A few days later, once more caught up on his schedule,
Zane paid Luna another call. This time she smiled when
she saw him. "Come in, Zane; I'll be ready in a minute."
"Ready?"
"You're taking me out on a date, remember? Somewhere
interesting, so we won't be bored with each other."
Zane had really had more talking in mind, for their last
dialogue had affected him profoundly, but he didn't care
to say that. True, aspects of their talk had been
uncomfortably candid, and the notion of her paying off the
demon still bothered him. But a portion of his self-doubt
and disgust had eased significantly after their last meeting,
and he hoped for similar positive impact in future. After
all, how could he object to anything about her, after what
he had done at the hospital? That had made ugly headlines
on Earth as well as in Purgatory!
He looked at Luna's paintings as he waited for her.
They were beautiful. She was much more of an artist than
he had been. The colors were clear and true, and the auras
realistic. It was hard to believe that a person whose soul
was presently slated for damnation in Hell could do such
excellent work. He was getting to like Luna better — and
that realization caused him to wonder again why the
Magician had wanted the two of them to know each other.
Surely it was not merely because they were compatible
or had a common interest in auras.
Luna reappeared — and this time she was stunning.
Before, clothes had converted her most of the way from
neutral to attractive; this time they had completed the
transition. Bright blue topaz glinted from a band placed
in her hair, and green emerald was set in her slippers; the
rest of her between these two made the beauty of the
gems pale.
page 170
"How do you like me now?" she inquired archly.
He was cautious. "I thought you didn't really care for
me. Why are you making yourself so lovely?"
She grimaced prettily. "I told you my deepest sins, and
you didn't reject me. That's worth something."
"Because I'm no better!" he replied. "How can I con-
demn you? You were helping your father, while I — "
"Was helping your mother," she finished, completing
the rehearsal of their excuse for being together, which
somehow seemed necessary for each of them. "We're
both well tainted. Anyway, until we know what my father
had in mind, there's no sense in letting it go. I confess
you're not the man I would have chosen on my own — "
"And you aren't the woman I was slated for — "
"Do you think Fate had her fickle finger in this?"
"I know she did. She put me in the office of Death by
arranging the thread of my life to terminate right when
my predecessor was getting careless. I suppose Fate even
steered me past Molly Malone, where I got the gun I used.
Whether Fate would have done this without the behest
of your father, I don't know."
"Never trust a woman," Luna said seriously. "Fate least of all."
Zane smiled. "I'm a fool. I do trust Fate. She helped
me get started as Death. The truth is, my life was hardly
worth it before. Of course, I know I'm nothing special as
Deaths go."
"I would hate to encounter something special in Deaths,
then," she murmured. "That episode at the hospital — and
I think I recognize your touch in that Miami riot, too."
Zane smiled. "It was no riot. But it illustrated the point.
I let too many clients go free, when I can, and I take some
I'm not supposed to, and I waste time talking to others,
trying to make it easier for them. The Purgatory News
Center is having a field day with my exploits. I don't know
what Purgatory did for humor in the news before I came
along."
page 171
"You're too well-meaning, and too trusting."
Zane looked at her, and was daunted again by her sheer
beauty. "Surely I can trust you, though!"
"No."
"No? I don't understand."
"Put on your Deathcape," Luna said abruptly.
Zane glanced at her again, startled. "I don't know. This
is personal, and I don't like to mix — "
"I want a date with Death," she insisted. She turned
her face to him and looked him in the eyes and smiled,
and her eyes seemed lambent. He could not deny her,
though he knew it was deliberate artifice.
"My suit is in the car," he said. "But — do you really
want to be seen with Death?"
"No such worry. People don't see Death unless they
are clients."
Not entirely true, but close enough. Zane proffered her
his arm, and they walked out to the Deathmobile.
The night was dark, with a drizzle threatening. He
fetched his cape and gloves and shoes from the car and
donned them.
"Now you are truly elegant," Luna said. "I never
realized before how handsome a well-dressed skeleton could
be. Kiss me, Death."
"But my face is not — "
She leaned into him and kissed his lips. "Oh. you're
right!" she exclaimed after a moment. "A bare skull! Alas,
poor Yorick, I kissed him. An infinite jest!" She brushed
off her mouth with one hand as if removing sand.
"Death is no pleasant date to most people," Zane said,
disturbed by her attitude. What was motivating her? "You
should see the mail I get."
She smiled as if this were a pleasant invitation. "Yes,
let's see your mail. Do you actually answer it?"
page 172
"Yes," he said, embarrassed. "It seems only right. No
one seeks out Death, in any manner, without good
reason."
"That's touching. You are a decent man. Show me a
letter."
Zane reached into the dash compartment and brought
out a letter, turning on the interior light of the car so they
could read it. It was written in a rather neat juvenile script;
it normally took many years for a person to reduce his
script to adult illegibility. Children tended to write letters
more than adults — at least they did to his office — for what
reason he couldn't quite fathom. Maybe it was because
their beliefs were more literal.
Dear Death, he read. Every night Mommy makes me
say my prayers, and thats okay I guess, but they scare
me. I hafta say If I Should Die Before I Wake I Pray The
Lord My Soul To Take. Now Im afraid to go to sleep. I
lie awake most of the night and then I daze out in school
and Im flunking something and please Death I dont want
to die right now. Is it okay if I sleep a little at night without
having to die? Love Ginny.
"Suddenly I see what you mean," Luna said. "That's
awful. That poor little girl — she thinks — "
"Yes. When I first read that letter, it made me so angry
I broke out in a sweat. That prayer seems to equate sleep
with death. No wonder she's afraid. How many children
expect to die before they wake — because of that sinister
message put in their minds? I would never do that to any
child of mine!"
"She's pretty literate, but she hasn't mastered the
apostrophe yet," Luna remarked. "It must have been an
act of real courage to tackle the source, of her fear like
that! Zane, you must answer this letter right now."
"What can I say to her? I can't promise not to take
her; she might appear on my schedule tomorrow."
"But you can reassure her that death has nothing to
do with sleep." Luna brightened. "Let's do it now. You
can phone her!"
Zane was uncertain. "She would think it was a cruel
joke. Who ever heard of Death telephoning people?"
page 173
"Who ever heard of Death answering letters? I gather
your predecessor didn't. She's a child, Zane! She'll
believe. A child won't be surprised by a phone call from an
Incarnation. That's the way children's minds work, bless
them." She hauled him back to her house and fetched the
telephone and proffered it to him.
He sighed. Maybe this was the best way. He accepted
the phone and called the Information operator for Ginny's
city of Los Angeles, using the child's address to run down
the number. Soon the phone was ringing. Zane felt
suddenly nervous.
"Yes?" It was obviously the girl's mother.
"Let me speak with Ginny, please."
"But she's asleep!" Actually, it was not as late in Los
Angeles as in Kilvarough, but children retired earlier than
adults.
"She is not asleep," Zane said, his quick ire rising.
"She is lying awake in the darkened room, terrified that
if she sleeps, she will die before she wakes. Do not make
her say that prayer any more. That's not the way God
takes souls."
"Who are you?" the woman asked sharply. "If this is
an obscene call — "
"I am Death."
"What?"
Of course she couldn't assimilate that. "Please fetch
Ginny now."
Flustered by something strange, the woman backed
off. "I'll see if she's awake. But if you say anything to
upset her — "
"Fetch her," Zane repeated wearily. How much
damage was done by well-meaning people!
In a moment the child answered. "Ginny speaking,"
she said politely. "Gee, I never got a phone call from a
strange man before!"
"I am Death," Zane said carefully. "I received your letter."
"Oh!" she cried, whether in joy or fear he could not tell.
"Ginny, I do not think I will come for you soon. You
have your life ahead of you. But if I do come, I promise
to wake you first. I will not take you in your sleep."
page 174
Her voice was tremulous. "Gee — you mean it? Really?"
"Really. You will not die before you wake." That much
of a promise it was within his province to make. He would
issue a memo to Purgatory to make sure that he personally
was summoned for her case, though she would surely be
bound directly for Heaven with very little evil on her soul,
so that he could honor that commitment.
"You mean it?" she repeated breathlessly. "Cross your
heart and hope to — " She paused, aware of the incongruity.
"Cross my heart, Ginny. Sleep in peace."
"Gee, thanks, Death!" she exclaimed. Then she thought
of her manners. "It's not that I want to hurt your feelings
or anything, but — "
"But you don't want to meet me yet," Zane finished,
smiling, as people were prone to do even when they knew
they could not be seen. "I understand. Few people care
to do business with me, or even to think about me."
"Oh, it's all right by day, in play," she said brightly.
"Day is different. We don't sleep then. We talk about you
when we jump rope."
"You do? What do you say?"
"Doctor, Doctor — will I die? Yes, my child, and so will
I! It keeps the beat, you know!"
"That's nice," Zane said, taken aback. "Farewell, Ginny."
"Bye, Death," she said, and hung up.
"Now doesn't that feel better?" Luna asked, her eyes
shining.
"Yes!" Zane agreed. "It makes me glad to do my job,
this one time."
"If more people knew Death personally, fewer people
would fear him."
"I would like that. What a world it would be if there
were no fear of death!"
page 175
"Now we can go on our date," she said. "There's no
other way I would have preferred to start it."
They returned to the Deathmobile. "Where did you
have in mind to go?" he asked.
"I don't know. It's enough just to ride with Death."
Zane was not entirely satisfied with this, but let it be.
He started the car and drove slowly through the drizzle.
In the center of town, the headlights picked out a figure
with a wheelbarrow. Zane slowed. "There's Molly Malone,"
he said. "The ghost of Kilvarough."
"Oh, I've never met her!" Luna exclaimed. "Let's give
her a ride!"
"Give a ghost a ride? That's not — "
"How will we know, if we don't offer?"
Zane stopped the car and got out. "Molly!" he called.
The ghost waved her hand. "You can't take me. Death,"
she cried gaily. "I'm already dead!"
"I'm not on business," he said. "My watch is stopped.
We met before I assumed the office. In fact, I think you
were my omen, for I left my former life soon after I
met you." He drew away his hood so she could see his
face.
"Oh, yes — you saved me from getting robbed or worse,"
she said, recognizing him. "You were so nice. I'm sorry
I signaled your end."
"Signaled my end?"
"Didn't you know? Anyone I interact with is doomed
to die within a month."
"Oh, yes, I realized that, later. But as you see, I didn't
really die."
"Well, you had a date with Death. That's usually the
same thing."
Luna got out of the car. "Hello, Molly Malone," she called.
Zane froze. "Oh, no! You — Luna —"
"I can't say I like it," Molly said. "But I remind myself
that I don't cause the death, I merely signal it. So really,
it's providing fair warning — "
page 176
"But if you interact with Luna — "
Molly showed concern. "Oh, I thought she was one of
your clients. You mean she's a friend?"
"A friend on a date with me."
"Oh, then it's already been fulfilled. The date with Death."
"Of course," Zane agreed, relieved. "I misread the signal."
"No, you didn't," Luna said.
Zane turned to her with appalled surmise.
"Don't look so horrified, Zane," Luna said. "I knew I
was going to die. There are a dozen good Deathstones in
my house."
"You never told me I" Zane protested.
She shrugged. "I only learned of it since our last date.
Suddenly the stones were signaling. I took a stiff dose of
cheer." She indicated the gems in her headband.
"Otherwise I would not be very good company at the moment."
"You are using enchantment — to make yourself good
company for me?" Zane asked rhetorically. "I would never
have asked you to — "
"Why do you think I wanted a date with Death? If I'm
lucky, maybe you will collect my soul personally, so I
won't sink to Hell alone." She turned back to the ghost.
"It must be very dull for you, Molly, day after day with
no customers. Why don't you take a ride with us?"
"That's very nice of you," the ghost said. "Where are
you going?"
"We hadn't decided. We're having a date."
"He told me. Then you don't need me along. I have
not entirely forgotten the ways of life."
"It's not that intimate. Yet. Where would you
recommend we go?"
"If you really don't mind my company, I could guide
you to the Carnival of Ghosts. Since you're both marked
in one way or another by Death, you're eligible to attend."
page 177