Gods have Coffee

The city streets are busy, as they always are. Outside of a coffee shop, an older man with bright grey hair, sits at a small round table, drinking coffee. He is wearing a black suit and tie. He watches the people as they walk past the shop, with a worried expression. Suddenly someone grabs his shoulders, from behind. Startled, the man looks up to see a comforting smile from a friendly handsome face.
“Where have you been, Frank? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting here? Why set a time if you’re going to be late?” scolded the first man.
“I’m sorry, George. The appointment took longer than expected,” replied Frank, still smiling, as he sat down, across from George. Frank is a younger man with straight black hair. He is wearing an open dark grey suit without a tie.
“That’s why I suggest you drag them, kicking and screaming, like I do. That’s what they think you do anyway,” George said as he signaled the waitress.
“We each have our own ways of doing things. I’d rather have them leave this world on a better note than when they entered it,” The waitress hands Frank a menu, “Thank you,”
George considered Frank's answer for a few seconds, and asked, “But what about the ones who deserve it?”
The waitress returns to the table with a note pad and pen.
“It is not my job to judge them, only to deliver them to those whose job it is to judge,” Frank looks up at the server, and points to the menu, “I’ll have the lemon cake, thank you,” He hands her the menu, and looks back at George, “Unlike you, I am not one to take other people’s matters into my own hands. I stick to what I know, that way I don’t ruin anything I had no authority touching in the first place,”
“They are my creations. I should be allowed to punish them if I see fit,” George says, slamming his cup onto the table.
Timidly, the waitress sets Frank’s lemon cake on the table.
Frank hands her a 10 dollar bill, and, with a friendly smile, says, “Thank you, keep the remainder,” He turns back to George, maintaining his friendly smile, “This isn’t about what you should be allowed to do, it's about what you are allowed to do. As much as I would love to punish the scum they let you bring into this world, it is not my place to do so. Feel free to have some of the cake, by the way,”
“My children are not scum! They are simply misguided,” George yelled, clearly irritated.
“And who’s fault is that?” Frank asks innocently, eating a small portion of the lemon cake.
George knocks over the table, “You know what; I’m sick and tired of your smug attitude,”
“I was enjoying that cake,” Frank said, maintaining his calm and collected demeanor
“Shut up, you insufferable prick!” George grabs Franks collar.
“What’s wrong, Georgie?” Franks smiling face is replaced with a sickening glare, and his voice becomes deeper, “Looks like you’ve forgotten something important,”
The air begins to feel cold and heavy. George’s grip on Frank loosens, as his rage is replaced with absolute dread. He backs away from Frank who is fixing his suit without breaking eye contact. George, panicked, looks around and saw that the streets were completely empty.
“Have you forgotten who you’re speaking to, George?” Frank begins walking towards George, slowly with the glare still on his face, “I’m the reason you're even necessary. Without me they would have gotten rid of you eons ago, and now even with my help you are still being as the humans say it ‘laid off’. Better late than never I suppose,”
Backed into a wall, George asks, “So you called me here to fire me? Are you supposed to soften the blow first or something?”
Frank suddenly froze up with a shocked expression on his face, and then took a deep breath. The smile returned to Frank's face, but the overwhelming feeling of dread did not disappear, “That’s what the cake was for,” His voice was no back to its cheerier tone. George began to laugh uncomfortably. From inside his jacket, Frank pulled out a single page contract and a pen, “Simply sign here to resign from your position as the god of life, serving under the orders of the god of creation, and become mortal once more,”
George’s discomfort and dread dissolve, “Wait! You’re asking me to quit?! So I’m not being fired?! Well then, screw that I’m staying right where I am,”
Frank is about to say something before he is quickly interrupted by George, “ I said ‘No’; there is nothing you can say that will make me want to quit being the god of human life,”
George turns to walk away, but Frank quickly grabs his shoulder before he could get too far, “I was going to say ‘quitting is your best option’,” The feeling of dread returns to George, “but because I am so nice I will ask you again, will you resign willingly and become mortal, knowing that when you die you will be judged for every action since the beginning of your godhood, or,” Frank's voice became serious again, “will I have to remove you from your position with force,”
Nervously, George answered, “I’d like to resign peacefully, please,”
“Smart choice,” Frank directs George to the table he knocked over earlier, picked it back up, and set the contract on the table, “As you can see the contract is very simple, all I need you to do is sign it and you can reap all of the benefits of being a mortal in the modern age,”
George signs the contract, and returns it to Frank, “So that’s it? I’m a mortal now?”
“It’s that simple,” Frank confirms. Franks phone starts to ring, and he checks it, “It’s the boss, please excuse me for a moment,” Frank turns away from George, “Yes … He’s right here … he just signed the resignation form … We’ve known each other for eons, madam; it just seemed like the right thing to do … I would suggest a mother; they understand the importance of giving life ... thank you, madam,” As he hangs up the phone he turns back to George with a smile, “Looks like everything is in order, there won’t be any births for a few days while we replace you, but what are you going to do,” The streets became full and busy once again, “Now, I have an appointment in a few minutes, so I’ll be heading out. Enjoy your new life while it lasts,” Frank walks down the street until he can no longer be seen through the crowd.
George sighs with relief. He scans the crowd nervously, “It’s been so long since I’ve been mortal, I forgot what it felt like,” He looks at his hands, “This is going to take some getting used to,” He walked to the street corner. The street light changes, telling the pedestrians to cross. George steps onto the street. He hears a car honking its horn. The car passes through the intersection. A woman screams. Sirens can be heard, soon after.
In a hospital, George hears the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor. He opens his eyes to see Frank watching over him, holding a bouquet of dead flowers. The heart rate monitor beeps become more frequent, “What?! I didn’t have enough time to do anything! I didn’t get to right my wrongs!”
“Don’t worry, Georgie, you’re safe; I simply deliver the trash, remember?” Frank said with his signature friendly smile, but somehow it only filled George with more dread, “It’s like you always said, ‘Life isn’t fair’, but I can assure you death is” Frank places two flower on George's chest in the shape of a cross, and walks away. When he leaves the room the heart rate monitor's beeping becomes a solid loud drone.