In Life…
In Life…
There were once two people, complete opposites of each other. They were friends at an early age, children of spring and winter, an unlikely pair. As they got older, their roles started to become evident. Zoi was life and was known among people as just that, Life. He would bless a mother-to-be with strength, and a child with good health. He would help the plants grow, the sparrows live, and was the one to help prey run from predators. He was often known as a protector, as well as a savior. He was a timid person by nature, soft-spoken, with a tendency to be shy. He was the type of person to be sad when a plant died. He was always dressed in light clothes, often with small flowers, or animals on the edges, with his simple brown hair tucked behind his ears, his green eyes the symbol of life, given to him by his mother.
His best friend Lorelai was just the opposite of him. She was death, the black of a burnt forest, the sound after a battle, the shadow you would see at the end of your life. She was a beautiful woman, but she was very serious, collected, and stern. She used to be a young woman, of the age of 20 in mortal years many many centuries ago. But after a time, she chose to appear as an older woman in her later years, when asked she would simply respond, “It is wrong to mock the death of another.” Even in her old age, she was beautiful, with a somber calm air to her. But she lost her life as she started to fill the role of Death. Her name became a curse to all, meaning “A beautiful woman who leads man to death.” She was the name called upon to curse one’s enemies, she was the lord over battles and could be seen gathering the dead. She was crying when someone lost a family member, the darkness one saw right before death. She always wore black, with her black-gray hair tied up in a tight bun, and her hazel-gray eyes always seemed to be cloudy.
One day as Life was blessing marriages, “In Life, this and the next.” he overheard a conversation between the guests about the husband.
“He’s very sick, he won't last the year I fear.”
“Such a shame, she will be widowed at such an early age.”
Life took pity on the couple, and even though he could not stop the man's inevitable death, he blessed their marriage. Allowing for the man to have 5 more years of life.
In these five years, Life watched as the man and his wife started a family, and when she conceived, Life blessed her with strength. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, who had black hair, and green eyes, just like her father. Life would often watch over the family, with a sense of protection over them. The man got to see his daughter grow to the age of 4, and his son to the age of 2 before he became sick. On the night of the fifth year, he died in his sleep, and Death was there to guide him away.
Life was devastated and went to see Death the following day.
“Lore, why did you take that man.”
Death looked at him, with sadness in her eyes.
“The father of the two children.”
It was more of a statement than a question, but Life nodded.
“It was his time, Zoi. It was his time nearly five years ago, but you blessed him, so I delayed.”
Life looked up at Death, anger in his eyes.
“Lore, he was healthy, why? He had a family, a wife, and children who now will grow up without a father.”
Death looked somber, as her face got a little older.
“You did not hear it, nor see it. Did you?”
Life did not respond.
“Come. I will show you.”
Death put out her hand, taking Life’s soft hands in her calloused ones. In front of them, a scene was playing out. The man with green eyes, looked at his wife as she put away the children for the night. He grimaced, gripping his side, going outside.
His wife came out a few moments later and put her hand on his shoulder.
“It happened again.”
It was a statement, much like the one Death made to Life. It wasn't a question, it was a fact. Seemingly written in stone to her, not anything left to decide. The man looked up, blood at the side of his mouth.
“I'll be alright my love.”
She bent down and wiped away the blood from the sides of his mouth.
“One more day, one more day to see my children grow up. One more day to be with my love.” He leaned on her, relying on her for the support he needed to stay strong.
Death changed the scene, to each day, how it would end the same. Him getting sicker, saying one more day, one more day to see his children grow, one more day to be with his wife. He stayed strong for his family, even though he was in incredible pain every day, he would not let the memories his children would have of him be of pain and suffering.
On the night of the fifth year, Life saw as he peacefully lay in bed, his wife over him with a damp towel.
“It’s my time, my love.”
His wife nodded and kissed him on the forehead, her hair lightly laying on his cheek, a tear dripping down her chin.
“Don't cry, my love.”
“In Life…” she responded.
“And in Death my love.”
And then Death came into the scene, reaching out her hand to the man.
“It is time, my son.”
The man looked at the kind old face of death and started to cry.
“Please keep them safe Death. They deserve the world.” He responded to her.
She smiled a sad smile at him.
“So do you. They will join you one day. Very long from now, after a full life. I promise.” With these words the man shimmered in gold, and dissolved, giving his wife one more peck on the head.
“And in Death….”
The scene cut to that morning at the funeral. Life could hear the whispers like he had five years ago.
“How could Death take such a devoted father, after Life blessed them with two children.”
“How could Death kill that poor man…”
“He was fine and healthy, how could Death kill him after Life blessed him?”
As they walked past the widow and the children, the widow spoke.
“He was my partner in Life. In the life that Zoi, the giver of life gave us. And Death permit, he will be my partner in death as well. Thank you Life, for the five years we had as a family, five years of memories his children will have. Thank you, Lorelai, for giving him a Death, swift and painless, after so many years of suffering.”
Life sobbed and looked at Death.
“Why do they love me so much, but hate you?”
Death smiled a sad smile, one that had seen pain for years, and heard the hateful whispers for thousands for centuries.
“Because Life, you are a beautiful lie, and I am the painful truth.”