It was time, I could feel the chill in my bones
Death was approaching near
my time to say goodbye is here

It floated towards me, the mystical being of death
It was not like the depictions of the grim reaper
No scythe, no black dress, no skeleton behind the hood
Just a hoodie and the face was covered

“Shall we proceed?” it asked me, with a voice familiar
“Proceed where?” I asked. The voice was feminine
It took off the hoodie and my wife’s face appeared
“We are to leave the land of the living” came the reply

“You are still alive. I can see you crying beside me”
“Yes” the voice replied, “This is just a form”
“Why her?” I asked, “Why my wife?”
“Why not the regular grim reaper?”

“Because death is a misunderstood concept
The grim reaper is a scary sight, isn’t it?
I cannot take you scared to a place that is sacred
So, I take the form that comforts you”

That’s when I noticed how she looked
A grey hoodie with random letters scrambled on it
and navy blue pajamas with a fake Nike logo
my wife’s favorite clothes to laze around in

“What is this place we are going to?” I asked
“You shall see for I cannot describe it in full
Centuries of visiting it and I’m still not sure
Each to their own experience, I’m told”

“Are you death?” I asked her
She nodded in affirmative. “Are you scared?”
“I don’t feel anything. Not scared, not happy either”
“That’s good” she replied. “Helps when you reach the gates”

“What’s after this life on Earth?” I asked
“It’s an experience you need to experience for yourself”
She conjured a staff from the air and handed it to me
“I think you’ll find this useful”

“You said it’s a sacred place” I asked her
“Yes. Isn’t birth, rebirth and death sacred themselves?”
“I never thought of it that way” I confessed
“Yes, that is a misguided opinion among humans”

“Why is there a grim reaper then?”
“Isn’t that something you should ask another human?”
“Maybe they told you when they found out”
“The ones who see me do not live to tell the tale”

She smiled at me as she extended her hand
“Take it, our journey is long” she said
“I shall listen to the stories of your life”
“Okay” I replied, taking her hand and pulling myself up

I saw my body, now a corpse, lying on the bed
“That’s how I looked, you know” I pointed to her
I smiled a half-broken smile as my body went further
“My time here is really up, isn’t it?” I said

“Yes. It is” she replied, seeing my head hung
“But a new adventure awaits you”
I managed to keep my smile and took my first step
“I’ve been waiting so long to listen to your story” she said.

-Surya T