I hope everyone is enjoying President’s Day, If the holiday is not relevant to you then I still hope you are having a great day!

This story is a fun insight into what a conversation might be like between two Gods, a short but amusing story.

Art done by the fantastic Mister Artorias. Go check out more of his work on his Instagram!

I want to give special thanks to the patrons who’ve supported me thus far:

Hypermice, Sean Young, and Mister Artorias

Check back on Friday for more news, with another short to follow on Monday!

A Conversation Between Two Gods

The rays of the setting sun shot across the horizon of the massive planet covered in white clouds. The endless blue sea surrounding the stretches of land masses snaked across the surface. Stars shone all around, bringing light through the perpetual darkness. The single moon spun slowly around, littered with holes.

He sat there in the space drifting aimlessly, appearing to be seated in a chair that wasn’t there. He had his legs crossed and leaned back with his head against the palm of his hand. He absentmindedly played with one of the strings along his sweater.

“What do I even do now?” he asked rhetorically, his voice filled with exhaustion. He shook his head at the sight of an explosion that appeared on the planet, clouds vanishing in an instant. In the explosion’s place came a mushroom cloud reaching into the stratosphere. Another explosion, with more to follow. “This is too damn exhausting,” he muttered as he lay back and closed his eyes.

He shifted about to look at the sun, now a giant red mass that continued to grow. The closest planet to the sun had long since been swallowed with the second being threatened now. “Guess it doesn’t matter anyways. All my urging and they never got off their home.” He rubbed his forehead in frustration, casually spinning himself about in the space. “Far too late now.”

Slowing his spin, he straightened and found himself on a white platform. With a yawn, he arched his back in a stretch. “Guess it’s time for the meeting.” The platform seemed to move forward until he was abruptly brought to a white door in the black void.

Turning the handle, he entered a white room with a single block in the center. The black void behind him vanished from sight entirely once he closed the door. “Death, you here? Or fashionably late?” Hearing no response, he shrugged and walked over to the block to sit. Reaching into his pocket, he came up empty with a frown.

“Looking for one of these, Life?”

He looked over his shoulder to see the red figure with a casual smile and an offered cigarette between two fingers. “Yes, please, my dear friend, Death,” he replied, taking the cigarette.

Sparking a flame between fingers, Death lit the cigarette for Life before tending to his own. Snuffing the flame, Death sat down with his back against Life. He curled his tail and crossed his arms, “Rough day?”

“Mhm.”

“Tell me about it.”

Life took a long drag from the cigarette. “Think I’m going to go find a different planet.” He ran his free hand through his shaggy white hair.

“That bad, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s bad.” Life chuckled and shook his head. “The fools are tearing each other apart and ignoring any help I try to give them. Even if they somehow survive, in a few years’ time it’ll become too hot with the growing sun.” He took another drag from the cigarette. “Lost cause, so best to go elsewhere.”

Death snickered, “I told you when you started this little pet project of yours that it’d be a waste of time. Should’ve listened to me.”

“You might be the God of Death, but you don’t have foresight for the future.” Life replied before elbowing Death in the side. “Anyways you benefited from this project more then I, so you should appreciate it.”

“I definitely did not benefit from it!” Death elbowed back. “Being hated by billions and called the ‘Devil,’ isn’t that great!”

Rubbing his side, Life shrugged. “Well, it’s over.”

“For you maybe. I’ll be sticking around for a bit longer to gather up the final souls,” Death replied, looking at his twitchy tail.

“Of course.” Life finished what remained of the cigarette and discarded it. “Will you be joining me for the next planet? You know I need someone like you to make it work. Learned a lot, maybe this time it’ll succeed.”

“What’s the point, it’s going to all die anyways.” Death replied, slouching in his bad mood.

Life rubbed his chin, pondering. “You’re right. It’ll probably fail, but think of the positives.”

“Which are?”

“We get to enjoy the pleasures made by my creations. Like that cigarette you love so much. Without them, the only thing we get is what we create, and it’s never as good as the real deal.” Life stated, rubbing his pants not made by his own hands.

Death rolled the cigarette across his lips multiple times in thought. Finishing it, he tossed it to the side and stood up slowly in a stretch. “You know, I hate it when you’re right. Alright, get to it, and make it fast this time. I don’t want to wait billions of years again for a fresh coat.”