Mortem Obire

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"Come on Fern!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

A child of the ripe age of ten bounds through two feet of fresh snow. Darting between pine trees and their adjoined branches. Huffing and puffing to catch their tauntee.

Ahead of them a young man, more of a old kid about 16 brushes his body behind one of the large trees. Red cheeks from being chased and having a good laugh are covered by a cold tan hand with the palm covered by his midnight purple leather jacket to keep in escaping giggles. Behind the boy is the puffing child that had just caught up. Sneaking past the tree unaware of the male the stand in front of it the child stalks forward keeping a eye out for said boy.

"EEK!"

The boy ran out from his hiding spot and scooped the ten year old into his arms.

"Put me down, Marty!" The held child exclaimed while trying to wiggle to their freedom.

Martin, or Marty to his younger sibling let out a bark of a laugh and just spun himself and the kid 360 degrees around.

"No can do Bug, your being to slow," Martin told his sibling Fern who he affectionately called Bug on occasion.

"Marty!" Fern whined effectively dragging out the 'Y'

"Nope, its getting dark out and if your to slow we'll have to be stuck out in these deep, dark, spooky woods," Martin continued forward as he spoke until he abruptly stopped.

Fern froze in Martins arms. "What's wrong?" They whispered

"I heard a sound..."

"AHHH" Martin suddenly screamed.

"AHHH" Which caused his sibling to join in as well.

Martins screams turned to hearty laughter, while Fern realized they were tricked and were immediately discouraged. 

"Not funny Martin," Fern stated blandly as if they weren't screaming their head off seconds before. Martin places Fern down from his arms and motioned for them to get on his back. With a huff Fern placed their hands on his shoulders and boosted themselves on Martins back.

"I'm serious Martin I thought I was going to die!" With this statement Martins smiling face halted and turned sour. While still trooping through the snow to his destination Martin caught Ferns attention with his lack of teasing.

"What's wrong Marty, you got sad all of a sudden," Fern questioned their brother.

"Do you know what 'Memento Mori' means?" 

The question caught Fern of guard. And after a few beats of silence Fern answered with a shake of their head. 

"It means 'remember that you die' in Latin"

With a confused face a Fern says, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means were going to die Bug. I'm going to die. I don't want you to fear death. It will just make everything harder. I want you to remember that we die. That I'll die. Can you do that for me?"

Ferns words felt like they were ripped out of their throat. They were speechless. They had never thought in depth of death. Mostly if they would prefer to be cremated or buried. But they managed to squeak out a small "yes"

Martin seemed satisfied with that answer but had more to say, "I want you to remember that we will die but I also want you to remember something else. I want you to face death, look it in the eyes. Not do crazy stuff until you die but when the time comes for you to move on don't cower. Do you know what face death in Latin is?"

Fern shook their head again

"Mortem Obire"