[ WP ] You are death . Describe taking the last human life .

I was starving. 
 
 I wandered endlessly through the rubble of the ruined city and I saw first-hand evidence of my insatiable appetite -there was literally not a soul to be seen. Empty buildings, partially collapsed, made grotesque figures on the horizon and the leafless trees clawed at the sky as I plodded onward, stepping over rusted bicycles, chunks of concrete and sun-scorched bones. Birds had taken up residence in a hotel made of broken windows and crumbling bricks and they tittered to themselves monotonously. I could n't help but think of the society of man, whom once I served, talking and laughing under what now was a sagging roof. What had I done? I hated myself. I wanted to stop walking and stand there forever. 
 
 *But I could n't get the smell of her from my mind. * 
 
 The smell of her blood tantalized me, drawing me onward. There was another scent as well, a man, but his time was not quite as near. I was weak with hunger, my soul starved for life spirit and I was compelled to continue. What had I done? Two left and no more -all consumed by me. They always *hated* me and feared me, cursing me at the loss of every mother and child and husband. 
 
 *But they needed me. * 
 
 Life *needs* death. Without death there is no food, either because they ate only death or because the population would outstrip the supply. Without death, despots and tyrants would never abdicate their thrones of power. Without death, no one could win their wars. 
 
 *But I did my job too well* 
 
 I could take human form myself, if I wanted, though I rarely did. I think the last time I coalesced was a century ago, during the first of humanity's World Wars. I never relished killing. You may not believe that but it's true. I did what I had to, what I was made to do. But once in awhile someone inspired me to take joy in their ending. And so it was with him. No one will ever know that it was me who handed him and Eva the gun. Today, however, I took human form out of *respect*. This was going to be it. 
 
 *But no matter how much remorse I felt, nothing could stop me. * 
 
 Like the scorpion told the frog, it is my nature. I could n't spare anyone if I wanted to. And as I solidified into mortal form, entering the broken-down diner through the missing front wall, I wanted to. Tears fell from my human eyes to stir the smell of petrichor as they splashed bitterly to the dusty earth. Once done, there would be no one left at all. What would I do? What would my purpose be? How would I sate the hunger designed to serve humanity in the darkest of ways? 
 
 I entered the dining room and scanned the room. Broken clocks, empty shelves, a shattered jukebox, tattered booths and broken crockery formed the caricature of a diner. I peered into the kitchen. One man. One woman. She was on her back on the floor, her breathing shallow. He knelt beside her, mopping her forehead with a wet cloth. How many times had I walked in on this scene, only to dash the hopes of a loved one who was desperate to keep them from me? I drew the scent of her blood deeply into my nostrils and the sound startled them. Just a human. Just visiting. A friendly face, right? No. I could n't do it. I could n't lie. Not now, not at the end. I did something I have never done. I told them the truth. 
 
 `` Do you know who I am?'' I asked in a borrowed voice. 
 
 She could not respond, only stare, but he rose to his feet. He was immediately aggressive, probably afraid I was there to take their food or clothing. I did n't flinch. `` I am Death. I have taken your kind, life by life, day by day, until your insatiable hunger for war outstripped your capacity to create life. When I leave, there will be no one left on this world. You two are all there are. You probably suspected that but now you know for sure. And I'm sorry. I am. So very, very sorry. I wish it could be another way.'' 
 
 *But he did n't listen. * 
 
 As I walked slowly towards her, he of course became violent. I suppose I never expected him to believe me. To him, I was a legend, a myth made up to frighten children. I just knew I had to be honest about it, for the first time -for the last time. He smacked at me and clawed at my arms, trying desperately to impede me but my gait was unbroken, unfaltering. He shrieked and beat me and pulled my hair and still I kept walking, slow as though to a funeral dirge. I did n't even pay him much mind as he did so because my eyes and my mind were so focused on her that I could smell her childhood as her life flashed before her eyes. I think that was when he realized I had told him the truth. His expression transformed from anger to horror and he clawed at me so desperately, begging me not to as tears rolled down my false face. I did not want to kill her. 
 
 *But I did it just the same. * 
 
 First, she convulsed as he screamed, `` no! NO!'' her wracking seizure pulsing as if to each word and it seemed almost as if she were screaming with his voice, begging for her life. `` Please! She's all I have! Why must you take her from me?!'' His words twisted in my chest like an assassin's dagger. He could n't imagine how I felt. I was powerless to stop myself, as I had always been. Then, she began to pale, her breathing ragged and something akin to a voice choking in her throat. As I knelt beside her, softly sobbing, I placed my hand upon her heart... and crushed it. As the life-energy filled my soul, I cried out. The sound shook the rotting ceiling and handfuls of dust and detritus fell around us. It was n't the sound of a satisfied hunger -it was the remorse and regrets of a million years escaping at once. He could not bear her loss. No one ever could but this was the last woman on Earth, the last hope of companionship before his own end. I scented even the false belief that together they could rebirth the human race. 
 
 *But that was all over now. * 
 
 He sobbed so heavily, with such great despair, that it took my soul to the very depths of self-hatred. I never thought this day would come. Then I smelled his blood. My spirit connected to his and again the uncontrollable urges took hold. He was going to kill himself. Probably better that way. I could n't have stopped him if I wanted to. He searched the floor for a moment and grabbed a shard of a broken dinner plate and slashed haphazardly at his body. He striped his chest with his own blood and dug at his arms until the veins poured rivulets of blood through his clawed hands. I wept as I claimed his soul and bowed my head in shame as he fell lifelessly to the ground. I stared at them both, their twisted and lifeless forms mocking me for the urge I was never meant to suppress. 
 
 *But something drew my attention. * 
 
 A distant fragrance, the light aroma of human flesh, tickled my nostrils. There was one more! Could there be others still? I shut out the grisly scene and let my emotions drain from me. Closing my eyes and breathing deeply, I cast my mind wide open. A moment, a stillness, and there it was. No. There was just one more. In the whole of the world, there was simply one human life remaining. I wanted to spare it. I wanted to turn my back on my nature, my commandment, my punishment for existing. I wanted to give the final human eternal life to make up for an eternally empty Earth, some sort of consolation, but if that would console them or me I could not decide. Of course, that was impossible. I had no choice. So deep was I in the blood-lust that I had n't even realized that I had begun running down the street towards the last light I had to extinguish. I have to admit that, perhaps because I was still overflowing with their life energies, I found just enough strength to pause before climbing the uneven steps to the last house of the last human on the planet. I stared up at the window for a long while, wishing I could avoid the inevitable. Our eyes met and I felt such dread. I walked up those steps and entered the house, not looking around or drawing in the ramshackle scenery. I wanted never to remember this moment. I had made my peace and my worthless act of contrition by revealing myself to that couple. I did not have to do it again this time. 
 
 *But I think you've known all this time that I was coming for you. I felt you deserved it. * 
 
 I am so, so sorry.
