Мор - ученик смерти

           IINVITEYOUINTOMYHOME,hesaid,ITRAINYOU,IFEEDYOU,ICLOTHEYOU,IGIVEYOUOPPORTUNITIESYOUCOULDNOTDREAMOF,ANDTHUSYOUREPAYME.YOUSEDUCEMYDAUGHTERFROMME,YOUNEGLECTTHEDUTY,YOUMAKERIPPLESINREALITYTHATWILLTAKEACENTURYTOHEAL.YOURILL-TIMEDACTIONSHAVEDOOMEDYOURCOMRADESTOOBLIVION.THEGODSWILLDEMANDNOTHINGLESS.

           ALLINALL,BOY,NOTAGOODSTARTTOYOURFIRSTJOB.

           Mortstruggledintoasittingposition,holdinghischeek.Itburnedcoldly,likecometice.

           ’Mort,’hesaid.

           ITSPEAKS!WHATDOESITSAY?

           ’Youcouldletthemgo,’saidMort.Theyjustgotinvolved.Itwasn’ttheirfault.Youcouldrearrangethisso—’

           WHYSHOULDIDOTHAT?THEYBELONGTOMENOW.

           ’I’llfightyouforthem,’saidMort.

           VERYNOBLE.MORTALSFIGHTMEALLTHETIME.YOUAREDISMISSED.

           Mortgottohisfeet.HerememberedwhatbeingDeathhadbeenlike.Hecaughtholdofthefeeling,letitsurface....

           NO,hesaid.

           AH.YOUCHALLENGEMEASBETWEENEQUALS,THEN?

           Mortswallowed.Butatleastthewaywasclearnow.Whenyoustepoffacliff,yourlifetakesaverydefinitedirection.

           ’Ifnecessary,’hesaid.’AndifIwin—’

           IFYOUWIN,YOUWILLBEINAPOSITIONTODOWHATEVERYOUPLEASE,saidDeath.FOLLOWME.

           HestalkedpastMortandoutintothehall.

           TheotherfourlookedatMort.

           ’Areyousureyouknowwhatyou’redoing?’saidCutwell.

           ’No.’

           ’Youcan’tbeatthemaster,’saidAlbert.Hesighed.Takeitfromme.’

           ’Whatwillhappenifyoulose?’saidKeli.

           ’Iwon’tlose,’saidMort.That’sthetrouble.’