Pity and Death Rebecca Herrick Section. 2
Spring. When kids can once again play outside and the weather becomes warm. The season of
renewing and birth. Death hated this season. It was the exact opposite of him. As much as he hated it,
he had to stay in the Human World. He had just completed collecting a soul, but now, he was bored. In
an attempt to entertain himself, he watched a school.
Not much was happening, at all. He thought about leaving when he felt someone knock three
times on his head. He spun around only to see Pity, an angel girl he'd known since he could remember.
He frowned slightly at the thought of her playful jokes and pranks that always seemed to fall upon him.
"Smile." She said.
"Why?" Death asked. She smiled up at him.
"Because I said so." Pity giggled in the most annoying way. Death groaned and growled, at the
same time turning his back to Pity.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Death asked.
"I've come to help a girl cope with a family death," Pity said, looking sharply at Death when
she said 'death'. Death looked away uncomfortably. He knew what she was implying.
"Better get going," Pity said, flying away and vanishing through a wall.
'Show off,' Death thought. Death was about to fly away when a thought stopped him. He didn't
know what Pity did. Death could release souls from their bodies and it was obvious, with a name like
his.
But Pity's name, well it was had to figure out what she did. She'd said she'd come to help a girl. So she
takes pity and helps people. But how?
Death grumbled to himself. He was very curious about Pity's ability. He wanted to know. He
flew down and materialized through the same wall Pity had gone through. Problem was, he didn't know
where she went.
Death flew through the halls, looking, searching. Until, finally, he heard the muffled sound of
crying. It must have been the girl Pity came to help, and it was coming from the bathrooms.
Death flew over and landed quietly as he could in front of the door. Then, praying that the
hinges wouldn't squeak, he cracked open the door. The sight inside mystified him.
Pity was kneeling on the floor, a girl, about the age of 16 or 17 had her head buried in Pity's
thighs. Pity's bright, white wings were fanned out behind her. She stroked the girl's hair and hummed
soothingly. The girl shook in sobs and tears.
"My heart... it hurts. I feel like I'll never stop crying." The girl managed to get out through the
sobs.
"Let me take the pain." Pity said, in a voice full of wisdom and knowledge that Death had never
heard before. "Let me be strong for you." The girl looked up at Pity, then nodded. Pity pulled the girl
into her arms then began to glow a dark blue color.
"I take this girl's suffering," Pity said. The girl began to glow light blue. The glow intensified,
Death could only see their shadowy outlines. Then, the glow lessened; the girls glow left her and went
into Pity. Then the glow disappeared completely.
"Go on back to class. They're worried about you." Pity said softly, releasing the girl from her
hold. The girl nodded, the only sadness left were the tear stains on her face. She left. Pity continued to
kneel on the floor. Death keeled in front of her.
"Pity? Pity, look at me." Death said. He put the tips of his fingers under her chin and tilted it so
he could see her face. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes.
"Pity, whats wrong?" He asked.
"Death, it hurts so much!" Pity cried as she latched on to him, she circled her arms
around his neck. She buried her face in his chest. He hesitated, then put his arms around her.
Pity cried. Death held her. It was an ironic situation. It was then it dawned on Death. Pity was
never really the hyper energetic angel he'd known. She only did that to hide. To hide the pain she
carried for everyone else.
"You're being nice today." Pity said sleepily. Death smiled.
"Lets go home."
Moral: Strong people have to cry too.