Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs, but may spread to other organs. You can get TB by breathing in air droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person.

My name is Annabelle Lee, and this is the story of how I died.

But really, how rude of me. I should start at the beginning. "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop." You know, a famous writer said that once. It's a great book, you should read it.

Oh, I'm going off on a tangent again. My apologies. You see, it all started with books, anyways

October 1st

It was after hours at the library: my favorite time to read. Everyone was gone, everything was silent. Lately I've been exceedingly interested in a new topic: Shinigami. I was so thankful that I owned this library. If I hadn't, I would never be able to read half of the things that I do now. I lit the candle on the front desk and carried it with me to a nearby table. Earlier today I had already grabbed a book titled "Shinigami. Gods and Reapers of Death". I traced the letters on the cover with my index finger, smiling softly to myself.

The book was filled with drawings of what the artist depicted as Shinigami. Monsters carrying around giant scythes. Creatures with massive grins, and even larger teeth. Things that you'd be terrified of even if you met them in the bright daylight.

I rubbed my eyes and let out a massive yawn. The sun would be coming up soon. Had I really been reading for so long? I couldn't help but smile. I always got lost in my own worlds when I read. I closed the book and held it against my chest. Picking up what was left of the stubby candle, I began heading upstairs to my room. The best part of owning this library was the fact that it basically ran itself. I hired a young girl here to do majority of the duties. Its really simple, seeing as how hardly anyone comes in here anyways.

Something seemed off when I entered my room. Everything was in the right place, right? I double checked. Of course nobody had been in here, I'm the only one here this late at night. Oh well, I thought to myself. I'm just reading spooky books and staying up too late.

And with that, I threw my nightgown on and crawled into bed.

The young man climbed out of his hiding place with a small sigh. "Damn, that was close" he thought to himself. He looked down at the sleeping girl. She shivered a bit and snuggled deeper into her sheets. He raised an eyebrow at the book beside her bed.

"Shinigami: Gods and Reapers of Death" he read out loud to himself. He flipped through the pages and rolled his eyes.

"Now really, what sort of human wrote this book? I look nothing like that"

And he didn't. He was wearing thick rimmed glasses, and a black suit. His hair was two different colors, a light blonde on top and a deep black on the bottom.

"No, you don't, do you."

The young man sprung up and dropped the book.

"What the hell, why aren't you asleep!" He shouted, his face turning bright red.

"Well, if a certain someone wasn't talking to himself, then maybe I would be." I laughed softly. He gave me a long look over.

"Well, anyways…You're Annabelle, yeah? Well, I'm Ronald Knox, and…" He said, crossing his arms. I stood up and walked over to him. To his surprise I reached up and pinched his cheeks. He yelped and whacked my hands away. I laughed again.

"What the hell?"

"Oh, just checking to see if you're real is all." I pulled on his jacket and he stared me down. "And yes, I'm Annabelle Lee. Come for my soul?"

"How do you know!" He shouted, whacking my hands away. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I've been reading all about your kind lately. Of course, you're much better in person than those books. Tell me, is this how you really look?"

"Of course this is how I look. Man, you really are an annoying human. I can't believe I have to stay here for almost a month"

"A month?"

"You're to die on the 21st. I'm simply here to observe."

I put my hand over my mouth and gasped. Me? But…I'm far too young to die! There are so many books I haven't read yet, and who's going to take care of my library! I threw myself at Ronald and gripped his jacket.

"I mustn't die! You can't possibly be right! I feel…I fell just—"And then I started coughing. And coughing. It hurt like a living hell. Ronald looked away.

"What…"

"You've got Pulmonary tuberculosis. And unless you'd like to die before the 21st, you should lay down." My eyes welled up with tears and I nodded.

"You'll be here with me, until I die, right?" I whispered. He nodded.

"Alright Ronnie, lets make the best out of this." I crawled into my sheets and closed my eyes.

"Ronnie?" He asked. I smiled.

October 5nd

"Come on Ronnie, you're taking far to long!" I laughed, pulling him along by his sleeve. He rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't have agreed to come with you if I knew you were going to make me carry half of the luggage!"

"Its not luggage, they're just books!" I stopped for a second, having another coughing fit. Ronald just stood and watched, waiting for me to get back to normal. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and smiled.

"We're close, so stop you're complaining, ok? You said you'd stay with me until the 21st and I'm holding you to it!"

We reached the library doors and were greeted by Savannah, the young woman who worked for me. Who is going to be running this library when I die.

When I die…

I shook the thought out of my head and smiled at her. She helped take in some of the new books and put them on the front desk.

"Oh Miss Annabelle, its so kind of you to run this library for everyone. And you fund it with your own money…"

"Its nothing really Savvy, and you'll be running it when I'm gone."

"But that wont be for a long time, right?"

"Yeah…right." I gave her a small smile, and she knew to drop the subject.

October 10th

Finally, a nice, long, hot, and well deserved bath. I ran my fingers through my hair and soaked in contempt. My peacefulness was short live though. Ronald was 'one of those boys' who had little manners when it came to personal space. He burst through the bathroom door, shouting.

"Hey Annie, you need me to wash your back for ya?" He laughed loudly. I rolled my eyes and sank lower into the suds.

"Really Ronnie, if you want to see me naked so bad why don't you just wait until I'm out instead of barging in. It would make more sense, don't you think?" I couldn't help but laugh. Ronald was a character. I could never tell if he really was just some pervert or if he just messed around and thought it was funny. I went with the latter.

"I can do that?" I shouted, beaming.

"Of course not. Now get out and give me some alone time, will you?" I threw a bar of soap at him and it missed, hitting the door that he had just shut behind him. I grabbed the towel off the heater and wrapped up. As if on cue he burst through the door right away. Thankfully I had already covered myself. He frowned.

"Damn, too late again." We both laughed.

October 12th

I had gotten a fever that day. Ronald said that it's a symptom of Pulmonary tuberculosis. I really wish that I didn't get ill. Not now, when I was having so much fun.

Ronald made me go to bed early that night. He carried me upstairs, with genuine concern on his face. My heart felt weak. It hurt.

October 15th

"Annie, what the hell are you doing out of bed? Doesn't it hurt?" Ronald shouted at me. I had gone downstairs to see what he was up to. He only noticed I was there when I had another coughing fit.

"I just…"

"No Annie, you need your rest. I don't…I don't want to see you hurting anymore than you already are!" He shouted at me. I began to shake, holding back tears. Ronald shouted at me. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could

"Wait, Annie!" I didn't turn around. I slammed the door shut behind me and just cried.

October 20th

I had given Savannah all of the instructions that she needed to run this library alone. She knew I was going to die, even though she didn't want to believe it. She cried so hard that I couldn't possibly bear to see it. I returned to my bedroom that night and refused to leave. I hadn't seen Ronald in a few days. But I couldn't stop thinking about him. Every time I did, my hear began to race.

This time when I coughed, there was blood. Lots of it.

"Ronald. Kill me. Please" The look on his face surprised even me. It looked like he was just asked to kill his mother.

"I cant do that. Its against the rules" He said, looking out the window.

"It hurts Ronnie. It hurts so bad…" He walked over to my and brushed some of my hair out of my face.

"I know Annie. I know. It will be over soon…Tomorrow. And it will be over. I wont make you suffer much longer." I cried. I didn't want it to be over.

I loved him.

I loved Ronald Knox, a Shinigami that I had only known for a few weeks. I was in love with every little thing about him. From his thick glasses, to the nights where he went out partying and brought me back booze. The nights that we stayed up late, as I read my favorite books.

A tear ran down his face and he walked away. I closed my eyes, falling asleep instantly. I no longer had any stamina.

"There's nothing I can do Knox. Do I have to assign someone else to take her soul?"

Ronald had gone to the one person he knew could solve his problems. William T. Spears. He knew that if anything can be done, Will could do it.

"Will, you have to do something, you don't understand! She cant die, I…"

"You love her, I suppose?" Ronald flushed and looked away.

"So what if I do…"

"Ronald Knox, you are a Shinigami. She is a human, destined to die. And now, you are no longer allowed to be on this case, and you may not see her again. If you do and I find out, the consequences will be severe. Now get out of my office."

October 28th

No one dared speak to Ronald for the past few days. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping in months. He was absolutely miserable, his eyes a bloodshot red. He didn't even brush his hair anymore. William told him to go into the library, there was work for him to do there.

He didn't want to go to the library. That remind him of Annabelle.

"Hey Ronnie"

Everything remind him of her. When he watched the sun set, when he went to bed at night. Every time he was sent to reap a soul.

"Ronnie, can you hear me?"

He wouldn't let anyone call him Ronnie. That was what Annie called him. And now he thought to himself he must be hallucinating. He heard her this time.

"God damn it Ronnie, do I have to tackle you?"

Ronald spun around, completely pissed off. "NOBODY, calls my Ronnie. Only my Annie is all-"

I tackled him in a huge hug, wrapping my arms around his neck. He just stood there. I couldn't help but laugh as I released him

"YOUR Annie, huh? For being YOUR Annie, you don't seem so thrilled to see-" He grabbed me around the waist in a huge embrace, spinning me around.

"Ok ok I take it back! Put me down before I puke!" I laughed along with him. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"But Annie, you died."

"Well, more or less I suppose. But you're friend William helped out there. He pulled some strings, and now I'm allowed to work in the library here! Isn't it wonderful? All of these books surrounding me, and its so much bigger than the one I lived in! Ronnie? Are you alright?"

I reached up and wiped a tear from his face.

"Its ok Ronnie, I'm here. Im not going anywhere."

"I thought I lost you" and with that he kissed me. It was amazing. I loved him. And he loved me in return.