Disclaimer: Sandman belongs to Neil Gaiman aka God and Vertigo.I don't gain anything from this story.
Alana had always been rather fascinated with death. Perhaps that had something to do with the visions she would have when looking at a dying man. She could foretell a person's death even if they were at the pink of their health. All she had to do was glance at the guy or girl- and there she would wait behind them, a strangely beautiful and pale woman-wearing black like those darned Goths in school and smiling in a kind and gentle manner that belied her purpose.
She talked to her for the very first time when she saw her standing behind her mother. "Who are you ?And is my mother gonna die?" she asked in a shaky voice, too afraid to betray her emotions.
"I am Death, child", She said in a merry voice. "One of the Endless. I am only tellin' you this 'cuz you are one of the fortunate few who can see us outside our realms before their time. And as for your other question, no she ain't gonna die, not for at least another two weeks. I only appeared early to give you some sort of warning. Guess I have grown rather fond of you." And she vanished again in a flurry of mist. Predictably, Alana's mother died two weeks later in a car crash.
She didn't know when it had begun, but somewhere along the way she started taking notice of Death in a quite different way. She started anticipating these little appearances of the eldest female Endless-and when she did see her the oddest details would capture her eyes- she would watch with an all encompassing rapture how Death smiled sadly at the people huddled around a deathbed, how her ruby red lips would curve upwards in a gentle gesture while lifting up a child's mortal body from its cradle for the very last time, or how she would laugh almost absent-mindedly whenever she saw the figurine of Death imagined by most humans( a skeleton clutching a scythe).
I like her, and not in a long time friends sorta way, the truth hit her like a ton of brick when she was watching Death standing against the setting sun, her noble face aglow with the golden rays of a dying day. She wasted no time in doing the seemingly unthinkable-she had had a knack for making impossible things possible.
"I want you to go out with me." Alana said, in a very matter of fact voice.
Death's first reaction was to blink at her, twice, and then the sweetest tempered Endless was taken over by a raucous fit of laughter. "Do you know," she managed to say, in between all the coughing and laughing, "that this is the first time that a person who actually knows who I am has asked me out?"
"So does that mean that you won't go out with me?" Alana asked again, this time fear and despair gripping her heart.
"No," Death smiled enigmatically, "I will indulge you for a month or two, until you get tired of this eons old woman. It has been a long time since I had this kind of fun with a mortal."
"Never," Alana said in a firm and determined voice, "will I let you go".
Their first date was in a Parisian café. To Alana's annoyance, a creepy guy for some reason had decided to follow them in. His locks were hanging loosely in front of his stark white face and two stars were twinkling at her in a mischievous way out of his eyes(if you could call them eyes).
"Out on a date, big sister? I thought you had abandoned such juvenile practices." he chuckled on seeing them.
"It is not like you to be so cheeky, Dream" She snapped- a rather rare occurrence for Death. "Alana, this is my little brother Dream, the third of Endless. Don't mind him. He can be such an ass sometimes."
"Ah, so candidly giving away our identity. Aren't you being disrespectful to the rules laid by Destiny? But don't worry, I will not tell on my favourite sister."
"You dimwit," Death was scowling by now, "she's one of the chosen ones. She would have known sooner or later."
"Oh, that's alright then. I will leave the mortal to your……ministrations". Dream evaporated, leaving behind a trail of smoke and the last strains of a muffled laughter.
Oddly, Dream's sudden appearance or disappearance had had no effect on their date. They chatted amicably for two hours over venison and then parted with a chaste kiss in front of Alana's apartment.
Their relationship, or whatever they had, was a rather bumpy ride. Death would often be gone for a long period of time, and Alana would get agitated and sulk for days. But she would always come back and their time together would be spent in patching up whatever was left of their misshapen and tattered relation. Death would often tell Alana to find a mortal man or woman for herself, but the latter would cling desperately onto her as a drowning man clung onto a piece of straw till Death relented.
But one day she saw a note of finality on Death's face, and she knew that Death wanted to end this priceless but precious thing between them. "Why?" She asked, her voice heavy with years of hidden emotions.
"He's dead", Death said, "my little brother Dream. He looked like a flawless and irritating guy, but he was really a very lonely child who had hardly any friend. Forgive me, but I would like to avoid human company for a while and mourn with the remnants of my dysfunctional family -if possible."
"Will I ever see you again?" This time it was not as much a question as it was an assurance.
"You know you will, Alana." Death smiled sadly.
The moment Alana had so desperately waited for came a decade later, as she lay recovering from the last bouts of pneumonia. Death stood smiling against the door, her kohl-lined eyes brimming with Happiness.
"Do you wanna take me out on a date, babe?" Alana asked cheekily, raising a weak hand to caress Death's cheek as she leaned over to grasp Alana's hand.
"Yeah, Honey." Death chuckled while laying a kiss on her mortal lover's lips. "And this date's gonna last forever."
So? What do you think 'bout it? Please review!