Death Needs A Favor

      Rain came down steadily as Lori entered the coffee shop, not that the weather put off anyone.  Having pushed her way through to her usual spot she sat back pressed against the wall. Having full view of her surroundings quieted the voice in her head, made her feel safe.  She nursed her drink as she tried not to think of the bane of her existence.  Continuing to come here was her way of telling him to ‘fuck off’, even if it was silent. 
Life isn’t easy to handle half the time, not when you could see death and he knew it. 
No one else in her family saw him, well as far as she knew.  The last time she had brought it up her mother had cried for a week straight.  Letting her vision shift she looked at the glowing auras shrouding everyone.  The various colors clung to them like security blankets. She had never figured out if they were signs of the soul or not.  Truthfully, she hadn’t looked into it for a long time, never finding a straight answer.  With the warning chills going down her spine Lori tensed at the voice she heard.
“Lori dear.”

        Death was here and he wanted to talk, again. Her gut told her someone was going to die, maybe not today, but soon.  She could hope to be wrong but most of the time that was all he wanted her to see. Of course, he had shown up just to ask her questions or get her to explain something.

“Shouldn’t you be wearing black or something?” she quipped.

“Ah little one so cheerful this morning.”

The chuckle was low, the type that made your stomach tighten in anticipation of a caress. He was good she’d give him that. Death wasn’t the face-less figure in a robe with a scythe. Oh no, he was the perfect example of a male model in an expensive suit. . 
“Didn’t you hear, white is the new black. At least that’s what the consultant that over dosed last night said.”

Lori absently wondered how many women had fallen in love with the boyish charm.
“At least you’re not wearing name brand,” she muttered before raising her voice, “So why are you here again?”

“Can’t you tell? You were always good at this game before.”

She looked around until she found it, the one aura that was almost black. It belonged to a woman who looked like a middle school student in her cartoon shirt. She was working the counter with a bright smile for each customer. Staring like someone passing a car crash Lori watched as the girl slipped. Falling she reached out only finding a tray to grab onto. As she continued her descent, the tray tipped sending knives into the air. Unable to watch more Lori stared at her coffee. She knew what was going to happen. Screams filled the air as chaos erupted. Clenching hands, she thought of something, anything else, other than hitting him. When he moved she was the only one to see. He waltzed up to the counter holding out a hand, one soon filled by a pale one. The girl looked up at him with a bright smile before disappearing. When he settled back into his chair, he shook his head at her.

“Really Lori, you’ve seen this many times before. Why so glum to witness such power?”

“She was a kid.”

“Everyone dies when they die regardless of age, you know this.”

“You’re a cruel bastard.”

There was no answer making her look up. He was gone.
“I don’t want to see,” she whispered.
She stayed where she was until the ambulance had come and gone.