It sits in wait, neither gender nor age assigned to it. But it is there, watching me and you and every person on this planet. From the moment a newborn baby comes into the world screaming with new lungs, new life, it has a plan for that child. It sees his life, sees him grow up, and sees him old and withered, lying on his death bed with a regretful smile on his face, his children, his grandchildren surrounding him until he takes that last gulp of air and enters the next world. It sees it the moment that woman cries out and clutches her husband's hand, the moment that infant sees the world for the first time.

These people think they can change their fate? If it could, it would laugh. Tiny, pathetic humans, want to mess up his plan? The one it has worked so hard to fabricate so that everything is perfect? If it even could, it would probably chuckle at the stupidity of the thought, or maybe simply be pissed off, but as it is, it can do neither. Still, it doesn't like to be cheated. Doesn't like to be out-smarted.

"You were meant to die," it whispers in the chill of the breeze.

"I'm coming for you," it states in the shadow of the coffee mug.

"You're next," it snarls, in the reflection of the mirror.

But they never listen. Foolish little humans think they have life all figured out. How old were they? Seventeen? Twenty, even? Mere children, thinking they are immortal, as if Death can't touch them because of their youth. Everyone has their whole life ahead of them, this is true. But how long is your "whole life"? Fifty years? Twenty? Five? Ten minutes? No one really knows, now do they?

It plays fair, but on its own terms. It will give you warning, show you the way, but can you decipher its clues or are you too grounded in "reality" to see the given signs? It doesn't matter anyway, because no one cheats Death, and no matter what your actions, it will still get you.

There are no accidents.

There are no coincidences.

There are no mishaps.

There are no escapes.

You cannot escape, because it's coming for you. It's always coming for you. Are you ready to face Death?