Of Life and Death

"So this is the girl?" A voice asked, peering at the face shown in the mist. It hung in the air, the picture of her, illuminating the barren plain with an unearthly light.

"She doesn't look very special," the voice noted.

"No, they rarely ever do," a second voice replied, and they both stepped out of the surrounding fog as it disappeared, leaving only the image hanging in the air, in an oval of shimmering water droplets. It showed a girl, sitting in her room, not moving. It was as if she had been paused.

The first voice was revealed to be a gorgeous woman, with dark hair and eyes, and pale skin. Her face was beautiful in a shocking way, commanding attention. She wore a dress of pure ebony, which hugged her skin as it trailed on the ground.

The second voice was the opposite of the first. It was an old man, with crooked teeth and sunken eyes and cheeks. His head had once been full of hair, but now only a few white wisps remained. He was adorned with tattered pants and a dilapidated brown tweed jacket over a stained shirt, which had once been a dove-like shade. He was bent and gnarled, like an old tree, and walked with the help of a cane.

The woman wrinkled her nose, "You look like death," she commented.

"Rather ironic wording coming from you. We appear this way because it's how she sees us. We are the embodiment of her perspective," The man gestured toward the image.

"This is what she thinks of us? Rather pathetic if you ask me. Seems her Moment may end with, well, death."

"Right now, I suppose it does. There will be others though. The cycle continues."

"Rather cruel coming from Life itself, isn't it?" The woman replied.

"Are you implying that Death has a different opinion? Despite the fact that it thinks all humans are the same?" Life answered.

"Enough with your cryptic morals, good and bad, black and white, does it not all end with this anyway? One choice. Two of us. Life or Death. For all humans," Death scolded.

"True enough. The girl though, which will she choose now? The only threat she is posed with is her own decision. We have few this young," Life responded.

The two forms turned back to the image of the girl.

"She is very resilient, for how many times she's been hurt by herself and others, physically and mentally," Life noticed.

"Humans do nothing but harm themselves, and the others of their race, in every way, do they not? This child is proof. They must contain great evil," Death told Life. Its face seemed to age a few years, and its body became progressively gaunt.

"They must, but that corruption is taught to them. They are born with the ability to commit great kindnesses, every one of them. With many, however, that ability is crushed by their peers, who teach them sin," Life explained, straightening slightly as the years seemed to melt away.

"She is changing her mind, perhaps?" Death questioned, as it aged many decades in the blink of an eye, finally settling into the form of an old crone. Its dress had transformed into a formless cloak, the hood pulled over its pale, straw-like hair.

Life's form had experienced the opposite effect, as time flowed backwards around it. Its body straightened and grew taller, as the skin was pulled tight around its returning muscles. Life's apparel changed as well. It now wore brown dress pants with a matching sports coat, its white shirt clean and neat once more.

"It would appear so. After all, we are as the humans perceive us," the strength had returned to Life's voice as well, and it now seemed to command attention.

"I think I liked my other form better," Death complained, sounding weary.

"I cannot say the same. But it appears I was right about the humans. They are as capable of good as they are bad. The choice lies with every one of them, in every moment of their lives. Not just the Moment of life or death."

"You cannot possibly be so idealistic, Life. What are good and bad but ideas, as we are? I will tell you again, the world is not black and white as you would have me believe. It exists in a state of flux between the two. Never fully one or the other," Death admonished.

"Perhaps we are both right, for I do think you misunderstood what I am saying. Good and bad exist in every human. One is always stronger than the other. The balance may change periodically, but neither will ever cease to exist," Life explained.

"Perhaps you have a point, but I still detest that you insist on using such idealistic terms as good and bad to describe the humans. And even if they do have the potential to help their fellow man, how many of them actually use it? Meanwhile, they lie and cheat and steal and take advantage of each other. It's madness. And it's in all of them."

"Are you sure that you're not just playing the Devil's advocate now, Death? Madness is not always used for ill intent either; sometimes a healthy dose of it is needed to help one think outside the box. But for our purposes, we shall use the harmful kind to replace evil, and courage to replace good. They amount to the same thing.

"There are two paths in any human life. That of madness, and that of courage. The decision that is made between the two can be reflected through actions, so they are much more tangible than we. The path of madness is much shorter than that of courage. It seems easier, tempting. This, however, is an illusion, and is meant to draw people in. They hurt themselves and others by taking this path, but can sometimes get the worldly possessions they crave quicker.

"The path of courage is long and hard, but much more rewarding than the route of madness. The human who chooses this path will have to face many hardships to reach its peaceful end, but the destination is worth it. Many times those traveling along this route do not gain the possessions they hope for, but they develop a state of mind much more fulfilling than any possession. Unfortunately, there are few who are completely dedicated to this path, and many people go back and forth between the paths in their lifetime."

"Very philosophical, Life. I must commend you. I suppose that you offer the long path, and I the short one, then? Does that mean that I represent madness?" Death inquired.

"No, nothing of the sort. That choice is very different than ours. Whether one is mad or not has nothing to do with whether they live or die," Life replied.

"Tell that to the child who is giving in right now. Her madness may very well result in death."

"Or it will make her value courage even more. She may yet switch paths."

"Of course, it takes courage to embrace madness."

"Well then, it must take madness to embrace courage."

"Then I suppose that madness and courage aren't as different as one might think."

"Much like life and death."