It was a chance encounter. Something I would have never counted on, never dreamed of. It was scary and it was abnormal. It wasn’t possible. Yet, it was real. It was absolutely unexpected, confusing and it left me wondering if I’d finally gone insane.

It was the answer I’d been seeking for years.

* * *

“You…you’re…who are you?”

“I am Death.”

“Right…I seriously lack sleep.”

“More sleep will not make my existence any less real.”

“…You’re…you can’t be serious. What, you’re like the Grim Reaper?”

“No.”

“…Then what are you? A ghost? A man with powers? A leprechaun?”

“I am Death. Nothing more and nothing less.”

“That…really doesn’t explain anything.”

“…”

“Okay, I’ll play along…What are you doing here then?”

“Satiating my curiosity.”

“Really now? How so?”

“By observing people. Many things can be learned this way.”

“Uh-huh. You do realize this is an art studio and I’m the only one here?”

“Yes.”

“You’re…observing me, then?”

“Yes.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Death is not ‘creepy’.”

“No, I mean, you observing me is creepy.”

“…”

“Never mind.”

“…”

“…”

“You have not slept in three days.”

“How do you know that? Been following me as well?”

“No. I am observing.”

“Like Sherlock? I do have prominent bags under my eyes. It wouldn’t be so hard to hazard a guess.”

“You are troubled.”

“Yes, that’s usually the reason why people don’t sleep for days.”

“What troubles you?”

“You’re the one with super-creepy-powers, you tell me.”

“…”

“No powers then?”

“You doubt.”

“Huh? I swear…you make no sense…Why am I even still talking to you?”

“Because you are curious. And you doubt life.”

“…”

“You have questions.”

“And I should ask you?”

“I am Death.”

“Right. Of course. And you naturally have all the answers to my questions?”

“…”

“Tell me then, oh all-knowing Death, why? Why is there so much Death in the world? Why do people, good people with their whole lives ahead of them, die?”

“It is their purpose. Death comes to all.”

“No, it’s no one’s purpose to die! That simply isn’t fair and I refuse to believe it.”

“It is as natural as Life. Once born, everyone must one day die as well.”

“Yeah, sure. But why do so many innocent people die when it is not their time?”

“If they died, it was their time.”

“No! It wasn’t! You can’t tell me that a ten-year-old girl was supposed to be tortured and murdered! You can’t possibly convince me so many innocent people were meant to die in so many pointless wars! I refuse to believe that so many souls…innocent souls lost their lives so young for a reason!”

“…”

“Death is unfair.”

“Death is necessary.”

“…”

“You have lost someone you love. You feel grief and anger. It is natural. But it does not erase the truth.”

“And what truth is that? Are you telling me my brother was supposed to die at twenty five?”

“For many Lives to go forth, many Deaths must transpire. It is natural. It is the balance this world exists on.”

“I know that there has to be balance…but…It just seems like there are so many evil people in this world…and that all the good people suffer because of them.”

“Death does not choose between Good and Evil, it merely takes the ones who are Right.”

“Right?”

“Every soul has a purpose, a role to play. For one to succeed, one must fail. For one to live, one must die. Good or Evil, a soul must cease to exist when one begins. It is the order of the World.”

“…My brother died saving lives…If only he’d known they weren’t worth it.”

“It was his purpose.”

“There you go with the purpose-crap again! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Those he saved had more to do. Their Lives were not complete yet. It was not their time.”

“But my brother’s life was complete? It was his time?”

“His Death gave Lives to others, which will give Lives to more. Where there is Death, there is always Life.”

“…You’re saying he saved more people by saving those few guys? That somehow, by saving them, he made conditions for them to save others?”

“Yes.”

“…I never…So that’s what you meant…’his purpose’…”

 

“Hey, where’d you go?”

* * *

He gave me answers, however cryptic. My brother’s death had not been in vain. He had been a hero, even if no one knew it but me.

That was the day I found Peace.