Chapter 47

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"Welcome back."

That voice ... that bone chilling voice.

First there was nothing, only black emptiness that stretched on for miles. But the sound of that greeting set fire to the world and it burst to life. There was no ground below me and no sky above me but I felt it humming, all around, with an energy that concentrated on the lone figure sitting in front of me.

The beast.

Death.

Other than a mere glimpse at the Crypt, I have not seen him in so long. It has been months since he plagued my nightmares and even longer since he forcefully pulled me into his realm. And our time apart has aged him drastically. His bones were cracked and his eye sockets drooped, claws were dull and fangs were snapped. From the way he stood hunched, due to a meek spine and weathered by hunger, it was clear that whatever cosmic force has been keeping him alive all these years is beginning to wane.

He looked at me, and I at him, and eventually Death whispered, "You're late."

"I'm late?" I asked.

Both of us froze. The question rolled freely from my mouth, so easily. My voice entered into the air and the darkness bombarded the sound like a moth to white hot flame. Because for the first time ever in this strange place outside of reality ... my voice was heard.

I have never been able to speak in the beast's presence.

Until now.

"Yes, you're late." He shook his boney head and a groan rattled through his disconnected ribcage, "I have been waiting for so long, and look what has become of me. You were supposed to be here ages ago. What kept you?" He did not give me the chance to answer, "Bothersome human spirit? A will to live? A fighting chance? Determined to save your one true love?" He gagged, "Oh please, what a waste of time."

Even while he spoke, his shoulders sank further and this beast I once feared became nothing more than a collection of ivory, "What happened to you?"

He glanced down at his condition and dust misted from between his broken fangs on a curdled laugh, "You happened."

"I did this to you?"

"You lived up to your expectations. I had half a mind to kill you a long time ago, to let that foolish boy fire a bullet through your brain and save myself the trouble. But I was too cocky and I was so bored. I fancied a game, but look at the outcome." He sighed again and the sound hissed through the barren bones of his body, "If I had known it would end like this ..." He stopped himself and smirked, "Well now, that is from a different ending, isn't it?"

"I thought your game was to get Dustin's heart." I pressed.

"That was part of it, seeing as how you were so dead set on saving the unfortunate boy." The skeleton sneered at me and that same black smoke oozed from his eyes. But the consistency was different. In the past, the sludge that leaked from his eye sockets threatened to suffocate me. Now, it only looked as though the beast were crying and its thick flow had become a measly trickle, "And I won't deny how I craved his heart, it truly would have been delicious. Unlike anything I have ever feasted on before. If only we had more time ... I came so close ..."

"You are Death." I declared without invitation to do so, confident and fearless, "I figured out who you are."

"Perhaps." He countered, circling the chipping wooden throne where Dustin once sat, "But that is only the first chapter, you have yet to read the rest of my book. Although now, I can't imagine how it would matter. My story is coming to a close."

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