“…Minecraft?”, “Yea! Minecraft! It’s where you mine and.. craft!” You sigh, it’s the least you could do before he goes to Heaven, at least you hope. “Oh, alright, fine.. How do you win? So I can get this over with.” You weren’t particularly fond of this new ‘video game’ trend with mortals, it was hard to explain to God why you were gone for 200 hours playing Dark Souls with a teenager who got hit by a car. “Well uh, you don’t. Unless you count beating the Ender Dragon as winning, which I don’t, I’ve never actually gotten there..”

You put down your scythe as you sit down in the void for a while, “You know, before we play, I always like to get to know you guys. So.. How’d you die?” The kid looked down, seemed like he was trying to remember. “Uh, something with my brain? I don’t know, the last thing I remember is getting into a coma and hearing beeping noises.”, “Ah. I always forget any and all humans can do that, not only the old. Do you remember your name?”, “Uh yeah, It’s Caleb.. Why wouldn’t I remember my name?”, He looked a bit confused, but quickly shrugged it off as he sat down next to you, “So.. Not to be pushy or anything, but when are we gonna play Minecraft? I wanna go see my grandma..”

You stay silent, you wish you had tear ducts, maybe they’d express how you were feeling right now. “Wait human, I have to place an order.”, “To who?”, “To whoever your God is, or Gods if you’re in that type of religion. So, what do we play this on?”, Wow, you sounded kind of lame.. The kid frowns as he replies, “Computers. How long does the order take?”, “Only about a minute, they’re gods.” He smiles and hands you an inconspicuous computer mouse, “Wha-“, “It’s what you use to click on things! It’s called a mouse, like the animals.”

“Yes, I’m quite familiar with what a mouse is Caleb..” You groan as you start to place the order for the computers. Caleb starts to grin mischievously as they arrive, “You know what Mr Reaper.. Let’s see who can get to the End faster! I’m gonna try really hard because this is my last game of Minecraft ever!”, You furrow your.. eyeholes as you turn both computers on. “It’s a deal, mortal.”, “Heck yea! You’re going down!”

You sigh a final time as you press play.

“Alright then, let’s go.”

"Mine... Craft?" I asked.

"Minecraft!" The sickly child gushed excitedly, "It's this really awesome game where you can build anything such as castles and wizard towers and get to kill the ultimate Ender Dragon in order to beat the game! Oh, wait, you probably don't know what Ender Dragon are if you don't even know what Minecraft is. So basically, Ender Dragon is this humongous dragon that you have to find by using a Dragon Stronghold.., Well, you seem like someone who has seen millions of dragons before, and dragons are pretty old. Mister, are you a boomer?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Boo-oo-mer." relishing the feeling of the weird word in my mouth,

"Cmon!" The child groaned. "You don't even know what a 'boomer' is? No offence mister, but everybody knows what a boomer is! You have to be at least like a thouusaand years old to not know what a boomer is, but mum said that it was impolite to call people boomers so I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

A child's innocence can only last so long.

I stared at the child, and he stared back at me with those curious, probing eyes. It is a nice change to come across an innocent soul from all the corrupted souls in the afterlife. But a soul can only have so much innocence after witnessing one of the many 'gifts' of life.

"A child has asked to play the game Mine Craft, and so he shall. But a man is curious as to know the reason why a child would want to play the game Mine Craft."

"Firstly, quit calling me a child! I just reached my double digits and learnt my multiplication table, I'm practically considered an adult! Secondly, to answer your question, my mum bought me Minecraft after we learnt that I had this stomach illness that made me have to lose my hair. It was sad to see my hair go, but at least I didn't have to wash it every single day. I promised mum that she would see me beat Minecraft after my illness went away, but I guess I broke my promise..."

The boy pursed his lips as if he was struggling to make a decision.

"Can I trust you with a secret, mister?

"A boy may tell me any secret that he wishes to reveal."

"Do you promise not to tell a single soul?"

"A man promises not to utter a secret to a single soul."

The boy then held out his hand, and in the most peculiar manner, stuck out his pinky and thumb, making a telephone sign.

"What is it that a boy wishes for me to do?"

"We have to intertwine pinkies and press our thumbs together to make sure that you won't break your promise, or else bad stuff will happen to you."

I awkwardly intertwined our pinkies together and pressed my thumb against his. From the corner of my eye, I could see the boy shaking his head disapprovingly as if he had never seen such incompetence before.

"Mum blamed my illness on dad because according to her, he was a good-for-nothing nobody who turned me really sick in order for me to die. Mum hated dad's guts, and I guess she wanted me to hate him too, but how could I hate my dad when he takes me out on 'Only-Bro-Fridays'? Besides, isn't it like a sin in the bible to hate your parents?"

The boy paused. His face was damp and was strewed with big, fat tears. 'But I couldn't really tell that to mum or else she'll get mad again like how she did last time. And the last time she got mad at me I was so scared, it was as if she wasn't mum anymore"

I listened as he poured out his life story to me, detail by detail, and made sure to commit every single word to memory. It would be a waste to forget a story that someone trusted you with. I felt a burning sensation at the back of my throat as I looked at his childish face. His eyes sparkled as he told me about his life's achievements, and dimmed as he recounted arguments between his parents. And I wondered how such a cheerful, little boy withstood years of pain that an adult could barely go through without even a chink in his armour of innocence.

"Maybe it was my fault all along, my parents' divorce, I mean. But as long-"

His face suddenly lit up, and he instantly turned into a ball of joy. "Oh wait! Did you hear about the new Minecraft update? I heard that we got some new materials to build with.., Mister, are you gonna play or not?"

I looked at the boy, a flaming ball of happiness. I couldn't help but smile as he locked eyes with me as to intimidate me.

"A man is grateful to be able to play with a boy."

I looked at the child confused.

“Child you want to play together? Do you know who I am, or why I’m here?”

“No my mom left me here for …. I don’t remember how long, but I want to play. Will you play with me?”

The child didn’t know he had died. It looked to be about 6. It’s a sad sight to see when a child is left to die. I couldn’t do anything for him. I didn’t know what his past was like but now we are here.

“Do you know your name?”

“I think it’s dumb that’s what my mom calls me.”

He smiled at something so sad. This child had done nothing wrong, and still he had a life like this. At this point even my cold dead hands were warm in the eyes of this poor boy.

“Alright let’s play Minecraft child, but you’ll have to teach me ok.”

“That’s ok we will have fun no matter what it’s a little hard to play, but don’t give up.”

People think that death is cold, but you kinda have to be when my job is what it is. Thankfully I can still show compassion. Sometimes death is a kindness. The rest of the time it’s just a part of life.

“Come on mister let’s go we have a lot to build!”

“Alright let’s go!”

I can stop for a bit. Hopefully this one has a better life in heaven. The mother and father I’ll have to deal with them when their time comes. Thankfully I can also be cruel for when time ends for them. Till then I think I have to take my little buddy upstairs after this game of course.

Mortals think I offer games as a kind of last request. The reason varies: last requests on their end, some misunderstanding that winning will return them to life, or even something as simple as boredom on my part. You may ask how my job could be boring, but that's easy to answer. I have to handle every soul one by one, and time shuffles itself like a deck of cards so that even if two mortals die at exactly the same time they still arrive on my doorstep in order and alone. As soon as I finish preparing and sending off one soul, the next comes through. Thus, the job ends up feeling the same, and I get bored.

Thankfully human games have gotten better over the years, more complex. I've played dice with pirates and Roman militants, cards with western gunslingers and French revolutionaries, chess with countless nobles. Long forgotten games dug up by archaeologists are always a fun classic, and they get so excited to finally learn the rules of ancient board games nobody (frustratingly) ever bothered to write down the rules for. In the most recent age, electronic games with screens and buttons of all shapes and sizes have become popular.

I've been challenged on arcade cabinets that feature fighting tournaments and street racing, console games with both story and mindless fun, and computer games featuring strategy and an unfathomably massive library of mods for every game those inventive programmers can get their hands on.

The most recent soul is another painfully young one, and my ancient heart aches even after guiding so many of them. I offer a comforting smile to the child as I kneel down to get eye-to-eye with him.

"Welcome, child," I start, bowing my head as my smooth baritone voice gently rumbles the ground. Singers frequently challenged me as well and I'd yet to disappoint. "This is a crossroads for the soul, and I am a humble guide. Take as long as you need to get your feet under yourself and be ready to move on. If you would like, we may play a game of your choosing before such a time comes to pass."

"Guess that answers if the surgery went alright or not," the boy said, smiling sadly at me. "There's no way to go back? They'll all be so sad now." I raised my head to look at him.

"Where you tread from this place is not up to me, but none may return whence they came. I am sorry, but one wish of many I cannot grant is to return the life you have lost." The boy thought on this for a moment.

"... Then, could I play a game with you? I had a Minecraft world I was working on, but I never got to finish it." My smile was much easier to wear at this, and I chuckled.

"It would be my pleasure. Let us play and build for a while. Would you prefer with mods or without?" Fate has a funny way of being cruel to the undeserving, but i try my best to make up for it after she takes her due. That boys laughter warmed the walls of my home more than any fire could ever hope to as we dug and built for hours. I hope the path he walks after leaving will be a pleasant one.

"Most reapers hate gathering the souls of the young. I will say it is no cakewalk but someone has to do it. Might as well be me. I never did get along much with the younger ones. After 11 they where down to a different reaper, this one was only 9. 9 years old before she was hit by a car. Idiotic parents shouldn't let kids play out in the streets. I have had many requests for games but never have I had one with such taste. A kid wanting to beat Minecraft with me. I would say it was heart warming. If I had a heart that is.

"Are you sure you want to play that game. Ounce we beat it that it." I merely ask this out of respect. I already know what the answerer is.

"Yes! It will be fun I can teach you all the controls."

She was practically bouncing when we got to my home in the void. My room mate was out for the day so we had the gaming system to ourselves.

We played for hours and hours. I was originally going to speed run it (after all death has to have a hobby and mine was gaming) but she had to stop for each small item. Speak to every character and even tame ever dog. It was rather cute. I ran to her defence in the deep dark and she ran to mine as I attempted to farm. We built a farm in the deep dark for me and one in the birch forest above said biome for her.

​

One day while we where in the nether we completed full Netherite gear. She was so happy that we where now *ready* for the dragon fight. Combat was my strength so as she took down crystals I duelled a dragon. I hardly noticed when I downed the mighty beast and we hopped into the credits.

It was only then I realised. She gave me a big hug and said thankyou. How could I of been so stupid. We had beaten the game.

I am not proud of what I did next. It broke every law we have. I sent her soul into the game itself. That way we could continue playing.

​

So I stand here in front you, judge, jury and executioners to plead my case. To claim that I shouldn't be decommissioned. She was still harvested and in the subtext I get 3 souls a year for consumption. Well I claim her as my 3rd soul of the year. I just so happen to be watching my weight at the moment." The court fell silent - This was the best case they had had in century's.

"With you?" Death was confused for a moment.

"Son, I know you are very ill, but I normally play games AGAINST my ..." he thought for a moment, "friends, whom I lead to the next life, than with them."

Life was cruel and to this boy in front of him, it had been exceptionally so. Cancer beaten 3 times, only to have caught a simple virus that killed his liver. Because of previous illnesses, he wasn't a candidate for transplant, if they found a donor in time.

Death knew they wouldn't. He heard the uneasy snores from the parents in the bedroom across the hall. He was a little bummed they wouldn't get to say goodbye as the boy passed, but sometimes, it was easier to find someone who passed peacefully in the night, as would this boy, Kenny.

"Look, I've never beaten the game, I just need some help. Can you help me beat the game, together I know we could, then.... Well, I know who you are. If Mom and Dad came in, they wouldn't even see you, would they?"

"No, they would not. How do we play this game?"

"Well, we start off, well, I had already started a world, so we have a bit of a head start,"

"Good, we don't have a lot of time here." Death interjected.

"So, I have my Mom's laptop. I was trying to teach her and she didn't get it, but she tried. So you can play her character."

Over the next few minutes, Death learned how to maneuver, mine and well, craft items. Kenny and Death worked in mostly silence, with occasional comments from Kenny regarding things to get, or how to craft certain items. Occasionally, he would ask a real question of Death.

"How will you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Kill me?" Kenny, seemed to tremble at the words being said.

"Oh, dear boy, I am not the one killing you. You are dying because your liver is failing. I am here, not to kill you, but to take you on to your next destination, your soul, that is."

"What about the giant blade you use I see in all the pictures?"

"Ha, look out for that creeper, well, I have been pictured as many things over the years. So, yeah, that scythe is one thing people associate with me, but mostly, I take my charges by the hand or with a gentle arm on the back, and we walk into the next world together." Kenny seemed satisfied with that answer. "Are you warm enough?"

"yeah, I'm kind of feeling hot now. I know that's probably from the liver thing. Okay, the next room we go in, that's where we have the final battle. Are you ready?"

"Are you?" Kenny knew what this meant, and for a moment he had a scared look in his eyes. Death put his hand on his back and said gently patted him. "Let's make this a little more, fun. I believe you deserve a little more fun this last time."

With that, they were not staring at computers but in the world of Minecraft. Ready to defeat the Heart of Ender. Kenny gasped at first, and then said excitedly, "Let's Go!"

It was an amazing battle between the two heroes and the final boss. When it was done they were back in Kenny's room. Kenny was exhausted and voluntarily went into his bed.

"This is where Mom and Dad will find me?"

"Yes. it's time, you know."

"I know. What happens next?"

"Well," Death said to Kenny's spirit now standing next to him still in front of the computer, "Now we go. I have enjoyed playing this game with you. Would other children play this game too?"

"I'm sure, I know grown-ups who play it."

"Interesting. Take my hand, it's time."

​

The next morning, Kenny's mother came in to find him so peacefully on the bed. She sat silently next to him amazed at how he just looked asleep instead of passed. As she turned to look at the computers, she could tell that he had finally beaten the game. She then noticed that logged into her Minecraft account was 'Death'.

"Thank you, wherever you are."

"Minecraft?"

I take a step back, taking a second to consult the otherworldly knowledge gifted to me by the powers of my lord. My mind is suddenly flooded by visions of a world entirely comprised of voxels, and a player character at the whims of creativity to explore, destroy and conquer it with. I clear my hoarse throat, ejecting a cloud of dust.

"Do you know it?" The young squeaky voice calls up to me, tugging at the black tendrils of my frayed cloak.

"Child. I am death. I have at least a basic knowledge of any game you humans have created... are you sure you don't want a game of chance? Or chess, perhaps? Many like to gamble one last time for their life."

The small boy scratches his head for but a second, clearly in deep contemplation.

"Nah! I saw in a movie once that, like, you're super cool and can't be beaten or anything, so.. Minecraft!" He blurts at last, a huge smile splattered across his face painting a vastly different image than I'd expect.

"You are wiser than most, child." I wince slightly, an odd twang of sympathy worming it's way into my nonexistent brain. "I.. I am sorry I must take you so soon."

"It's okay, mr Death! Just look after my Mommy, please?"

".. I will bring her to you, in time."

I am greeted by another huge, toothy grin, the child clearly unaware of what that would entail for his mother.

Finally, after a moment of sincere silence, I extend one of my bony hands, my fingers releasing an awful crackle as I extend them outwards, in offer.

"Take my hand. Let's beat your game."

"No, you don't understand, we have to-"

"But Minecraft's fun!" the kid smiled. "Plus, I'll get to tell dad about how cool the mansion we'll build together will be!"

Death grimaced. These kids were always the hard ones to break the news to.

"Alright, youngster. How do we play?"

Jimmy's eyes went wide. "Really? You'll play with me?"

Death gave a nod. "I always try to play games with people. It's part of my job."

Jimmy tilted his head. "Oh, like Dream?"

Death shook his head. He knew Dream pretty well. He hadn't remember Dream playing games with anyone. He was more... well, he was more of the loner type. Didn't like to stick around too long. "Oh, no, not Dream. Dream does lots of different things with lots of different people, but he mostly likes to pull strings, ya know? Make things look like they're real, but have you forget all about it later? He's that sort of guy."

Jimmy frowned. "Well, I mean, I guess Dream was a cheater, so yeah..."

Death decided to put it aside. "Anyways, this Minecraft game, how do we play?"

Jimmy immediately perked back up. "Oh, yeah, Minecraft! Well, do you have a computer?"

Death sighed. He'd expected something like this. With a thought, two computers appeared in the void in front of them.

Jimmy grinned. "Yay! Here, let me boot it up for ya real quick, Mister..." Jimmy turned back to Death.

"Mr. Charon." Death responded. He liked to think of Charon as the closest representation to what he actually did. He didn't really cause the death, or even survey a form of afterlife. He was just a transporter. Heck, he didn't even cause the death itself Jimmy had already died hours ago- a bad carbon monoxide leak soon after he'd been put to bed. This was just Death's little parting gift in order to break the news.

"Well, Mr. C, you run like this, can break and build stuff, and you can do all this sort of crafting and stuff! It's super cool!" Jimmy smiled. "They even added frogs recently!"

Death looked at this brand new place on his screen. It was a plain, blocky grass field, with a bunch of tiny animal in it.

"What... how do you win? Is it, like, a strategy game? What rules are there?" Death questioned.

Jimmy was already busy running around, digging a massive dirt hole.

Death acquainted himself with the controls, and with a small bit of resignation, decided to follow him.

Maybe, just maybe, this game would help him break the news.

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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