Monsieur Death

Evangeline

We didn’t talk for the rest of the meal. Afterwards I paid and we left. We were quiet the walk home, and the only word uttered between us was goodbye when he left me at the house. Mom and Dad had gone out to buy Emmaline some of her presents. Emmaline was watching You’ve Got Mail on the TV. She didn’t even look up when I came in, just said

“Mom’s going to kill you when she gets home.” I walked into my room. Flicked on the lights. I walked into my bathroom and changed out of my mud speckled jeans and jerkin, and put on loose pants and a tank top. I checked the box of money under my bed, just to make sure it was still there, and counted quick cause it was fun. Nine thousand dollars. I giggled a little. Most of it was stolen. Mostly from my parents, but sometimes the store clerk, who had always been a jerk, and once a couple times from Emmaline’s room. The rest was allowance. I guess I should right a will soon. I would probably die in the next week. But I didn’t care. I didn’t want that money to go to anyone. Besides, I had better things to do with my day. I was going to go try to walk the thin tree that lay against the quickly rising stream. I probably wouldn’t make it. I probably didn’t care. I went out through the window in case Emmaline tried to stop me. I walked through the woods near our house. I had only found it yesterday, and hadn’t mapped it out like I usually did. Without meaning to, my thoughts wandered to Liam. I doubt he would want to be friends with me after our awkward lunch. But what did I care? I was so deep I thought I almost stumbled into the stream. Here it is, I thought. I could see the tree branch near me. Okay, I thought. One foot after the other. One foot after the other. I could see where the tree branch was weak in the middle. Miraculously, I passed that part without it breaking. It was only until the end on the stick when it broke. Thrill filled me, turning my veins to ice. Everything seemed to slow as I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact of the rocks below. But it never came. Instead, there was a sharp yank on my arm, causing me to gasp in pain. A strong arm had hailed me up the bank and we both dropped, gasping, to the muddy ground. Liam was next me.

“You!” I gasped. Then realized that may have not been the kindest way to thank him. “So.... you still want to be my friend.”

He looked at me with that brooding look. “I don’t have friends.”

I smiled to myself.

“Me neither.”

*********

We talked in the way back to the house, which relived me. My shoulder turned out to be sprained, so Liam let me lean on his shoulder.

“Why do you do it?” He asked suddenly.

I shrugged. “I guess..... it’s for the thrill. And..... well, there isn’t much for me here.”

“Here?”

“This world, I suppose? I’ve always wanted to be a boy. But... My mother and my sister hate me, and dad pretends I don’t exist. I can’t seem to make any friends-“ I cut myself off. I had been talking about this even though he had never told me what he had been asking about. And how did he know I did this sort of thing? I turned on him.

“How did you know where to find me?!” I demanded.

“I-I was just-“

“And how do you know I’ve done this before?! How do you know so much about me?! And what about you? Why are you so strange?! You just waltz in here, with no family, thousands of dollars, your own house, saying your name is Monsieur Death and the Grim Reaper and never seeing paper money and you expect me to believe you?! Who are you?!” I paused for breath. “What are you?”

He stared at me for a long time.

“I tried to tell you.” He whispered finally. “I tried so hard.”

“You actually expected me to believe that stuff?”

He smiled at me and shook his head. “We can discuss it later.”

“Why though?”

“I simply don’t believe you are ready.”

I glared at him, but before I could say anything, he announced,

“We’re here.”

But when we reached the door, it was locked. There was a note pinned to it.

Evangeline, we don’t know where you’ve gone, but we went out for dinner. You have to fend for yourself until we come home.

Yours, Emmaline.

I wanted to be angry, but the pain in my shoulder was making it hard to think anything. I took a staggering step away, and almost fell over. Liam caught me.

“You can come over.” He said. “I don’t mind.”

So he half carried me to his house, which wasn’t that far of a walk, seeming as it was only next door. He put me on the couch and disappeared into the kitchen for first aid. He came back with ice and a cup of tea.

“Thanks.” I told him.

I winced when he put the ice on, and he looked so worried I laughed.

“What?”

I shook my head.

“Here.” He told me, helping me put my shoulder higher. “I read elevation helps.”

I nodded, biting my lip as I shifted my weight.

“You hungry?” He asked.

“Maybe a little.”

He got up again. “Stay here.”

“Like I’m going anywhere.” I said through a grunt as a shifted my weight again. He nodded and left. I let out a yelp as my shoulder gave a sudden shoot of pain.

“What?!” Liam popped his head out of the kitchen door. I hadn’t realized that he had a kitchen. Another odd thing about him: whatever he needed seemed to just appear. Rooms, food, ice. But right now, he was being so nice, I didn’t want to think of things to criticize him. “What’s wrong?!” He asked me.

“Nothing. Just.... my shoulder.”

He nodded. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

I smiled at him. I looked down at my mud splattered clothes and wished I had something cleaner for his couch.

He walked back into the kitchen.

“Dinner’s ready.” He said, back about ten minutes later. “If you want to change first I have some clothes.” He held up a pair of jeans and a red tank top.

“Thanks!” I said. He went to help me up from the couch, but I waved him away. “I can manage.” It hurt to get up and take the clothes, but I didn’t show it. I paused.

“Where should I change?”

He pointed behind me, and sure enough, there was a bathroom that I was sure hadn’t been there before. But I shrugged it off.

“You can bathe too.” He suggested. Interesting choice of words.

I didn’t want to take a bath in a strangers house, but the invite of warm water was almost more than I could bear.

“Maybe a shower.” I told him. The bathroom was beautiful, but I made my shower quick. I was too awkward to do much else. I changed and brushed my hair as well. Then I came out to the smell of spaghetti sauce and fresh bread. Liam smiled at me.

“Much better.” He said, which was a comment I did not particularly appreciate.

“You know how to cook?” I asked him as we sat down to dinner. He shook his head, like that should explain everything, but I decided not to push.

“So.... how come you have girl clothes?”

“I had a sister. She died. I kept the clothes sentimentally I guess. Those were actually the clothes she died in.”

Thanks for that, Liam. I thought. I bit my lip to keep the comment from slipping out. I shifted uncomfortably with the new information. All I could think of to say was,

“Oh.”

“Help yourself.”

I smiled and picked up a fork, remembering to use my other hand. My shoulder still ached, and although the ice has helped, it gave me the occasional jolt. It gave me a jolt now, and I dropped my fork and grabbed my shoulder. Liam jumped up.

“I’ll get you some medicine.” He ran out.

“I’m fine!” I shouted after him. But he came back with a bottle of Ibuprofen and I took some. We went back to eating. Everything was going fine until the monster attacked.