Cradled by Death

The moon was our cradle in its luminous noise. I could hear it scream deep within the night...moving into morning. We sat upon the bridge of the face of that lunar body...and we spoke...or
rather I spoke. We sat upon the moon still sitting and I took his skull in my hands.

"These things I do for you...death."

My hands were filled with the sands of time so I lifted my palms toward open space. I sifted the grains of my forgetting and watched them shimmering down to my victims. Then with no time
wasting, I jumped to earth in one small leap and bound. I felt the hot asphalt greet my naked feet. I felt the heat rise up and hug each toe. It was the feelings of being alive that I would
miss the most. It was the way the flesh could feel quite simply with no further thought. I straightened my funeral attire and looked around the neighborhood. Most lights were gone except for
the street light here and there and down past the park. The church steeple loomed above me as did my moon seat from minutes before.

"These things I do for you...death."

The homes were lonely, I felt them cry from broken marriages, broken children and death's touch. I saw the children crying, laughing and the bodies entertwined in lovemaking. I knew and felt
their pains as my own. Each home I touched with my fingers, grazing down the bricks of the outter structure. Some were panneled wood, some were stone. My fingers grew excited by the
difference in the feel of the realness in this place. The house on the end stood beaming with window lights and i knew he waited there for me. I strode quickly so that it would end quickly. I
walked upon the doorstep and knocked upon the wood. His face appeared rugged and strained, he welomed me inside with a horrible smile and so I went to do waht I had set out to do before I
leapt from the moon. I blanked out all visage of reality there. When his hands roved along my body, I did not even gasp. when the ropes grew tight, I did not even weep and when he called me
names, I saw his lips move but nothing fell upon my ear. I did my deed and then left by the back door. My body did not hurt form bruises and welps and lashes. My body did not hurt at all. As
I passed from under the lights that were now twinkling off, I let the cool autumn air embrace me.

"These things I do for you...death."

And then he took my hand, flying high and back above the earth, we flew. I felt his black cloak wrap around my used vessel. I felt the bones of his hand wrap round my face and pull me to his
shining skull. He played at kissing me to make me giggle, and I did. He took the flying hair and pulled it gently down behind my back, tucking it into place. He leapt again and again twirling
his scythe this way and that in a show of amazing agility. I laughed uproariously as he flung me through the air and gently catching me....took to the moon once more. For some reason taht I
could not know, whether it was the lack of gravity so far up, or if it was some of deaths pure magic...but I landed gently upon his ribcage and  took to rest there. I heard a sound upon the
air, a sound of some lost thing that mother used to hum while cooking in the kitchen. I did not look down, for things of earth sourly disappointed me to the brink of madness. I did not look
down because I would have to go back there soon enough, and I wanted to stay here. I felt the boney grasp of death's fist as he pulled the hair from my face. He placed one tip of his hard
forefinger against my brow and rubbed the dream down into my head.

There in the darkened recesses of my soul..."Ich leibe dich"

And there I stood....deep within the brambles of my heart once more. I was bleeding down my thighs and onto my feet. A sudden lurch and i was doubled over in pain. The blood went faster until
a pool had developed at my feet. I went down into the mass and bathed myself in my own innocence. I reached a hand into the pool and brought a finger to my lips. I tasted the crimson nectar
and suddenly knew what death was saying.

"These things I do for you...death."

The wall stood cold and defiant....but I knew he was on the other side, waiting. I could hear a light rapping sound and then the strange sound of war. I put my bloodied face against the
hardest of my fortitude and I listened. I heard the struggle of many soldiers and the crys of many dying....but my blood said to listen...listen. And I stayed to hear the battle until the
battle was done. In the silence, I heard a familiar soul make longing unto mine. I saw the hand of death reach over the top and find a way back inside.

I walked backwards...afraid and unsure of what I was to do.

I woke in death's arms, still craddled on the moon. An odd air passed from between his teeth and tickled my ear. Death made to soothe me with soup of my demons in hell. I was reeling with uncertainties....driving sad notions deep within the already overflowing schedule of the dying process.  I knew it was time to go back to work again. I knew that the motions of life were waiting beyond the firmament of what he gave me.

And so Death lifted me and lay me back into my bed. I woke to the scorching sunlight and an emptiness that will be forever beyond understanding.

A note lay crumbled in my hand and it read.

"The table is set. The guests will be arriving soon."