The girl’s tears had dried. Her soul was still ripped open. She sat alone. Sweet thoughts carressed her mind. Sugary imaginings of an infinite sleep. The tantalizing promise of letting everything go. Overwhelmed and without wit The girl imagined how to end it all. And then there was a gentle breeze. A saccharine scent filled the air. A dark figure sat down beside the girl. The girl felt fear and longing. ‘Who are you?’ She whispered. ‘I am your reaper.’ The dark thing whispered back. The girl closed her eyes. ‘Why are you here.’ 'You called me here.’ The girl nodded, longing for her sweet end. The reaper moved closer to the girl. 'May I say something?’ The girl nodded again. 'I have taken mortals when they were screaming, I have taken them when they are silent; When they are pleading, When they are weeping, And like you, when they are calling for me. So I will take you today if I must. For there are many others that I must take today. I cannot be delayed for long.’ The girl wiped away a rogue tear. 'I am ready.’ 'Don’t be.’ The girl looked at the dark thing. 'Send me away. Run from me. Curse me. Then look into your soul and find a part of yourself that you can begin to build your life around. And one day I shall return and you will share with me every joy and sorrow your soul has encountered from this moment on and I will take you to the honeyed end you dream of. Or you come now. And never know your own power. Make your choice.’ The girl took a moment to search for a part of her soul that she could possibly salvage, A part that would reveal her power. She looked at the dark thing. 'I can’t find anything to build from!’ She wept. The reaper pulled away. 'But you are looking. That is enough. Goodbye girl. May there be many years before we meet again.’ The reaper left. The girl sighed. She took time and she searched for the part of her soul that would be the foundation of her new life. Time passed and she kept looking. The syrupy dark thoughts came again and again but as time went on their visits grew further and further apart. The girl grew strong. Life gave the girl hope and joy. Life frightened the girl. Life overwhelmed the girl, But her soul embraced it all and mended itself. The girl stopped searching one day without realizing. Now she laughed more. Now she sang and danced. Now she wrote. Now she filled her days with joys and sorrows, That she would one day, (One day far, far from now) Share with her reaper. The girl grew into a woman And the woman found her power.