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Death is a sonofvabitch.
Simple fact. Death is an arrogant, lazy,traitorous and spiteful bastard. Forced to walk among humans for eternity.
To fear him is a question of sanity.
They say death strikes once and never misses, even when it seems you've escaped he always comes back for the reaping.
That's not how it happened to me though. Like anyone else I met the cloaked menace when I died (obviously).
Still remembering the cold touch of life leaving me and death's warmth gives me chills.
His eyes were a piercing green.
That was the first thing I saw. Eyes as green as precious Jade.
My story isn't a very happy one to start off. In reality I don't think my life was ever really happy before death came.I'm five I think, when I first die.
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I wake up on a Sunday morning. The blistering hot sun filters through the blinds and I realize that it's too hot for blankets. The smell of tar off the construction down the street and the smell of musk had always been a smell reminding me of home.
While other kids played and were cooked a breakfast, me and Roxas sat by the television and look for scraps of anything in the kitchenette.
Getting up I turn on sunday cartoons and wake up Roxas. He grumbles at first, annoyed by the intrusion of his dreams.
Roxas wakes up with a shake of the head. His blonde hair muzzled and messy. I hand him the stale potato chips hidden over in the corner of the television stand.
Sweat rolls down my neck and thighs. Sticking to my shorts that were two sizes too big for me,only kept up by a clothespin on the waistband. Water. We need water.
Getting up, I step over my mother. She grabs my leg halting me from ang sudden movement. "Momma?" I question. Was she awake today?
Mother. Her hair once long and blonde is now frail and eaten away like most of her skin, leaving only hollowness where there should be a bright fullness.
I still think she's beautiful. Remembering a time where her hair was full of life and her skin was pale yet flushed in pink.
I put a chaste kiss on her cheek and watch her blue eyes twinkle with joy. She shivers and makes an awful sound.
"Roxas?" She places a hand on my cheek I lean into the touch and I intertwine her bone like fingers through my pudgy ones.
"No mama,I'm Ven." She coughs, strung out too far for help. She smiles teeth chipped and rotten. Her eyes still twinkle with a sky blue tinge.
Maybe she still had hope? Maybe she wasn't as far gone as she seem? These were all delusions I told myself to keep myself and Roxas sane.
"Yes,of course my little Venny!" She turns to me once more,I know she is going to pass out again, I revel in her attention for now. "Be a good boy okay? Don't do anything bad..." Her fingers slip from my embrace and she grows flaccid once more.
"Okay Ma..." Despite the weather nearing one hundred degrees outside,my mother shivers. I embrace her before trading her thick wool blanket for the thinner one.
Roxas stares at Mickey Mouse above screen eating the hardened stale chips happily. His eyes intense as he watches the chattering mouse. I get back up and stumbled over the quilt on the floor.
"What do we need go get down the hill?"
"A bike!" Roxas chimes happily,abruptly Roxas raises his hand and crushes a bug scurrying away. He wipes the remains on the floor as if nothing happened.
I go fetch the bowl from the counter in the kitchenette.
The bowl we used was one that was once a pot. The handle broke long ago, but still we use the "pot" for everything; Boiling water,cooking,collecting water and even placing it underneath the hole in the roof that leaks when it rains.
I had just picked it up from the counter when a harsh knock at the door throws me off guard. Roxas gives me a curious look before standing to turn the Television down.
Setting the bowl down,Roxas and I made way toward the door where the urgency of the knocking grows louder with each passing second. Our footsteps are shallow as we answer the door. Roxas hides behind me, curiously he stares at the man in the door way of our home.
"Hello?" I answer patiently.
The man smiles. Faint scars trail his arms and his face, something seems off about the aura he gives off. I sensed a change in the air as he smiles down at me. He smells like wood and fire.
"Is your mummy here?" His accent trails my neck and bites down harshly on my ear. I want to shake my head, but the man pushes me aside and I fall on my butt.
"Hey slut!" His demeanour shifts eyes gunmetal and bloody.
"I know you have my fucking money!"
Roxas screams as the man shakes our mother out of her trance. "Stop it! STOP!" He shouts tears trailing his face. He wails loudly it hurts my ears.
Quickly, I grab onto my brother and place him in the corner right by the wooden frame of the door,ushering him into silence.
"Where is my money!?" His threats become only more violent. He thrashes my mother across her cheek and I jump at his arms. He shakes my off and backhands me.
I pass out for a moment, In shock. My eyes are covered by a thin layer of blood and my body grows heavy. Roxas is screaming louder this time.
"VENN! VEN!" Desperation in his voice I once again go console my twin. I crawl to Roxas and grab his cheeks getting a spray of blood on his perfectly round face.
"I'm fine." I smile happily "Seeeee?" Tear stains still fresh Roxas hiccups. Mom yells at the man to leave her alone.
"Seriously! Your money is coming bastard." She screams spitefully. Another slap. Roxas attempts to look over at mom, but I refuse for him to see her getting hurt. I redirect his eyes to me.
"Momma is fine..." Tears threaten to spill from my eyes but I pull myself up and courageously approach the man. "My Momma says it's rude not to introduce yourself mister...I'm Ven! Spelled V-E-N."
"You again kid--" While the man is distracted Mom grabs the gun. Holstered by his waist.
"Don't move!" My mother screams. Her voice cracks and she looks tired. "I'll shoot you bastard!"
"You thieving bitch!"
The man is angry again.
Him and Momma fight over the gun and for the first time in my life I don't know what to do. I wail loudly wanting the fighting to stop.
The first shot did not shock me as much as the second. My body,once burdened and heavy felt now weightless. Dare I say I felt freedom.
Death is described to be cold and lifeless.
Yet It was so fulfilling,the same scenery,but this time a smell of strawberries replaced the musky smell of home.
No longer did Roxas cry, but he laughed. Mom, as beautiful as the photograph I kept underneath my pillow. Garbed in white her voice as soft as an Angel.
"I want him back! Ven! Wake up! You can't go to sleep forever! I won't let you!"
Yet, I can still hear Roxas call. I look at death, the sweet smell of strawberries and my brother's happy face. I can't commit. With a shake of my head I decline the offer reassurance.
The image disappears and I'm left with him...The real reaper himself.
His eyes as green as a beautiful gem, and his lips curved in a smile. "Ventus Shurin, died at 11:04..." He flashes me a smile "Ohhh...Bled out."
His voice is humble and hazy.
"What?" Death calls. "Cat caught your tounge?" I shake my head. My eyes drift through a void and he is the only light. Ironically. "I'm Axel, or Death Jr if you're feeling special." A cheap shot at humor. Though it's hardly funny, I laugh loudly.
My eyes drift to the lingering figure and my tears betray my flurry of giggles. "Can I go home?" I question with resistance.
Axel flashes me a bewildered look. "You want to go back?" He cocks his head to the side and I nod. More tears spill from my eyes. I can't stop them, I feel silly crying in front of Death.
"Can't help you little soul. I'm all booked up." He laughs at his own joke. I give a humorless chuckle to appease the dark angel.
"My momma is waiting for me." I plead. Shifting my feet. "She's calling my name with my twin brother."
"Twin?"
"Me and Roxas, identical..."
"Roxas and I." Axel corrected. "Tell you what little soul, I'm gonna help you out but I will expect you to pay me back sometime okay?"
With no hesitancy I nod. Axel places a hand on my gun shot wound straight through the temple. Screaming in terror, the pain is unbearable. I'm about to pass out, I want to vomit and cry all at the same time but I don't. I maintain a pained expression.
"Call it my gift."
Whatever you do...Don't talk to cloaked strangers, even if they offer to bring you back to life.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Like anyone else Death is a busy person. But, the diversity of work keeps him well entertained. Many people die in odd ways I guess im trying to say I feel bad for that poor person who fell the wrong way in the shower. It's almost like Death is mocking your existence when you die in a stupid way. I die for the second time when I am sixteen, a fact I know because Death never let's me live this one down Now looking back on this fiasco,none of this would have happen if I hadn't taken the damned gummy bears. It had only been a few minutes after stepping outside the car that my stomach dropped. To be reasonable the house was massive. With an overfilled garden, a statue that lets a fall of water rush from it's sprout, a pool and five floors! Who needs five floors? It was bigger than average. A house on steroids, was my first impression of Xion Lockhart's home away from homes. Walking up the steps I swallow my pride and latched onto my brother not wanting to get swallowed up by the crowd. The baseline from the music could be heard blocks down the street. "Yo! Let's get this party started!" Yelled Roxas from beside me. Startled away as he rushed head first into the crowded doorway. Leaving me alone. "Roxas! Don't leave me!" I shout overhead,but alas my twin is already inside the house. My toe jams violently against the plotted plant near the entrance. Cursing profusely, I wobble my way inside the grand adorned house. "Stupid Mcfricken Roxas...Dragging me to this stupid party," I mutter unfulfilled by the party, already planning to sprint half a mile back home. "Wow, that looked like it hurt," A voice snickers. Whipping around a little too suddenly I fall on my bottom. Feeling the warmth of shame upon my face was enough for me to forget the girl standing near me. Eyebrow cocked and face smug. "That's because it did..." I whisper out, my body makes no movement to get up, staring as if i'm a fish out of water. "Heh, I'm Aqua Aston." "Ventus Strife." I take her hand in mine and she pulls me to my feet. "Ahh!" Aqua makes a face of realization. "Your twin is Roxas? He's in the kitchen doing a few...unique...Things with Cheetos." We both laugh at the statement "I need to go...Make sure he's not doing something stupid." Aqua nods and bids me a nice farewell. I rush to the kitchen. "Roxas!" I shout "Stop whatever you are doing with those Cheetos!" I burst through the kitchen door a few people from school give me an awkward look, I rush past the odd looks with a silent 'sorry' and find Roxas shoving Cheetos into a blender. A freakish expression of satisfaction and anger makes the whole situation only more priceless. "Roxas!" I say too loud. "Oh, hey bro." His complete calm demeanor only makes the scene a little harder not to laugh at. Holding a hand to my mouth I calm the raging urge to burst out in a callous like laugh. "What ya doing?" "Shoving these Cheetos into this blender." "Why?" "It hasn't been done?" My laugh is boisterous and fills the kitchen. My sides hurt and my body cries out for no more, yet I can't help but howl in laughter. "W-Whatever you say Roxas." I turn to leave but the bag of Gummy Bears left unattended catches my eye and I help myself to the bag. "Don't do anything stupid!" "I swear on your life I wont." I chuckle reluctantly and walk away. The Gummy Bears are a bit hardened from being left outside for too long but other than that they were good. Especially the strawberry one. Sweetened to the core with a abundance of flavors. The party is in full swing by the time I leave the kitchen. A cheesy pop song plays from the sound system and mostly everyone screams dancing like wild beasts in the hot desert sand. Not amused I sneak off upstairs where I pop another Gummy Bear into my mouth. Should I risk calling Cloud to pick me up from the audacious party? I chew another gummy tenaciously and unlock my phone. Stepping into a deserted (Ghastly pink) room, I place my phone to my ear, I wait for Cloud to pick the phone up. When he doesn't answer my body slumps in defeat, or maybe it was relief. I trudge to the door, a familiar tune chimes from my phone and I reach to answer it. The last gummy bear in the bag goes into my mouth, it's coconut. My face contorts in disgust...I hate coconut. "Yeah! One second I have to put my coat up!" The door slams into me. The girl from the other side doesn't seem to notice me as she carelessly flings her pink coat across the room. The door shuts, "Hello?" Cloud answers briefly I can hear a train shunting in the background. My words don't cone out and my throat swells with fear. The gummy bear was lodged in my throat. I could feel it in my throat unwilling to come out. My hands grasped my neck not caring about my phone that took a tumble down to the red carpet. I fall to the ground flopping like a fish, unable to get air in or out I start to panic. I cough and cough, but this only seems to make the choking worse. Vision blurry and blocked I'm losing consciousness. Then I'm okay. No more pain. I can breathe. My eyes open and my pain is gone. Standing, I feel my tears against my sullen cheeks. "Ventus Strife? Heh we meet again kid..." My eyes snap to Axel. My memories are foggy of our first encounter by now and it takes me a moment to realize that I am dead. Dead? Like for real dead? "Death?" "The one and only! But I go by Axel, Death was my old man I'm A-X-E-L got that memorized? Remember me kiddo?" Axel hasn't changed since the last time I have seen him. His eyes still that jade green. Red hair still fiery and wild. Still exotic looking. "I remember being shot when I was little, but listen....I'm not dead...I'm not dead...I was eating Gummy bears and---" Axel holds up a gloves hand and a book materialized from thin air. He scans the page before his face is upturned in a grin. "AHAHA!" He laughed, holding his sides in presumed pain (did he ever really feel pain?) "Ventus Strife, died Saturday at 9:15 P.M. From a GUMMY BEAR!" Axel laughs for around ten minutes straight. Unamused I kick him in his shin. "Send me back!" "Owow! No way! Not again! Zexion will have my ass if I let your soul go un-reaped. I risked my pinky fingers for you kid! Not again!" Axel glares in my direction. "It's almost as if you want to see me huh? What idiot chokes on gummy bears? Plus you owe me a favor." "I will owe you two! Just let me go back! I have homework!" Axel places his hands on his hips thinking about the possible outcomes. "Sounds alluring..." I plea a smile. Groaning Axel nods indefinitely. "Okay fine! But from now on you have to help with my paperwork!" It's only paperwork, I think Naively. "I accept." Axel devilishly smiles and wraps an arm around my shoulders. "My insignia will be located on your left shoulder when you come back to life again. This signals that your soul is mine and therefore nobody can touch it. If anyone gives you trouble show that and say you're Axel's intern." I nod absent mindedly, "Okay seems simple enough..." "Side affects include; inability to die, ability to see the dead, insomnia, whispers at night, the reciting of 'I see dead people' and descendance into madness. Have fun!" "Wait! What?" "Your first client will show up in a week or so! Byeeeeeee!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I know what you're thinking.But Ventus! Being an intern for Death seems like fun! He seems so cool and funny!If you are listening Client N - 5L6789 I hope you know, you are what keeps me up at night.You were the client that has been through hell and...I'm sorry for that, BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE TO BE DIFFICULT!P.S - Thank youP.P.S - I should visit you more often huh?xxxxxxxIt's not everyday you wake up to Death sitting at your table enjoying a bag of the chips you were saving. It's also not everyday you realize he has company over."Am I dead again?" I groaned at this point in time, honestly it wouldn't be surprising. It had only been a week since the party, I was still licking my wounds.Axel smiles wistfully, stuffing his face full of Lays. A gross amount of crumbs spray the counter top. Revolted, I turn."Hardly, listen this is your first client. I won't be assisting you in the future sooo..." Axel trails off, too absorbed in the chips to finish his sentence. He smacks his lips and digs further down the bag."Are you going to finish?" I give Axel a subtle, but annoyed look. I put my hands on my hips and wait. His green eyes wander back over to me, he looks lost in the cosmos before he snaps back."Oh yeah. Listen up!" Afraid he might wake up Aerith and the others, I shush the loud angel with a awkward hand gesture. Axel gives me a quizzical look."Shush you might wake up everyone!" I hiss. My eye catches on the horizon outside, Sky still dark blue with just trace amounts of sunlight."Don't you know anything kid! I'm a Reaper they can't see me!" Axel jokes, nudging the dead looking boy near him. "This guy right?" The boy seems unamused.The boy is ghastly white with translucent scars on his back and neck. Black dreads of hair catch limp on his eyes, said blue eyes are dull and painful to look at. He has a wound that looks like a blunt object hit him in the head it's swollen with yellow and purple bruises"Who is he?" Axel had wandered over to the fridge and is now fishing out Sora's pudding container.Irritated, I circle the marble counter and snatch the pudding from Axel's grubby hands. I threw itroughly into the fridge compartment. Turning on my heel, I stare Axel down. "Alright! Alright! You can check for yourself, you have access to my carousel.""Carousel?""It was my father's and my grandfather's and my great grandfather's and--""Okay, I get it! How do I work it! The quicker you tell me the quicker you leave my house and stop eating Sora's pudding!" Axel smirks, he walks behind me.I grow still, Axel trails his hands over my ribs latching onto them as if he hasn't another thought. "Stay still." He whispers, I can't help but fidget a little.The insignia burns a bright crimson before it turns a blazing red. Axel leans down and before I can fight him off he bites down on the mark. "UGAH!" I scream out in alarm. It sounds like I've been stabbed, but feels like I've been poisoned."Oops, my bad."Eyes burning, I point accusingly at Axel falling to my knees clutching the numbing arm. He chuckles pathetically."Bastard! What did you do?" quivering in anger I raise to my feet. I growl, furious at the fact he would jeopardize MY health. "What if you have a disease or something! What if I die!""That's how I can transfer Carousel! Biting you was the only way...You can't even die that easily from a simple disease..." Axel looks faraway again as if he's staring into the cosmos. "I won't let you.""Whatever..." Fearful of the sudden change in Axel's goofy personality, I change the subject but Axel holds onto the conversation."Watch who you call bastard, I can send your scrawny ass to the depths of the underworld if you don't apologize...""I'm sorry..." I flash a quick look at Axel. He rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet, His eyes averted. His cloak is slightly ajar concealing something at his side."Very well open the Carousel!" Axel is giddy like a school girl,jumping on one leg in excitement. He looks odd, as if he needs to pee really badly.I place a thumb on my numbing shoulder, I whimper through a spike of pain. It materializes beautifully in front of me. Golden colors shower my vision and a hefty, old book plopped down into my possession."Wow! It's massive!" I open to the first page, but the book commands itself and rips away from the first page. Instead it flips to a page branded DEFECT across the top.Axel urges me to read "Just be careful with it, I have it on loan from Zexion and he would kill me if something happened to that raggy old thing..." I nod, with a few breathy movements I place the book on the counter next to the client.His name is Noctis but his file is under client N - 5L6789. Died at 2:54 A.M Monday Morning from blunt force trauma. My eyes widen and I can't speak. This book was giving me hives, just swarms of goosebumps along my arms.Axel was such a bastard standing and laughing at my painful expressions. "Woah Kiddo don't pass out," He chimes and I glare at him."It's not nice to laugh at other people's pain...Jerk." I whisper the last part not wanting be be caught talking smack.I yawn, tired and weary I turn to look outside the large window once more,the sky is now a light yellow and red hue.Knowing there is only a few more hours until daybreak I turn to the stairs. "I'm going to sleep can we deal with this at a reasonable time of day?""Sure," Chimes the angel. He cups the large blocky object in his cloak.Trying to prevent it from falling. "I was just about to head out!""Axel, move your hand." The reaper freezes just as he is about to step on the patio. "Now." I growl, fairly irritated from the lack of sleep I had gotten the previous nights.Shamed, Axel removes his hand and three containers of Sora's pudding tumble down to the hard wood. I glare accusatory toward the hungry asshole. "You can take one! And only one! Sora will grill me if he noticed his pudding cups are missing." Batting his lashes at me, Axel flashes me a pearly white smile and I shoo him away.In the midst of it all I don't notice that N - 5L...Something is sitting down at the counter still. He looks completely unresponsive.I wave a hand in front of his face. "Are you going to be okay?" I whisper once more afraid being too loud may cause him to shatter into infinite pieces. Freaked out by his lack of response, I walk away slowly back to the room. where my brothers snored loudly.The wood floor creaks under my presence as I tiptoe back to my bed I don't sleep much, as I could feel eyes on me in my sleep. Twisting and turning I shiver underneath my blankets.Prior to what I've said before N - 5L6789 isn't a bad guy. Despite being a ghost who still haunts me, he didn't do anything bad.I wake up to Sora screeching loudly about his stupid pudding. I throw a pillow at the doorway and curse the name of Axel."Who ATE MY PUDDING?!" Roxas cackles at the endeavor, it seems so funny to him he mocks Sora."WHo AtE mY PuDdInG?" He laughs so hard at his own joke that he falls down the stairs. This in turn set off a chain reaction, as Sora laughed at Roxas"Karma is a bitch!" I hear Sora screech. In turn Roxas bounced back up and chases Sora around the house.Proceeding to barge into the room and exchange in a fight about who can throw flip flops at each other the hardest?"Stooop..." I whine aloud wanting nothing more than to catch up on sleep. They must of not have heard me because they keep on fighting. I sigh N - 5L6789 cocks his head curiously at me. I grab my blanket and pillow.Though the tub was very straining against my back,the walls could block out the idiocy ( Sora and Roxas) from a mile away.Noctis cracks a smile, or maybe it's a trick of the light.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Discontinued