The
Black
Rose

How many people do you know about that met the Grim Reaper and lived to tell the tale? Only one man has ever accomplished such a feat. I’m going to tell the man’s tale from as far back as I know.
It all starts with a black rose. It was the symbol that within a week you would be reaped. Oh, but Grim could not do it all on his own. He needed help. That’s where the messenger came in. Todd Black was his name, and with a list of names and handful of roses, he would slip through walls to send the terrible message to the people soon to die.
By day he seemed an average man, but at night he showed his true form.
It all seemed okay for centuries. He did his job with no questions or complaints. But one day that all changed. When he met Amy White, he fell in love with her immediately. She was a tall, graceful lady with green eyes that sparkled so brightly, they could light up the night sky.
“Hello. How is your day?” he asked her, obviously trying to sound nicer than he was.
“Fine thank you for asking,” she said sweetly.
“May I ask you your name?” he asked nervously.
“Amy White. And your name, please?” she replied.
“Todd Black is my name, nice meeting you but night falls and I must get to work. Good bye,” he said as he turned and walked away.
That night, when he found the usual list in a basket of roses on his coffee table, he scanned the list. Nothing seemed different so he set off to work. When all the roses were handed out, he returned home to catch what little sleep he could get. When the sun rose, and his cloak and black wings seemingly melted away in the sunlight, he went back to the place where he had met Amy the day before.
When she arrived, he suddenly blurted, “Would like to go with me to see a movie or get some coffee some time?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not. How about Saturday at eight?” she answered him politely.
“Okay. Thank you,” he said cheerfully. Again, everything went fine until Grim showed up at his house on Friday night.
“Todd I’ve been watching you and I feel the need to remind you of one of the rules you agreed to when you took this job back in 1666,” Grim said coldly to him.
“What rule do you speak of?” he said calmly.
“The rule about close connections to mortals. You can’t get involved with them. They’ll discover your secret job,” he said angrily. “If you break this rule you would one who I would reap without a second thought. Heed my words. You have three days farewell for now”. When he slipped into the ground, Todd went mad trying to decide between Amy and life. By morning, he decided that he would do something no one has succeeded in doing. He was to attempt escaping death. Since it was almost the same as suicide, he thought about it a little more then thought the contract. He pulled the long and complicated document out then he found what he was looking for. It read: After signing this paper, you will no longer be able to die. Even the Grim Reaper can not kill you. He lied to me, so he must really be after Amy he was just trying to scare me. He quickly scanned the list and found it, Amy White. I just have to get us out of this place and I can protect her after explaining the situation. Wait… this will sound insane! I will have to show her. That afternoon at eight he met up with Amy at the coffee shop. “Hi Amy, after this would you like to eat some thing, my treat” Todd asked politely. “I guess, how about the old seafood place on the out skirts of town,” she said. “erfect.” After they finished there coffee they set out for the restaurant there was little talk.
“Look out, oh my god it’s the Grim Reaper” she suddenly shrieked as he tried to swerve out of the way. Todd sighed as he got out of the car. “Amy take the car away I will find you later, damn sunset so close” he turned and said. She got out of the car and said worriedly “what do mean ‘so close’ and what the hell are you doing”. “Stay out of this drive away like he said and get hit by an eighteen wheeler” Grim shouted coldly to her when he suddenly appeared in front of Todd. She leapt back in the car and drove away. When the car was out of sight the sun had vanished and black flames engulfed Todd and when he came out he was in a black robe and had black wings. “I know you lied to me about reaping me” he said smoothly. “I gave you an order to get away from her and it was not followed instead you get from CLOSER” Grim yelled as he lunged at him scythe raised. Todd leapt in the air wings pumping. Suddenly a scythe reached over his shoulder and tried to rip off his arm, but he took in his wings and dropped. When he became level with Grim he spread his wings and kicked him out of the air. As he hit the ground in the distance there was a loud crash. “Amy! No!” Todd shouted and bolted off in the direction of the sound. While flying in the air above the road, he saw a burning semi in front of a large tree off to one side on the other his black Honda. He swooped down to meet her. “She’s dead, you know” Grim said laughing. “Judgment and reaping, what was the other one now?” asked Todd. “The message” growled Grim. Screaming broke out from inside the car. Todd turned and tore off the car door. “What the hell are you” Amy screamed at the top of her lungs. “lease come with me or stay and deal with him” Todd said pointing at Grim. After a moment he grabbed her and flew away. “Where are you taking me” Amy demanded. “I’m taking you away from him” he replied pointing back with one hand, “Just trust me”. After awhile of flying Todd saw his apartment and flew through the window. When on the floor he yanked a door off a cabinet and used a few screws from the hinges to keep it there. When he finished with the window he looked at the clock saying three o’clock. He turned and addressed Amy, “Do what ever you like, just don’t leave but I must go”. He grabbed the roses and names and left. It was around five forty when he got back. He found her in the closet hiding from what ever may harm her. He held his hand out to her and said “lease come with me”. She took his hand and they stepped outside. The sun came up a moment later as Todd transformed. “Oh my god, what the hell are you?” she barely was able to say. “I am death’s personal messenger” he replied calmly. “How can you stand living knowing you cause pain to so many?” she said quietly. “It is a hard life but I have no other choice, this or dying” he replied sadly. “What do you mean everyone else you send there message you give to them they all die too” she said angrily and sadly. “It’s different, they all go somewhere I stay here and hear their screams the feel their pain that everyone else felt till the end of time, even past judgment day” he replied. There was an awkward moment of silence. “That rule was created so Grim does not miss anybody while looking for a replacement” he said sadly. Amy removed something from her pants pocket saying “regardless you should’ve said no to him”. Suddenly she lunged at him with a large knife raised that pierced him in the heart. “Nice try” he said as he pulled the knife through him. “You see I can not be killed even if I do this” he said and raised the knife and pierced his eye. “I have amazing health benefits” he said smiling followed by large amounts of shrieking. “I know I’m horrifying but really I’m trying to help”. He slowly removed the knife from his eye socket. When it was removed his eye healed instantly. “You may hate me but I love you and refuse to let you die” he said apologetically. “You said yourself that I can’t die with out the message”. “I never said he can not give it to you himself, all I ask is that every night for awhile you come to me and let me help you.”