• "Who are you?" the girl asked the man shrouded in darkness.

    The man smiled down at her and extended his hand. "I am here for you," he said simply.

    "But," the girl said, "why?"

    "Because," he whispered, "I believe it to be time."

    At those words, the girl's remembered everything. The sudden spinning of the car, a slicing pain at her neck, and there was something else....

    The girl stood without the dark man's help, and turned around. There she saw her mother climbing out of the burning car. A limp form was in her arms. The thing looked like a ragdoll to be honest. The girl realized what had happened as her mother fell to her knees and started weeping.

    A tear ran down the girl's face as she watched. She barely noticed the dark man had placed his hand on her shoulder.

    "I can make the hurt stop, little one," he said calmly.

    The girl swallowed quietly and walked to her mother. The woman did not seem to notice the small peck the girl gave her on the cheek.

    The girl turned and took the dark man's hand. "Before we go," she whispered, "who are you?"

    The man smiled as the car collapsed on itself, illuminating his gorgeous features. He squeezed her hand and started walking. The girl wanted to glance back. She wanted to do more to say goodbye. Yet, she wanted the pain to stop. An easiness seeped into her as they kept walking. Part of her wanted to know who was holding her hand. She wondered if he would ever answer her.

    Then he did.

    "I waited as long as I could to come for you, my child."

    The girl looked up at him, wanting more than anything to know who he was.

    "I am the angel of death."