When You're Gone- Billy and Mandy
"Grim... Please..."
"Child, you know very well why I can't do that. Just leave well enough alone... You need to move on."
"I... I can't..."
"In time, you will. For right now, it might be best to take your mind off of her. What about Irwin?" He jerked a thumb towards the living room window. "The little brat's been hanging around outside the house for awhile and it's startin' to bug me..."
The young boy hesitated, then stood up, slamming his hands onto the kitchen table. "Grim. I need to see her. Even if it's just for a minute, just one last time! Please! I'm not ready!"
The cloaked being shook his head, speaking in his Jamaican accent.
"And you never will be. Boy, the longer you think about it, the harder it will be. If I let you see her, it'll only get worse. This was destiny."
"You expect me to just forget about her? She was-... she's my best friend.
Besides... maybe destiny's wrong."
Lunging forward, he snatched the Scythe from the Reaper's boney grasp, skidding across the floor behind him.
"Billy, what on earth do you think you're doing, child?! You give that back this instant!"
He turned on his heels, burning holes through his former friend with a teary-eyed, but firm glare, he gripped the Scythe tighter, his knuckles turning white. "Not until we're together again."
Against all odds, no matter what the cost, he was going to try. He wasn't giving up this easily. He couldn't accept the fact that she was gone, and he was determined to make things right- as they should be. Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he bounded towards his destination, wind whipping through his hair as he went. Closing his eyes tightly, he choked back another sob, swallowing the lump in his throat- she shouldn't see him like this.
He glanced up at the cloudy sky, as it appropriately began to drizzle- but he didn't care. He couldn't care less even if a car hit him. Nothing was going to keep them apart anymore.
Squinting his eyes, he rushed through the entrance, what was now mud squelching underneath his shoes, leaves blowing wildly through the air.
His grip tightening on the Scythe's staff, he weaved through the resting places of other residents in this retched place- where memories resided, yet no one was happy. He grimaced as lightening struck, but kept going.
He was so close, now.
He slid to a halt underneath a large tree, that just barely sheltered him from the pounding rain. He stared at the ground, breathing heavily. Another strike of lightening sent a shiver down his spine, and butterflies filled his stomach. She was here.
Mere seconds became minutes as time seemed to stop. Like he was frozen, and couldn't speak. He couldn't will himself to say a word, as his breath was caught in his throat. Planting his weapon into the ground, he took a shaky step forward.
"...H-Hey, Mandy." He couldn't find the words. "It's me, Billy. Heh... Remember me?" He paused, as if waiting for a less-than-cheerful response, though he didn't expect one. "I-I came to talk..."
Tears stung his eyes as rain continued to beat down on him, but he almost didn't notice anymore. "It's lonely around here without you... and I-I just..."
He collapsed to his knees before his best friend, sinking slightly into the soft ground. Words spun around in his head, he had so much to say to her.
He reached out, wiping away the rubbish from the stone. It felt so cold.
'Mandy- Beloved daughter and a good friend'
The short message said so much. It was recently engraved, the headstone itself custom-made, shaped into her signature 'devil horns'.
"Oh, Mandy..." He inhaled sharply, as his glassy green eyes spilled over. Leaning forward, he embraced her headstone as if it would offer him comfort. "I was too late to save you."