Trapped Beneath

"Its no use," says a woman's voice from the other adjacent cell. "When she's asleep nothing can rouse her, not even an electric shock."

You glance over to see a small elderly woman dressed in a wrap-around sarong sitting cross legged on her cot. Through the bars of the cell you can see her wrinkled face twist into a good-natured smile, though her eyes remain closed. You sense something strange about her - an aura of mystery and perhaps power.

"Easy for you to say, grandma!" you whimper. "She's heavy!"

The woman reaches through the bars of the cage and bonks you on the head. "Dont call me grandma. I'm only 98 years old."

"Yeah ok.."

"I sense a strange aura about you child - as if you are in a place you do not belong."

"Does anyone belong in a place like this, Mya?" you say and clap your hand over your mouth. Now she's got you saying it too!

"Sure they do," the woman says. "There are those who committed grave sins. Slayers of the innocent, stealers of souls, false witnesses and takers of bribes. They must recieve their punishment at the hands of universal justice, and this punishment is a fair and good thing, too."

"Even you, grandma?"

"Even me, perhaps. Tell me child, what did you do to end up in a place like this?"

"I dont know what reason they gave, but I know the reason I deserve it. I killed my crewmate," you say, thinking back. "He was an evil man, full of hatred and scorn and power-lust, but he was my crewmate. In a pirate crew, to betray and backstab your comrades in this fashion is the ultimate sin, and the reason I truly deserve this fate."

"SHUT UP!!! JUST SHUT UP!!!" Louise howls routinely and is routinely ignored.

"No," the elderly woman says, reaching through the bars and patting you on the head. "You are not an evil person. You are simply trapped in circumstances beyond your control."

You feel lightheaded from lack of air, and tears well up in your eyes. "Am I.. am I going to die, Mya?"

"We all die. Not everyone really lives."

"That sounds familiar somehow."

"Perhaps it does."

"Myaaa," Mya mumbles in her sleep. "Cream puffs, Mya. So delicious. No! Dont eat it all. Mustnt eat it all. No. Mya."

"Who are you?"

"I have been called many names. You may call me Saint Shi."

"Saint? Are you really a saint?"

"I am one of the thirteen saints of cosmic legend. Each of the thirteen has an appointed place in the tapestry of this world, and my place is to be the overseer and caretaker of death. Yes, call me Death, for everything concerning this finality is my exclusive province."

"I see," you say, realizing that you're speaking to a disturbed person. "Well then, Death, I'm going to die, arent I? I cant breathe. Mya wont wake up in time. Its the end for me."

"Yes," the woman nods. "If fate flows according to its predetermined course, you'll be dead within the hour. But you are lucky. I like you, child, I think you have some potential. I can spare you the grave, if you accept my conditions and become my disciple."

You laugh. "This is all so amusing. I'm going to die in a space prison for women and gender neutral offenders because my chubby catgirl cellmate passed out on top of me and I'm running out of air, but I can escape this fate if I become the disciple of the Saint of Death who just conveniently happens to be in the cell next to me."

"You dont believe me, do you? But you have no choice. You are going to become my disciple one way or another. Accept freely and of your own volition and I can save your life right now. Refuse my offer and die... well, did I not tell you that death is my province?"

"What do you mean by become your disciple? Will I have to do chores?"

"It means your life shall be mine."

1. "Well that's fair enough if you can really save me, I dont mind."
2. "No. I am a Space Pirate, my life is my own to live and die as I see fit."

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