OUT FROM THE DARKNESS

“Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.”

Death never takes a holiday contrary to popular belief. He’d been booked solid; every day, of every week, of every year for an eternity. Quite frankly, he needed a break. And it wasn’t that he hated the job. It was steady work, but he seemed to feel that he had become the job so much, that it was killing him.

“I’ll call it a… a cease fire!” he said as he planned to step away for the day.

Death got an early jump on the next 24 hours. As midnight belted out in Greenwich, he began to observe how the other half (the living) lived.

“I’ll follow the sun” he announced “and I’ll not stop until the next stroke of midnight”.

So Death headed down the road.

He marveled at the beauty of the sun rising over Mt. Fuji.

“Nice!” he mumbled in awe.

The Pyramids in the early light were magnificent as the Sphinx closely guarded them.

“Ha! He looks like my Uncle Eddie, nose and all!” Death laughed.

He passed over the remnants of Auschwitz. He always wanted to pay his respects. It was times like these that he really hated the job. The Children’s Cancer wards were equally hard on Death. He continued on his way.

He took pride in the fact that for the duration of his journey, there were no floods, or fires. There were no murders and all war ceased. No children were stillborn and no elderly folk gave up the ghost. The silence was deafening.

Death found the truth in the words “time flies when you’re having fun!” But he realized his free time was at a premium. He ventured to the streets of Philadelphia. There was this group of guys, hung out on the street corner and did sweet harmony. Doo-Wop they called it. He stood by and listened, wishing he could snap his fingers. But the last time he tried, he cracked three knuckles.

The bell in a nearby church tower tolled. Midnight.

“Okay guys” he said resuming his position “A new day beckons, we have to go!”

“We?” they clamored. “You Bastard we’re too young to die! You duped us!”

They began to wail and gnash their teeth.

As Death led the group away, he smiled.

“Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.”