Мор - ученик смерти

           ’Good.Good.NeverreallythoughtofitasajobforMort,youknow,butit’sgoodwork,goodwork,alwaysveryreliable.What’syourname?’

           DEATH.

           ’Dad—’saidMorturgently.

           ’Can’tsayIrecognisethefirm,’saidLezek.’Whereareyoubasedexactly?’

           FROMTHEUTTERMOSTDEPTHSOFTHESEATOTHEHEIGHTSWHEREEVENTHEEAGLEMAYNOTGO,saidDeath.

           ’That’sfairenough,’noddedLezek.’Well,I—’

           ’Dad—’saidMort,pullingathisfather’scoat.

           DeathlaidahandonMort’sshoulder.

           WHATYOURFATHERSEESANDHEARSISNOTWHATYOUSEEANDHEAR,hesaid.DONOTWORRYHIM.DOYOUTHINKHEWOULDWANTTOSEEME–INTHEFLESH,ASITWERE?

           ’Butyou’reDeath,’saidMort.’Yougoaroundkillingpeople!’

           I?KILL?saidDeath,obviouslyoffended.CERTAINLYNOT.PEOPLEGETKILLED,BUTTHAT’STHEIRBUSINESS.IJUSTTAKEOVERFROMTHENON.AFTERALL,IT’DBEABLOODYSTUPIDWORLDIFPEOPLEGOTKILLEDWITHOUTDYING,WOULDN’TIT?

           ’Well,yes—’saidMort,doubtfully.

           Morthadneverheardtheword’intrigued’.Itwasnotinregularuseinthefamilyvocabulary.