"Why can you not commit to finishing your task?" I asked him. His head hung in a way I'd never seen before. I surely thought he was void of emotion but here he stands before me expressing nothing I'd ever seen before. Is it sadness? Maybe exhaustion? Surely, reaping the entire universe must be tiresome.

He spoke softly "You do not fear me". Of course I feared him. Does he not realize he is death at my doorstep? "What do you mean?" I responded. His gaze hardened. "I come to end your world and you have not run away or begged me for your life" he yelled bursting into flames of blue.

I stepped back in shock. Why does it matter to him if I show fear? Surely anyone would be afraid in this situation. "Of all the universe, everyone has begged." He bellowed gnashing his teeth in anger.

"I will not beg for the inevitable" I spoke softly "I will only stand before you in solace as you take an innocent man's life". This enraged him. "Beg or I shall cast you into the flames to burn for eternity" he shouted. I answered "no".

Then something changed in the horizon. The sky lit up slightly blue. This was odd as since death had begun his rampage, the sky had been laced with black and soaked in red. "Take me now death" I said with a half smile. The sky behind him grew brighter blue. Death started pacing back and forth. "Even in death there is fear" he spoke out. "If you will not fear me then I shall drag you to hell with me". He reached for my hand but something stopped him. "No" I shouted. The sky ruptured with bright lights. The entire world around me started spiraling into colors I had not seen in ages. A hole opened up beneath death and sucked him in. "I will be back for you!" Death shouted as he disappeared into the earth.

After a few seconds, the world seemed to gain a vivid color. I was filled with happiness. I wondered how I had just defeated death. Then I saw it. In the sky above me written into the clouds.

Fear only leads to death.