[ WP ] The straw that broke the Grimm Reaper 's back

Moments like these made the reaper wish for war. 
 
 He could n't think with all the shouts and screams and the blood that hit his lip. 
 
 Except, here and now, there was only silence. The woman beside him waited. Blonde hair, blue-eyes, and wrinkles on her face. The cardigan hid the effect that past births had had on her, but the pale line on ring finger showed her marital status. 
 
 She picked at her fingernails and fretted her lip. He watched her, and, though he could not feel any mortal lust, he wanted to kiss her lips and hold her in his arms. 
 
'Mary Rosenfile'. 
 
 She looked up and her cheeks reddened at the obviously false name. He followed her when she stood up. They both waited as the young woman behind the counter stared at them. Death noticed the glaze of the young woman's eyes and the infection in her recently pierced lips. He could even see the black line through her soul that would fester into death. 
 
'... Are you gon na stand there, or give the money?' 
 
 Mary jumped. She hurried through her bag and brought out an envelope with butterfly stickers on it. The young woman looked at it and raised one of her eyebrows. 
 
 Mary's blush deepened,'It's my daughters. I was in a rush-' 
 
'Good for you. We do n't get many of your age here, but the... doctor... will do you like he's done the others'. 
 
'Oh... well thank you for your service.' 
 
 The young woman shook her head and dismissed Mary with the skill that only people on the threshold of adulthood could master. 
 
 Death watched Mary's back. Though he knew it would do nothing, he wanted to try and pull her back. For a moment, he almost did. But his hand fell back to his side and he followed her into the room. 
 
 Dirt lay thick across the table. A man scratched his armpits. He looked up and that same glaze lay on his eyes. 
 
'You the woman?' 
 
 She nodded and frowned at the needle marks on his arms,'Look are you able-' 
 
'Just get on the table and we'll have this done. Unless you want to leave your money and still have your problem?' 
 
 She flinched. Not just at his aggressive tone, but at the thought of telling her husband about the money she stole. Death watched it pass through her eyes. The closer someone came the more there mind opened. Again, he wished for the welcome arms of a bloody battle. 
 
 She sat on the table. He told her to lie back and spread her legs. Out of a plastic bag he took a long metal object. The light caught on it's contours and caused it to writhe in his hands. Even Mary could see the glint at it's too sharp tip. 
 
'Is that a-' 
 
 The man shrugged,'Knitting needles are better, but a coat hanger will do'. 
 
 Death could n't stop himself from gripping her shoulder as the man narrowed his eyes and bit on his tongue in concentration. Whether she shivered at the metal touch, or at his cold hand, he would never know. 
 
 He poked and prodded, but then his hand slipped. His head went down and his hands went up,'Oh-' 
 
'Wh-what-' 
 
'Relax... I... I...' 
 
 She could not see below the level of the table, but death could. The blood ran like water through the young man's hands. 
 
'Look... I have to-' 
 
 The young man ran out without a word. A moment later the woman from the desk looked in and screamed at the young man. They had some kind of argument and... who gives a shit about them. 
 
 Death returned his attention to the woman. She knew something was wrong, but she had not the strenght to slip up. Her legs buckled and she lay flat. Her eyes rolled around in her skull. 
 
 Death held her hand as the flood covered the floor and the light left her eyes.
