Vivienne and the Reaper : The Mortal Coil, The Extended Edition
The Reaper had one dream
to live as a mortal man,
it came true he was human so it did seem,
so he went to see a show to be with the mortals as a man,
the flesh and blood grim reaper sat feeling human,
he saw a beautiful lady she was an actress,
he couldn't help but love her her name was Vivienne McCann,
He couldn't resist meeting her she asked for a name to him address,
"Grim- Michael Grim," said the reaper to his love,
"What do you do for a job?" she asked him,
"I am a guide," was all he could think of.
he thought of his life he was grim,
He knew one day he would take her life,
"are you alright?" Vivienne asked seeing his sad face,
"yes I am fine!" he said a little too quickly.
her face had lost it's grace,
he smiled nicely.
He knew he lost her.
so he apologized and took his leave,
he spied his reflection as he left the theatre saw his flesh did disappear,
his second death and loss of a second chance he did forever grieve
"If and when life is granted to me I shall be a man,
the flesh and blood shall be a part of me I will live on in the living flesh and not scare you my Vivienne,
I will live as a man by your side, and try to make you happy, but I am dead to the world and at least we'll meet again. " the Reaper dreaming about Vivienne thought.
When they again did meet she didn't know him he had been so anxious to meet her there was a problem.
He was scared of her recognizing him he acted aloof but his heart was racing.
"Vivienne you will die there are no buts about it" a skeletal man in Benedictine monks outfit said.
said Vivienne in reply "but- but-" staring at his head.
The Reaper huffed "Stop saying but! you can't deny or bargain with me!"
Vivienne took a deep breath and said "So you came for me?"
Death said as sharply as a blade " yes! I have! You died at midnight"
Vivienne sobbed slightly and said "Midnight? It is 5 to midnight!"
The Reaper looked as awkward as a skeleton could,
Vivienne cried triumphantly as a prisoner reprieved execution would "You're early! I live!" The Reaper understood.
The Reaper said nervously "I will take you at midnight!"
Vivienne asked nearly as nervously as the reaper was "what killed me tonight?"
The Reaper snapped back "I did!"
Vivienne shook her head saying "not you! my cause of death can you tell me or is it forbid,"
Death laughed and said " stroke!
It started when you awoke!"
Vivienne shouted "I am not having a stroke! I am not dying"
the Reaper said "Then why are you crying?"
the Reaper said "and why are you speaking like you are having a stroke my dear?"
Vivienne noticed she was having a stroke she recognize the symptoms she was struck by fear!
her death was coming and coming soon,
five minutes had passed she died alone with Death in the light of the moon.
As you mortals live,
you exist in your little mortal world 'til death I give,
you dwell in life on days bittersweet,
knowing that one day we'll meet!
you dwell on the little things which will one day be forgotten,
while I wait for you my begotten,
you fear me and and yet you fear lying alone in oblivion,
yes I'm talking to you hear me Vivienne,
don't turn away from me it is the truth,
do I need give you proof?
Lost in death cold grasp,
I am within his clasp,
I see his scythe,
his bony hands I know I will lose my life,
he leads 3 dogs of death,
I feel I'm breathing my last breath,
the terror consumes my entire soul,
I'm sure it's his goal,
He takes me to another world,
to dwell in the land of the dead, in the nether-world.
Lost is the soul in death cold grasp,
I am beyond life's last gasp,
I know not where I'm going with this harbinger of death,
my soul is being led to a world which I see as a fiery breath,
deeper and deeper we go into hell, the under world,
I see it as fading old world with fading ghosts, souls unfurled,
the soul asked of death "Why is the world here disappearing,"
Death replied " Vivienne, this world is a memory and like all memories it fades as time passes. The center of this region we are nearing."
The region was brown and fading the inhabitants were at various stage of fading to oblivion,
the reaper said "We are here I shall leave you now, Vivienne"
I fear now I am truly lost and alone in hell
forever here shall I fade, be forgotten and dwell.
"Jack you obviously have guessed who I am and why I am here," an odd looking man said to Jake Taylor.
"Santa?" Jack said in reply to this,
"Oh you're either blind, stupid, or a little smart Alec," said the grim reaper palming his face, "actors!" He huffed.
"Not Santa eh?" Jack said,
"Of course not, I am Charon, the grim reaper here to take you to Hell!" snapped the reaper,
"I thought you were a bit thin Sharon," Jack taunted,
"You loat I am Charon not Sharon, come with me! " the reaper said grabbing Jack's hand and dragging him on his way,
"Go to hell Sharon I'm not going anywhere with you," Jack said pulling away from the reaper,
"Sharon won't leave without you, Jack," shouted the reaper,
"I didn't want to do this but if have to use necromancy I will,
You are dead follow me."
Jack could not refuse the reaper's demand he was scared.
He knew he was going to hell and he couldn't prevent it.
"Why is this never an easy job" the Reaper huffed.
Down and down we go ever eternally down,
til when we end in a land of fading hues of brown,
I look around to see we weren't alone,
where I was exiled was a murky shadow of a town,
It was populated with people who fade with time like the land to nothing,
ghosts of those dead and gone, fading memories of the living,
reaching second death in oblivion,
I see someone I know she was partly faded her name was Vivienne,
she said "all disappear who have died the soul is but a fading memory of life,
The reaper is ruler of this land of strife,
like ghosts in the living world destined to fade and die again,
like a pen the ink just runs out fades, so it goes with the living and dead of men."
We dream not of the light,
we are imprisoned in night,
why do they cry,
because it's a lie.
In death's cold realm,
a land where death is at the helm,
we are but a fading memory,
like sand soon to disappear on board of emery only temporary.
"I envy you living forever eternal life. It must be good to live
and not die and be forgot." Vivienne said to the reaper.
"Some may say they want eternal life, it is not what they think it's like. All things change and fade like memory all things are temporary eons pass like minutes, centuries like seconds, don't ask me of days, Vivienne, to me they are nothing," the Reaper confided to his friend a fading ghost called Vivienne who looked sorry for him. "I believe you, even I'll fade to oblivion as all do." She said. "They say time is relative it truly is for one trapped in eternal death, mortals are born to die, but I died to live forever. I lose," The reaper said, "everything and everyone, in time, friends, enemies things I like and love."
Vivienne laughed trying to cheer him up "at least you lose enemies, no one needs enemies."
"Enemies and conflict make you grow they are adversity, with out adversity nothing changes," the Reaper said sadly, "they also make you stronger."
"Oh never thought of enemies like that they just were pests to me, made life harder!" Vivienne said.
"They test you make you work harder to over come them." the Reaper said sadly, "I miss my enemies, but more will come, " the Reaper sighed sadly, "and they'll go! They may call this place Hell, but the true Hell is eternal life, or in my case eternal death."
I live for eternity
I die never,
I look dead however,
I am immortal apart from my infirmity,
I will live forever,
People think I'm dead,
I am of course not,
I am the reaper my home is hot,
I live with the ghosts and all the undead,
I take the dying souls to my underworld plot,
the living fear me,
the dead near me live,
the ghosts fade with time since when they were alive,
In time I will be alone I foresee
I hope I'm wrong but I will not my fate forgive"
One all hallows eve Death a scary plot did conspire,
he dressed as a jester to take his victims,
no one was amused by his attire,
he was sad to be shown the error of his predictions
Death took his friend the fading ghost Vivienne trick or treating,
they knocked door to door
and ended up arrested for terrorizing
now they don't trick or treat anymore,
Copyright Rachel Lawson Poet