[ WP ] Life confronts Death . Death has been a little too trigger happy this year . Life wants to know why .

The snow was suitably falling for the 31st of December. It had unfortunately missed Christmas Day, but that was par for the course in this part of the world. At least this region did n't have to suffer through a blizzard again this time of year. Last year the power for the entire Midwest cut out, and did n't come back on for a week. That was a particularly hard day for me. 
 
 I made my way down the simple Ohio town, referred to as `` Bowling Green''. A quaint environment, I supposed. It was a tad too flat for my liking, not enough topography for varied wildlife. The school is nice, though. It was a good choice for our annual meeting. I continued onward, towards a small bar called *The Stone's Throw* situated in the middle of a busy city area. The establishment was understandably packed, considering it was new year's eve, and it took a moment to find who I was looking for. Understandably, I found him at the bar. His thick black pea coat and dark jeans matched his slicked back black hair. He looked about 30, and was downing what looked like his fifth shot of hard liquor. I sighed, and sat down at the empty stool next to him. He immediately responded to my presence. 
 
 `` Hey, there you are. I was beginning to worry you had forgot this year.'' 
 
 `` I do not ever forget this meeting, Death. Although I imagine you will by tomorrow, judging by how you're spending the time in the mortal plane.'' 
 
 Death grinned at me, before motioning for the bartender to give me a shot on his next round. `` C'mon,'' he said, `` do n't pretend you're driving home.'' 
 
 I indulged in the alcohol, if only to make the coming confrontation easier. `` You know, Death, we do have to talk about your actions this year.'' 
 
 `` Do we? Do we Life? Or can we just kinda let each other do our own thing, die and let die and all that jazz?'' 
 
 `` We ca n't, and you know it. Our actions being balanced is paramount to the survival of the mortals. You know that.'' 
 
 `` And you seem to have forgotten that I do. Or are you just blatantly ignoring the fact that you've cranked it up to eleven as of late?'' 
 
 `` What do you mea-'' 
 
 `` Look, any place that is n't a bunch of people trying to like in the middle of a mountain range has a birth rate so far above necessary replacement its not even funny. The world's running out of food, and you're pumping it full of mouths to feed without end.'' 
 
 `` And you saw fit to resolve this issue with massacre after massacre? The entire planet is at war!'' 
 
 `` Which was precisely the goal. You start a war, suddenly birth rates decline. Not too far, just enough to sustain populations while half of the world dies in a dick measuring contest under the guise of morality and justice. Then, when it's all over, the winning side has a Renaissance of life, and birth rates soar above where they were, before mellowing out into a lower base number that gradually increases over generations. Then, you flip the switch of war and do it again. It's a cycle I noticed after some of the early Chinese conflicts. And the best part? IT only gets better as the world gets denser. This war will regulate the population for so long, that it'll be a long, long time before the next. Probably a few centuries.'' 
 
 `` How... how have I not noticed this?'' 
 
 ``'Cause I'm quiet about it. Also, you're only seeing your half. Life is powerful, but a birth never launched nuclear bombs. A birth never enacted a genocide. At least never initially. It's death that gets the ball rolling. Life is consistency. Death is change.'' 
 
 I puzzled over his words. Why was what he was saying making sense? Moreover, why did my drive to put an end to it cease. I realized it after a few minutes. 
 
 I ca n't stop it. He's right. 
 
 I can create a life, a newborn infant, that over it's life becomes a messiah if the circumstances are right. However, Death is immediate in his work. His actions immediately cause reaction, a power I rarely have. He can affect the world faster than I ever could, and if this pattern he mentions truly works, then who am I to stop him? 
 
 I ordered another round. `` Happy New Year, Death.'' 
 
 `` Here's to a better one'' he replied with a toast. 
 
 Deeper in the bar, a television blared about the President's plane being shot down in the Middle East. There were reportedly no survivors.
