AN: This is inspired by The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.

I do not enjoy my job.

That is man's greatest misconception of me. They seem to think that I like what I do; that I want to do it. They think that I find pleasure in it. They think that I am cruel.

That is simply not the case.

My work is exhausting. Completely and utterly tiresome. I can't take a vacation. I cannot call in sick. Hell, I can't even take a break! Imagine that: me, taking a break. What havoc that would wreak!

And I am nothing if not gracious. I take the humans away from the heartache and pain of this world. There is no hurt where I take them. There is no feeling at all. It's much better, really. There would be no fatigue. I suppose it'd be a fantastic vacation. If it didn't last forever, that is.

Still, humans are very set in their ways. They do not understand me; therefore, they fear me. While this is not exactly logical, reasoning, I suppose it is understandable. However, fearing me is completely useless. I do what I must, that is all there is to it.

When I do change my mind, it is usually for the "benefit" of the human involved. Generally, I am not easily persuaded. However, on days I am feeling particularly weary, if a human puts up much of a struggle, I'll let them stay.

The people to whom I grant this "favor" often believe I am angry with them for evading me.

I am not vengeful or easily angered. I keep no ill will toward any I allow to remain. It is my choice to keep them here, after all. If anything, I am thankful to these people. It only makes my job easier. One less soul to carry, one lighter load upon me. No, the humans who "escape" me do not bother me at all. Let them run wild and free, I think. Let them parade around thinking they have bested me.

I find that thought very humorous. Humans cannot best me. They cannot evade me. They cannot escape me. They cannot fight me. If I am called to them, they remain only if I allow it. But it amuses me that man still believes it possible to fight me. It amuses me that they still find it necessary.

Not all of them do, of course. There are some, the wisest I think, that greet me with open arms. They do not try to fight. They do not try to run. They simply come to me, and allow me to take them to peace.

There are others, however, who do find it necessary to run from me. While on the whole, people running from me does not bother me (it used to, I was terribly offended at first), there are some who go to great lengths to protect themselves from me. This, on the whole, does not bother me either. For the most part, these lengths are useless. There are very few things that can deter me.

The most common of these things is one of few things that actually irritates me. While I could not care less whether one's soul is split (the longer one lives, the less work I have), the process is the one thing that angers me. Nothing riles me up quite like having to do unnecessary work. Murderers are the only humans I take pleasure in taking.

One in particular has significantly added to my workload. Directly and indirectly, he is the cause of many unnecessary deaths, and great fatigue on my part. He who has taken lengths to protect himself from me in ways no human has ever thought of before. He has angered me, like never before. I cannot take him now, but trust me, I will soon enough. No one can defeat me.

He. Is. Mine.

AN: Well, there you have the start to a new story. I wrote it because it's been bugging me for like... a year. And I'm kinda having issues writing chapter nine of Kiss and Tell. I kind of hoped this would help clear my head, and it did. But anyway, I'd really appreciate any feedback you have. Comments, questions, ideas for a better title? Actually, wait on that one. But please, please, please, leave me a review!

Sunny