Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

Death came for her, as she knew it would on a day drenched with sunlight, with her gut full of wine and her lungs clounded with cigarette smoke

Death stood next to her and shook it’s shrouded head. ” I really don’t want to be here.”

Josephine took a long hard drag on her cigarette. ” Tough.”

Death pulled it’s shroud away from it’s face and Josephine tried to pretend to not be shocked to see it was a woman- her hair was long and dark and her eyes glowed deep and orange- like a wolf’s.

” That’s a nasty habit you’ve got there Josephine. All that drinking and smoking in bed. You’re lucky you never fell asleep and burned your house down and killed everyone in it.”

” Well. I didn’t.”

” I know, I wouldn’t take you. It didn’t seem right.”

Josephine reached for her journal and began to write in it.

” I mean Josephine, you firebombed your way through life- all that deceiving you did. You betrayed and lied to your friends, your family people you knew for only five minutes.  You even stole most of the stuff you’ve written.” Death tapped the top of Josephine’s journal. No way was I going to let you skate out of this life into the next. Some of the people you wrecked are on the other side. They deserve a break from you for as long as possible.”

” That’s not your choice to make.” Josephine narrowed her eyes and pointed.

Death looked towards Josephine’s nightstand and saw the empty pill bottle.

” Oh. I see.”

” I’m done. I’ve lived. I’ve loved-”

Death snorted and turned her face to the window.

” I’m tired and old and I am done.”

I can see that Josephine. You got me. Close your eyes or don’t. The choice is yours.”

Death swung her scythe and  up into the air and as Josephine’s eyes lit up and Death let it sail over Josephine’s head.

It landed on Josephine’s shoulder.

” What the Hell!”

” I can be merciful, I can be cruel and most people think I cheat. Well guess what. I don’t. I do exactly what I’m supposed to do. So here’s the thing. You just keep being your fantabulous self Josephine. You keep cheating your way through life and when I come for the people who you’ve cheated- and there are so many of them out there that you will screw over, I’ll get called a lot of things by them in their end. But cheat won’t be on their lips.”

” Stay alive Josephine. You just keep on breathing.”

” I won’t!” Josephine screeched through a haze of smoke ” You come back here! I can’t take this anymore!”

Death left Josephine’s house and was dragging  the business end of her scythe along side her on the sidewalk when a man and a woman holding hands stopped her under a tree.

” We owe you. We owe you big.” the woman whose hair was tied back with a red ribbon said.

Death agreed and  looked at the man who wore a soft blue workshirt. ” Yeah. Okay. We do.”

Death dropped her head forward and her hood fell over her face. ” I want a horse. Everyone thinks I have one. ”

” Deal.”

And they parted ways under the blue sunlit sky full of sunlight and the sounds of a woman with a smoke worn throat screaming from all around them.