Apology

by Hannah Lenon

Hold on to the poem, he thought.  Keep saying the words.  But the words
kept slipping from his mind.  As he looked past Ray, at his father, he
saw it was snowing again.  He was so cold and he couldn't remember the
poem.

"Come on, Fraser.  Grab my hand.  I need to talk to you." He looked.
His father was gone.  In his place was a woman with very white skin and
black hair.  She was holding out a hand to him.  He knew he was shot,
knew he couldn't move, but he grabbed her hand
anyway.  To his surprise, he stood easily.  Not even a twinge in his
back.  He turned to Ray and noticed his body still lying on the ground.
"Oh dear." "It's not that bad, Fraser.  Trust me." He turned back to the
woman.  "That is my body on the ground.  Traditionally, this would mean
I'm dead." "You're not.  Believe me, I have a lot of experience in
this."She started walking away from him.  "Well, are you coming?" Fraser
shook his head.  He did not understand anything.  "Where are we going?"
"To my place.  I need to talk to you about something." The woman opened
a door that had suddenly just appeared on the concrete It stood out in
the middle, connected to nothing.  Through it, Fraser could see what
looked like a house.  He shrugged, then followed.  The door shut behind
them.  He looked around the house.  It was a wreck.  "Sorry about the
mess.  I meant to clean up, but things got really hectic in Bosnia.  Do
you want some tea?" "Thank you.  That would be nice." The woman
disappeared into another room.  Fraser examined the room.  There was
clothing everywhere, all of it black.  Fraser picked up something only
to realize it was a black silk teddy.  He dropped it quickly, blushing.
The TV was surrounded by mounds of video tapes.  He saw many Disney
labels.  Next to the TV stood a table with a goldfish bowl on it The two
goldfish were yellow and orange respectively.  "That's Slim and
Wandsworth." He turned and saw the woman standing in the doorway with a
tray.  He rushed to take it from her, but almost tripped on some thing.
He bent over and picked up a teddy bear.  The woman quickly set the tray
down and grabbed the bear.  She looked embarrassed.
"Dream." Fraser hadn't meant to speak out loud.  "He's not here." "Who's
not here?"
"Dream isn't here." "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking
about.  I meant this was a dream." "Oh.  I thought you were talking
about. . . Never mind.  How do you like your tea?"
"One sugar.  Pardon me, I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?  Where
are we?  Why am I here?" "Well, we're in my house.  You're here because
someone owes you an apology.  And, I'm Death." "Oh dear."
"You know, you sound a lot like Winnie the Pooh when you say that."
"Pardon me?"
"Sorry, I was free-associating."
"You told me I wasn't dead."
"You're not dead, Fraser.  Right now, your body is in an ambulance
being taken to the hospital.  As far as they're concerned, you're
unconscious. This is about Victoria."
"Victoria's dead?!"
"No!  Victoria is not dead!  Will you get off the dead thing?" Death
took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry.  Look, the only person who is dead is
your father, though you'd never guess it to look at him.  Do you
understand?"
"Yes.  But what about Victoria?"
Death ran a hand through her hair and muttered, "I'd forgotten how slow
you people are." She drank some tea and then said, "I am going to talk
now.  You are going to listen.  You will not interrupt me.  First off, I
am Death.  My family and I control certain. . .aspects of humanity."
"You have a family?"
"Shut up.  I found out today that my sister...my brother...Desire had
been playing tricks with your life.  Victoria was not supposed to crash
her plane.  She was supposed to escape.  However, Desire, with it's
usual maliciousness, decided that you and she should meet.  She made you
fall in love with each other." Fraser opened his mouth. Death held up a
hand."I'm not saying your love was any less real.  I'm saying that you
two were not meant to fall in love.  After the blizzard, you've proved
to strong for Desire's control when you sent Victoria to prison.  Desire
does not like to be thwarted.  Victoria was Desire's form of revenge.
After she gets off the train, she'll regain her normal mind set."
"Will she come back?" Fraser whispered.  He was afraid to hear the
answer.
"No," Death said kindly.  "She did love you.  She can't stand the
knowledge of the pain she caused you.  She will feel that it's better if
neither of you see each other again.  She'll recover.  And so will you."
"What do you mean?"
"She wasn't the one you were meant to be with.  You haven't even met
her yet.  Victoria will meet the right person and so will you.  It's just
a matter of time."
"So why are you telling me this?"
"Because I like you.  Also, I told you someone owed you an apology.  It
should be Desire, but it would never do it.  So, for my sibling, I'm
sorry this ever had to happen to you.  I promise it won't happen again."
"Thank you kindly." They drank their tea in silence.  Finally, Fraser
said, "So what happens now?"
"Well, we finish our tea.  Then, I take you back and I won't see you
again for a *very* long time.  Though I will keep an eye out for you."
"I do have a question.  The Inuit believe that Death is a mighty caribou
that charges down on the soul and carries it to Heaven."
"They're wrong.  Any other questions?"
"Yes.  What is the teddy bears name?"
Death blushed.  "I think it's time for you to go." She stood and walked
over to the door.  As it opened, Fraser saw a hospital room behind it.
Ray was slumped in a chair beside his body.  From his viewpoint, both
he and Ray looked like hell.  He stepped through the door, hearing as he
did, "His name is Benton.  Good luck, Fraser."
"Ray...." The name came out hushed.  His throat was so dry.
"Benny?  You're awake!  Thank God!  Don't you ever do that again!
Death scares the crap outta me!"
"I don't know why, Ray.  She's a perfectly nice woman."
 
 

THE END