Mythology, task 10: Write about someone who is feared.
Word Count: 689
Warning: brief mention of stillbirth
He is old. From the dawn of time, he has walked the earth, always in shadows, always waiting.
He is infamous. Mankind has always whispered his name in fearful tones, as though that one little word might somehow summon him. They call him cruel; they say that he takes without remorse, that he is a monster.
But why should he offer an apology for what he has been created to do? Without him, there is no order. The world will plunge into chaos. Though he is painted as a villain throughout history, as some merciless, terrifying thing, he is little more than a guardian, seeking to maintain balance.
They will never understand him; he is not something that is meant to be understood. He is little more than a force of nature—neither good not evil, simply existing.
And as Death nears the Burrow, he feels older than ever. How many times has he been here in the last half century? First, it had been Arthur Weasley after a terrible accident while de-gnoming the garden. Charlie Weasley hadn't even made it to his fortieth birthday when he had come home to die, refusing to remain in Romania with his bout of dragon pox. Little Lucy Weasley hadn't even managed to take her first breath when Death had appeared to take her and Audrey Weasley's souls after an unexpected delivery in the living room.
And those are the only ones who he's taken from the cozy little home. Molly Weasley has lost so many loved ones, that he imagines his visit will be a blessing.
In the end, they usually see it as such. Still, while people are alive and well, they do not care for Death. The continue to live in fear, always trying to outrun him. So few greet him as a friend anymore. There is always panic and pleading, pitiful attempts at bargaining. And when he ignores those cries, he is a villain again.
He shakes his head. He cannot afford to lose himself in thoughts now. Death is many things, and punctual must always be one of them. Without further ado, he steps into the shadows.
When he steps out, he is in Molly's bedroom. He still remembers her as a plump, warm woman with rosy cheeks and the most inviting smile. The woman beneath the navy blue blanket is almost unrecognizable. Her red curls have turned white, and her hair is a nest of tangles. She has grown skeletal, and her skin has become so delicate that bruises and cuts paint her flesh, as though she is some living canvas.
A bowl of soup rests on the table beside her, long since cold. Death wonders who has been taking care of her—Percy Weasley, he would guess, the only one of her eldest sons that Death has not yet come for.
Death reaches out and plucks a face from her memory. Slowly, his shadowy visage begins to fade. Each molecule shifts and twists until he takes the appearance of the late Arthur Weasley.
"Molly," he whispers.
Her eyes open, just barely. "I think I'm dying."
"Yes. I'm afraid you are," Death confirms.
Her lips quirk, forming a weak smile. "How lovely."
"You aren't afraid?" he asks.
There's almost always a scene. Even some of the bravest people history has ever known had put up a fight. Godric Gryffindor himself had tried to slay Death with his bare hands, insisting again and again that he was not yet ready.
But Molly looks so peaceful as her eyes close again. "We're not so different," she whispers. "We both…"
He doesn't know what she's about to say. Death cannot let her finish her sentence; he has a job to do, and it is time. He reaches out, resting a thin hand upon her forehead. Within seconds, Molly grows completely still. Her heart stops beating, and her lungs no longer expand.
With a wave of his hand, he collects her soul and moves along.
Like Death, Molly Weasley has lived a long, full life. Unlike Death, she now gets to rest.
Maybe there's a part of him that envies the dead.
Character Appreciation: apology
Book Club, Nick: "We're not so different.", navy blue
Showtime, Hello!: unexpected visitor
Count Your Buttons: accident
Lyric Alley: I make no apologies
Em's Emporium, Lily: Write a character study
Tearoom: fade
Auction: the Burrow
Gobstones, silver stone (death): blanket, soup, "I think I'm dying."
Chocolate, bittersweet: Write a fic with a bittersweet ending
Days, Old Maid Day: someone over 60
Gryffindor: Molly Weasley
365: memory