Prologue Part 3: Sidus' 2nd Talk With Death

The cold midnight winds swept across the street, its leaf passengers swirling and dancing.

Sidus watched the sad little brown blades flutter pass. The summer would soon be over, and autumn was on its way.

He stopped to sniff the air.

There were many different scents mingled in one breath: the sweet whiff of hot chocolate, the smoky smell from a hobo's burning fire, the mouth-watering aroma of steaming pasta dribbling with Italian sauce.......and one faint, but present foul odor of something else.

Sidus isolated that faint trace, and found that it led straight down the street.

Slowly, he continued on his way, grateful that ghosts were unable to feel cold.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Run-down. Wrecked. Untidy. Messy.

Sidus studied the apartment one more time and settled for occupied-by-retired-couch-potato.

Old magazines and empty pizza boxes were scattered all over the floor. Grimy shirts and underwear were draped carelessly on chair backs. Little gray wisps drifted from an ash tray on the table, where cigars and cigarettes of variation were left to die out.

Sidus picked his way over the filth to the open bedroom door. "Thought I'd find ya here."

"You have very accurate thinking."

Sidus walked in. "Did I catch ya at a bad time?"

"Not at all. I came early." The Grim Reaper gestured at the pot-bellied bald man on the bed. "His fatal heart attack won't be until one and a half hours later."

"Heart attack? Figured somethin' more dramatic."

"No, heart attack. Too much high cholesterol fast food." Death opened a box and pulled out a long black cigar. "Want one?"

Sidus advanced. "Ya realize these little fellas cause lung cancer."

Death picked up a lighter. "You realize we're already dead."

"Point taken." Sidus delicately held one between his teeth as he lit the butt.

"Enjoying the afterlife, youngster?"

"Under cover, pretty good." Sidus blew out a misty gray cloud. "All my last wishes are gettin' fulfilled one by one. Ky's all grown up, married t' a Spaniard, an' now she's two months pregnant."

"I know, lad. I met your nephew by coincidence at the Pearly Gates." Death smiled as he shifted his scythe. "Quite a handsome chap. Looks like you."

"Thanks. I needed that."

Death tapped his cigar over the ash tray. "So what is it that has brought you all the way here?"

"This." Sidus clenched his teeth over his own cigar as he rolled up his sleeve. Fine black hairs spread from the back of his hand to his elbow, gradually thinning along his upper arm. Turning his hand palm up, he revealed pointy, claw-like nails.

The Grim Reaper's face betrayed no emotion. "And I take it you smelt your way here?"

"Without my dog body. It's still under the kitchen table."

"Really?" Death smiled again in a reassuring way. "Side effects. You're just physically adjusting to your adopted form."

Sidus nearly dropped his cigar. "I'm turnin' into a DOG?!"

"Not exactly, but you're lucky. I known a couple of others who mentally adjust to their new form."

Sidus gulped nervously. "Right."

"Nothing to worry about. Give yourself some time for your ectoplasmatic forms to fight it out. You'll take the appearance of the dominant form."

Sidus straightened his sleeve. "Why didn't it happen before ya gave me my liberty pass?"

Death raised an eye brow from behind his cigar. "You weren't an official wandering ghost then. Everything comes with a price, you know." He took out an old-fashioned pocket-watch to check the time. "Sorry. I got to get back to work."

"Thanks for yer time." Sidus stuck his cigar in the ash tray. "Could I ask ya one last favor?"

"Ask away."

".....Tell Dad I said hi....that I miss him and I'm sorry I can't meet him again personally."

"I will. I'm sure he misses you too."

"Thanks again."

The Grim Reaper watched the young ghost leave before turning back to the bed. "All ready to be reborn, Brock?"

The ghost crossed his arms over his chest like an offended child. "That dot cost me half my pension! The least you could do was ask before helping yourself to them!"

= * =

Random reader: "Tell Dad I said hi"?

Howling WereWolf: Concerns a different part of Dark Canine that I haven't published yet. And yes, I intend to, but not for a while.

Sidus: Okay kiddos, Life Lesson: NO SMOKING UNTIL YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD!! YOU'LL GET ALL THE SMOKE YOU WANT DURING CREMATION AND YOUR AFTERLIFE!!

Howling WereWolf: Quit it, Si. You're embarrassing me.

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