"Shall we proceed to the next memory?" Death asked while looking at me.
I took a long pause before shaking my head.
"Can we postpone for a bit?" I suggested. "For some reason, I'm getting scared of the next memory you'll show me."
Death didn't say anything and he was eerily silent for some reason. That silence was already a dead giveaway that the next memory would be sinister. I have a gut feeling about what memory it may be and I'm afraid to experience it all over again.
I looked away from him and instead staredat my red sneakers as I buried them in the playground's sand.
We were at the playground, the neighborhood playground, where the previous memory started. I just discovered that even if I cannot interact with the people in the memory, I could with the place where it happened.
The sun was setting, and it cast an orange glow on the surroundings. Death's deathly pale skin looked tanned for once. I couldn't put my finger on if he was more handsome this way or his regular pale self.
Right now, I was sitting on one of the swings while Death was standing before me.
"Don't just stand there," I frowned. "Join me."
Hesitantly, he sat on the empty swing beside me. Since Death was rather tall, he looked awkward as he fitted his legs in the red seat of the swing.
"My colleagues would laugh if they saw me in such a position." Death covered his face with his hand, embarrassed.
"They are not here, are they not?" I pointed out.
Death closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he looked at me with his red eyes, now slightly tinged with the orange of the sunset, and smiled.
"You're right."
I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. "I'm surprised that Death is capable of feeling embarrassed."
Death furrowed his eyebrows. "We, Deaths, are capable of emotions, Evangeline."
I felt a shiver in my spine as he said my name. Upon seeing my tense disposition, he raised an eyebrow at me and I could only shake my head and fake a laugh.
"I guess Deaths are more human than I thought," I said.
This earned me a glare from him.
"Don't even compare us Deaths to you lowly humans!"
I was surprised by his sudden outburst. He seemed like a calm and collected type, the type to never raise his voice or show an ounce of emotions. But then again, what do I know about Death?
"See, you're capable of getting angry as well!" I grinned, completely ignoring the fact that he called me a 'lowly human'. "I see that you're capable of having a range of emotions."
"We're not robots, Evangeline."
"Yes, yes. I know." I waved my hand dismissively. "Hey, Death."
"Yes?" He answered. He did not even bother to look at me as he stared at the orange sky. He looked… peaceful. I can't help but stare at his side profile. But before he could catch me ogling at him, I continued.
"Have you ever felt sad about reaping a person's soul?"
He gave me a sideward glance. "Why do you ask?"
"Since you're capable of having emotions and you're looking at the memories of the person you are reaping, don't you feel a sense of attachment to them?"
Death paused. He paused for a long time, so long that I wondered if he even heard me. But at last, he spoke.
"Perhaps I did. Perhaps I do not. Does it matter? Since you're all going to the other side."
I frowned. "You did not answer my question."
"I did."
"You did not."
"I did!"
"No, you didn't!"
We found ourselves bickering for a few more minutes. But after a tirade of pointless accusations against each other, I laughed. Death looked at me as if I was crazy.
"I am."
"What?"
"Crazy."
"What are you even talking about?"
I laughed even more, so much, until my stomach hurt and my eyes started tearing up. Death just watched me while looking very confused. But for a moment, I saw the edge of his lips twitch into a smile.
"I guess you won't care if I'm gone." I finally gathered my bearings and wiped the tears from my eyes.
"I won't."
"Ouch," I feigned hurt. "You could've at least pretended to be."
"Death does not lie."
"Really?"
"Really."
I found myself turning my gaze at him and smiling brightly. "I like you. You're an honest one"
"I do not." He hmph-ed at me, just like a child.
I rolled my eyes and continued. "I've never met anyone who was this honest with me–" I stopped mid-talk. "Oh, perhaps, Sunshine."
"Who's Sunshine?"
"You'll see her along the way–Wait a minute!" I crossed my arms. "Don't act like you don't know! You probably saw my memories beforehand since you kept making side comments while we watching! You do know who I'm talking about!"
Death shrugged.
"You lied!" I accused him. "I take that back and I don't like you anymore."
"You not liking me does not matter to me, Evangeline." He sighed.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" I sang childishly.
"What–" He sputtered. "You're so childish!"
"I don't care!" I covered my ears and continued singing. "Those who lie deserve to eat a thousand needles!"
"I think you might be mistaken with that one," Death sighed at my antics. "I believe that saying only counts for promises that were not kept."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow at him, mocking him. But then I realized something. "Now that you mention it, I think you're right!"
"Of course, I'm right." Death huffed.
I rolled my eyes at him and yet I was laughing.
"You're a person who laughs easily." Death noted.
I immediately shut up.
"No, it's alright. Please continue." He said while motioning for me to continue..
"You made me feel conscious." I glared at him. "People always tell me I have a very shallow sense of humor."
"Who am I to decide if you're shallow or not?" Death shrugged. "I just like hearing your laughter."
I turned red and I could even feel my ears turning hot. It might have turned red right now..
"Are you, like, flirting with–"
"No, I am not." Death deadpanned. "It's just odd that a person like you, full of laughter, could ever want death."
"Death as in the proper noun as in you, or–"
"Death as in the process of your soul leaving your body."
"Oh." I dug the sole of my shoes deeper into the sand. "Psychology says that those who laugh a lot are lonely deep inside."
"Really?" Death looked bemused. "Where did you get that?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I just saw it on social media."
"Aye," Death couldn't help but facepalm. "Don't believe everything you see on the Internet."
"Does the afterlife have the internet?"
"No?"
"That's good." I smiled yet it did not reach my eyes.
"Is it because you're afraid of it?"
'What a stupid question.' I thought. But indeed, I am.
nodded.
"In the afterlife, no one cares about who you were, Evangeline. Everyone is equal." Death said. "That's why we're looking at your past to establish what you'll be in the future."
"I'm glad then." I sighed in relief.
Death smiled. "So am I.