Prologue

Death never scared me. It was what I would leave behind that scared me. I would have to leave her behind. I never wanted that, but we knew exactly what we were getting into when we first kissed. As much as we both hated to admit it, our time together had an expiration date. Maybe that's what tore her apart the most.

Being dead wasn't something I liked, but something I got used to. Death wasn't that bad of a guy once I finally got to know him. He told me that he didn't want to bring me to the realm of the dead, but he simply had to.

To maintain the balance and hold the order.

I knew that I wouldn't nor could have returned to the world of the living and hated it. It hurt to know that she would be lonely and left with a heavy heart. Sometimes I swore that I could hear her cries, her pleas in desperate hopes that maybe just maybe I would be there and make her smile again, but I simply couldn't. Not anymore.

In this realm, time is of no factor. There is no sun. There is no moon. There are no months. There are no days. And there are no hours. Just a dark black sky, grey land and a bunch of dead folk to keep you company. They weren't all bad though. I met a man who lived during the age of the early 1920's. He told me his tragic tale of how he fell in love with a woman who simply didn't have the ability to love him back. No matter how hard he tried he could never get her to say those three words. As I listened to this man, I truly felt sorry for him. He offered her his heart and she offered him nothing but mind games, manipulation and heart break. I thought of what could have happened if the woman I loved denied me her affection, but I stopped thinking about it as the thought left a bitter imprint in my mind. I don't know how long I've been in here. My internal clock doesn't really do me any good since I have no idea of what time it really is. I always feel empty as I wander through this realm. I've been here for quite a long time and I still don't know my way around. Maybe it's for the best. Me being dead and all. Maybe she'll get over me and find someone else. Someone better than me. Someone who won't die.

I sift through my memories like movies and try to live them all over again. The adventures I had with Joshua and Jake, the times spent slaying evil creatures, the rejection from Bonnie, the heartbreak with Flame Princess and finally, the time I spent with Marceline. I shared the best moments of my life with her. Most of my pleasant memories associate themselves with her. Each time I see her in my memory, I smile. I smile at the fact that in one point of my existence, I had her in my arms. I loved her more than anything and she knew it. She used to tease me and say that I was too adorable and cute and that I had a problem because of it, but I knew that deep down inside she actually loved it. There would be nights where we would just lay out on the grassy fields of Ooo and just talk. About anything and everything. Our fears, hopes, wishes and dreams. She would lay beside me and stare into my eyes with her own. They would glimmer with a deep dark but yet brilliant shade of crimson. Her jet black hair would flow down her shoulders and shine with an unnatural brilliance to it. Her smooth, soft and pale skin would soothe me as her body would brush against mine. She was absolutely perfect in every way to me. She was everything I wanted and more.

I can never be with her again.

I know I've been here longer than I'd be willing to admit. I just wish maybe, just maybe that she's still waiting for me, but I know she's not anymore. I'm certain she's found someone else to help lift the weight off her shoulders. I'm just hoping that she won't be hurt again.

Sometimes I lay down and think. I think about how I ended up here and how I want to get out, but that's all I ever do. Think. No putting plans into motion and taking action. None of that. It's not like I've tried before, believe me I have. It's just for the fact that I can't get out of here without Death's permission since I'm part of the deceased here. So I sit here in my own shadow, take in the air and think.

Sometimes I see Death watching me.

Nobody has been around for miles. I spent the majority of my.. uh.. 'day' searching for a single soul to talk to, but eventually just talked to myself. Not like I had a problem with that, but I'd much rather have an actual conversation with someone rather than just ramble on to myself like I'm doing now.

When I woke up, I saw Death sitting right next to me, staring into the black abyss known as the sky, humming to himself.

"Finn." He called my name out

"What is it?" I asked, looking at him curiously

"I have some news for you." He said calmly

"You do?" I asked

"Yes. I do. I know that you miss the land of the living and your.. dearly beloved."

"Yeah. I do."

"I can let you visit her and the realm of the living."

My jaw dropped. My mind raced and my heart threatened its way out of my chest. Did he just say what I think he said?

"I know what you're thinking, but I've seen you always longing to be with your wife and It is within my power to let you visit her since It is my decision if you stay dead or not." He said with a small smirk

"Are you serious?" I asked him

"I usually don't joke about these matters."

"I..I.." I stuttered

"Don't say anything." Death said as he stood up, dusting himself off

"Okay." I said as I got up with him

He grabbed his scythe off the floor. It was a long, slender and black design. The silver blade was long and had a jagged edge to it.

"Stand back." Death told me

I walked back a couple of inches, but still stared at where we were looking at. Death gripped his scythe with both of his hands and raised it in the air and slashed it down. A purple portal appeared in front of us. I looked inside it and saw images forming inside of it. Once the images fully formed I saw a treehouse. My treehouse.

"I'll be back to get you in two weeks." Death said as he held his scythe like a staff

"Thank you." I told him

"Be careful out there. Things may have changed more than you have expected" He warned me

I nodded to him and walked into the portal.

Author's Note: I'm back again. I don't know what this story will be because it just started out as an idea. I think it could be a short story or something. Anyways, back to work on Mentality!

With love,

Samuel the Raconteur