. You could just suspend time again like you did last time.”

Death places a hand on his ghostly chin. “That took a lot of power from me, Mel, and also caused a lot of paperwork from my superiors.”

I frown. “So we can’t have any fun?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I look down on the ground. “Aunt Kate and the doctors wouldn’t let me walk around this week because I was too weak…I was really hoping.”

I then look up and give death the same puppy eyes I give my Aunt whenever there was a new doll I wanted and she just told me no.

“I—“Death’s voice wavers. “I wish I could Mel but you have no idea what a bore paperwork is.”

“Is it anything like homework?”

“Way worst then that.”

“Aunt Kate’s singing bad?” I say, looking up at Death’s ghost-like appearance and thinking about how Aunt Kate’s singing voice once woke a fellow patient out of a coma so they could ask her to stop.

“Oh, heavens no, the boys downstairs use a recording of your Aunt’s voice for Timeless Torture Thursdays which it always is down there.”

Death points a finger downward and whispers the last part.

“Wow, remind me to listen to Aunt Kate more,” I say, a bit distressed at meeting a terrifying fate.

Death nods his head, reassuringly. “Will do.”

I look over at my body then over at the doorway when I see a nurse and some doctors running in the room.

“Looks like I’ll be heading back in soon, Death. I wish we got to do at least one fun thing!”

“Ahh, it’s fine. I’m scheduled to see you in a couple of days anyway. Maybe we’ll fit in a rousing game of body tag?”

“Ooh, where we go in the morgue and switch the toe tags! I love that game.”

Death chuckles then relents. “As do I. You have no idea the fuss it causes up there but sometimes it’s worth the trouble.”

I grin. “So see you next time, friend?”

“Next time.” Death confirms.

I feel a vacuum like hold on my soul as it’s called back to my body. When I awake from my deathly trip, I look around the room with anticipation in my mind. Death will come back again and we’re going to have the utmost fun!