Death Fourteen: DEATH IS NOT HAPPY

[likescats]

 [After seeing the town decide to treat death so lightly, making a game of it in fact, Death was not pleased.

And then he learned even better news. And now he's doing something he knows is a bad idea.

Thinking things over.

Mayfield have a phone call. And a voice just appearing in your head when you pick up the phone.]

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY THINGS

Comments

A

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa is walking through the park after services and sees... ]

Oh.

[ But there's a kitten. The kitten who seems very used to riding on the shoulder of... ]

Good afternoon, sir?

[likescats]

[Have a voice in your head. As well as a polite nod.]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

[ooeeooahah]

I... don't think we've met... socially, that is.

[ She gives a more formal bow than she's used in years. ]

I am Ilsa Higa.

[likescats]

I AM DEATH.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She nods, nervously. ]

I've seen pictures of you, but... usually without your companion.

[likescats]

MY COMPANION?

[ooeeooahah]

[ She gives a small smile, and nods to his shoulder. ]

Your friend, there.

[likescats]

OH, RINCEWIND.

I FOUND HIM HERE.

[ooeeooahah]

[ "Found here" might mean it's a drone kitten, and not up for conversation. She looks as if she would like to ask, but keeps her hands clasped behind her back. ]

You sound... familiar. Were you on the phone earlier about the school closing for summer?

[likescats]

YES, I TEACH HISTORY THERE.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She nods. ] That seems appropriate. I don't know if Mayfield has a summer school program, seeing as how everything is programed to be perfect.

I know a few teachers who used the summer vacation as the time to advance their degrees, but without a university here, I don't know if that would work here, either.

[ Yes, she's babbling, trying to look him in the eyes and not get totally freaked out but the eternity she's afraid she'll see in there. ]

[likescats]

[If she does look in his eyes, yeah. That's pretty much what she'll see. Black with two tiny pins of blue light]

I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE ONE OF THOSE.

[ooeeooahah]

Well, experience counts. At least it should.

[ Her eyes dart to the kitten on his shoulder, again. ]

Perhaps here there's an alternate job, like working at the rec center to handle all the additional children there?

[likescats]

[Kitty is just sitting on the shoulder. He'd come to realize that scary things didn't appear very much when he was on the tall man's shoulder.]

....PERHAPS I SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT.

I'M NOT USED TO HAVING SO MUCH FREE TIME.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa blinks, and then smiles. ]

I imagine a history teacher would know what stories might be entertaining, as well.

[likescats]

OH, I KNOW QUITE A FEW STORIES.