When Death arrived, he slipped past the people straight to the bedside, barely pausing to stroke the cat, before getting on with his job. Not too long after, the spirit of the man sat up, adjusting his glasses.
"Well, that certainly feels better," he murmured, rubbing the side of his head with the heel of his hand. Then he looked to the skeleton in black standing by his bed, and said, "Oh, hello."
"...HELLO?"
Considering the strange and occasionally frustrating number of people he had encountered in his-well, his existence (a certain wizard and a certain Watchman were first to spring to mind), Death had begun to think that he had seen the elephant.* He had met them in denial, angry, bargaining, depressed, and accepting of the fact that they were no longer connected to their bodies, as well as numerous combinations. But never, NEVER had someone ever addressed him so casually upon dying.
Death wondered if perhaps this man saw him differently from the typical form; maybe he appeared as an angel or something. They were definitely a more reassuring sight for someone who'd just shaken off the mortal coil (though really, it was more like he'd climbed out of it). But somehow, based on how he was being scrutinized, he knew the dead man could see the skeleton, and just wasn't afraid of him.
"Before I vanish, may I make a request?" The man swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood up.
"YOU MAY. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WILL BE GRANTED."
"Oh, it's not much. I was just wondering-may I meet Binky?"
If Death had possessed eyes, they would have become enormously wide at this point. As it was, the blue lights in the center of each socket got a little bigger. He knew his horse! Just who was this man?
"It's just-I've thought of him many times, but haven't gotten the chance to see him in person. So before we go to the desert, could I at least take a look?"
He knew he shouldn't permit it. But somehow Death found himself saying, "COME THIS WAY QUICKLY, AND YOU CAN HAVE THE CHANCE."
"Thank you!" The spirit followed him out to where Binky was standing. He gave a gasp of delight, and came close enough to touch him, though without attempting to do so. Binky, in turn, looked over curiously, and then gently butted him in the chest with his nose; evidently he trusted this man who wasn't afraid of Death, in any sense of the word. Taking that as an invitation, the dead man gently rubbed the side of his neck.
Finally he turned to Death.
"It's a shame, really; I had so many more ideas. But it's still a relief to be able to think clearly again. And besides, I trust my daughter to take care of things for me."
Death nodded slowly. "I IMAGINE SHE WILL."
A few moments later, they appeared on the black sands which appeared to stretch all the way to infinity.** The old man rubbed his glasses on his sleeve (force of habit from life, of course), and gasped, "Amazing. Just like I knew it would be." Then he smiled at Death. "Thank you. Give my regards to Susan."
"DOES SHE KNOW YOU?"
"Not really, no. But she might remember me anyway."
And with that, the man began his journey across the desert, leaving the skeleton and his horse to ponder once again the strangeness of humanity.
*He had, in fact, seen all four elephants, and even the fifth elephant.
**The operative word being 'appeared.'
This was just a small idea that came to me a short time ago, after I found out Sir Terry is (sob!) dead; I know it can't hold a candle to his writing, and I'm not completely happy with this, but I still like the idea that he would greet Death casually, like an old friend. And yes, I know that Death remembers everything, so maybe I messed up the system Sir Terry created. Sorry. I hope you like this anyway.