I met him once on my way to work.  He was as expected; tall and thin, his figure bent by age, leaning on a scythe.   His face was hidden by the black cloak, greening with age.

‘You can’t have come for me!’ I said.  It wasn’t a question.

‘And why not?’ His was.

‘Because I’m too young.  I still have much to do!’

‘Like what?’

I stopped and thought for a while.  ‘Well, I’m on my way to work.  Can’t just leave without notice.  How would my boss cope?’

He paused and didn’t speak for a long while.

‘Have it your way then.  I’ll take you later.’

**

He was waiting for me again on my way from work to home.

‘You can’t possible take me now,’ I said.

‘And why on earth not?’ I detected a light frustration in his tone.

‘I haven’t been home all day.  My dog’ll be starving!’

‘Can no one else feed your dog?’

‘Of course not!’ I replied with a shrill.

His left shoulder lifted in a shrug.  ‘Have it your way then…’ and he vanished with a puff.

Later that night I packed a bag and was on my way out when he appeared blocking my door.

‘What now?’ he asked with a drawl.

‘I’m too young, you see…I need to see the world.  I have a lot—‘

‘No. No. I won’t have that any more. Many I have taken who were half as old as you.  It’s your time now, whether you like it or not.’

‘But, I haven’t done anything yet.  Nothing to be remembered by. Nothing that matters.’

I saw his left shoulder lift in the now familiar shrug, and in an instant, we were both gone with a puff.

—

I botched this post up a bit…I was writing it late last night.  I was tired.  When I finished the first draft, I thought, ‘Let us save this post for now  (yes I speak to myself in the first person plural…I’m the Queen in my own head) and check it properly tomorrow when we’re fresh…’ I pressed a button and my world crashed to a halt.

The screen started blinking, circles started turning and the word ‘PUBLISHING’ flashed across my screen.

I panicked.  Instead of taking the wise course and amending my post very quickly, I saved myself by clicking ten times on the ‘Trash’ button. And so, I apologize to all those who fatefully came to my blog in search of a new post. My excuse is – I was tired.

But it is here now.  This post has been written for a new challenge I encountered on: https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com brought to us by Ms Esther Newton.  The word I selected was ‘The Rendezvous’ … if my title hadn’t given it away.  We had  nine titles to choose from this week and all equally enticing.

• The Spectre
• Nightfall
• The Race
• The Guardian
• Dreamer
• The Rendezvous
• Revelation
• Summer Rain
• Blue

Have a go why don’t ya?!