Screams of the damned echo around me, my spine stiffens as I watch the flames disappear one by one. You'd think after twelve thousand years of being "alive", I'd be used to seeing the souls of lives snuffed out. Twelve thousand years... every day is the same, mortals die, and their souls come here. Once they are here, they are then given a choice to pass over or forever roam in Limbo.  For the ones who pass over, they go to a realm called Ethus, the land of peace. For those who stay in Limbo... well, that's where I come in. Being the son of Death wasn't my choice, but like they say... You can't choose your family. I watch over the souls who refuse to pass on, the ones who are bound to the mortal realm for many different reasons. Some stay because of family they have yet to say goodbye to, others stay for unfinished dreams. Whatever the reason, I'm here to make sure they stay in line. Souls who are in Limbo can become aggressive and get out of control. Making sure they don't break the balance by rampaging is harder than it may seem.

Sometimes I wish I could get out of the Underworld and experience the mortal realm just once. Being able to see into the lives of mortals can be quite interesting to watch. The cycle of life and the decisions these creatures make, boggle me. What does it mean to truly be "alive"? Twelve thousand years, and that is the one question I have yet to answer. What does it feel like to touch flesh, breathe air, to experience the world the way they do? I sigh, my eyes wandering to the ceiling. A portal to transport the souls who stay behind, it connects the mortal realm with this one. As a kid, I would dream of passing through it as others have before. 

A hushed voice rings in my mind, a gentle, soft sobbing female cry. I look at a tall silver mirror at the end of the room. The Mirror of Life shows me the souls marked for death, the ones who are closer than others. In the mirror, I see a girl, her auburn cascading down her angel-like face, her eyes show vulnerability, sadness, loss. Through the mirror, I can see the markings of death on her, the lines a deep red. It's obvious she doesn't have much time left, yet something in me stirs. She seems to be in a hospital bed, wires and monitors hooked up to various spots on her body. Her eyes filled with tears, and than I see it... the darkness growing behind those fiery hazel eyes. 

Seeing mortals learn that time is never on their side never sat well with me. How is it we can live eternally, yet these creatures must live such short lives? I have watched as the brightest souls dim into an ethereal darkness. Lives snuffed out far too soon, the minds of mortals clouded with fear and uncertainty as to how their lives will end... or what awaits them on the other side. I continue to watch this creature, her eyes show me her soul's true desire, and I almost grip my heart... if it was beating that is. Her soul is blackened, tainted with a forbidden desire. One's soul usually burns red, blue, yellow, or purple... yet hers burns black. I gulp, feeling a sense of unease. No mortal should desire death... especially not one marked by Death himself. 

I snap my fingers, a black book appears before me. The book has a bit of thickness to it; the silver spine glows as I run my finger along it, beckoning it to open. It opens to her... "Latisha Crom", I mutter, trailing my fingertip along her name. My eyes dart back and forth as I read the details of her life. My brows furrow as I see she's been marked by Death since she was just an infant. Looking back up to the mirror, I see her lying there, blanket covering her face, the pain and grief behind her eyes awakens something in me, a feeling I have never felt. What is this sensation? Dropping my gaze back to the book, I continue reading, trying to understand this "Tish" a bit more.

Latisha Crom, daughter of Silvia Crom and Dean Crom. Only child, mother died when she was seven years old, father when she was six teen and then her aunt and uncle at eighteen. I shake my head, reading her life's manuscript, I realise, each time she was supposed to die as well... yet she is still alive? My eyes fall to the newest engraving, as of seven months ago, she was in a coma brought on by an underlying health condition. Come to find out she was going undiagnosed with Susac Syndrome. I sigh, looking up to see her again. This time, she's sitting up, speaking with someone I can only guess is a nurse. She fakes a half smile, trying to hide her true emotions. The flame of her soul flickers bright gold for a split moment, and I stare intensely. 

"Did I just see a golden flicker?" I say aloud, confused by what I am witnessing. I watch closely, hoping to see it again. As the nurse continues to speak to Tish, I watch her eyes, the dim black flame shrouding her soul flickers with golden hues. They are barely noticeable, but I see them. I sit back in my chair, my mind trying to process what I have just seen. In my twelve thousand years of watching and collecting souls, I've only ever experienced this one other time... and that one mortal soul I let slip by... not this time.