5

As I enter my house, I sigh slightly, feeling as though a large weight has been lifted off my chest after telling Olivia the secret that has been eating me alive for as long as I can remember. I quickly unravel my scarf and wrap it around the banister of the stairs, before repeating the process with my coat - intending to take them upstairs later. I drop my midnight blue bag underneath them.

"Dad, I'm home." I call into the house as I quickly slip off my shoes. When I don't get an expected reply, I frown, "Dad?"

I quickly walk down the short hallway towards the kitchen, slight worry creeping through my veins. "Dad?"

The worry instantly disperses once I enter the kitchen, since a small white note lies on the black marble counter. I gently pick it up and read the scribbled message.

Haven,

I had to leave for a bit - urgent meeting with the boss. I'll be home late, don't wait up for me.

Love, Dad.

I sigh and place the note to the side of the counter. I stroll over to the kitchen sink, grabbing a glass from the shelf on the way over. I fill up the glass with water and lift it up to my lips, taking a gulp of the cool, refreshing beverage. My eyes travel to the window above the sink. What I see makes me almost drop my glass. Almost.

Death is stood outside, looking in. He's far enough away for me to see his entire lanky form, but close enough for me to see the sharp features of his deathly boney face.

My heart thumps wildly, my mind reeling - What's he doing here? Who's he after now?

My question is almost immediately answered when a small being with auburn hair appears. A fox.it small black button nose twitches, before its eyes snap directly to him. As if sensing the insidious being, the fox attempts to run, obvious panic in her eyes, but there's nothing I can do - She's an animal, not a human, and even if I could try to save her, I'd probably be too late.

Death chases after her, a clear smirk stretched across his boney mouth - he's enjoying the chase. He plays with her, toying her like a toddler does their food.

Before he attacks her.

The poor fox doesn't know what hit her. He reaches out to her with a frail hand, grabbing onto her shimmering fur with a touch so soft, it's unfelt. She gives off a startled, pained yelp as she feels her petit body begin to slowly shut down, yet she still puts up a valiant fight.

Her eyelids begin to feel heavy, falling over her piercing yellow eyes a few times before she snaps them open, as her silent steps gradually come to a halt. Her body becomes a weight which she can no longer hold up as she thuds to the floor. Her eyes becoming heavier as she is now fighting a losing battle with her eyelids.

He just watches, a sick, twisted grin etched upon his grisly features as he watches the dying creature at his feet.

After a couple of agonisingly long seconds, the limp fox loses her fight, and her eyelids flutter closed, never to open again. The last breath of air passes through her nose, deflating her body, leaving a lifeless corpse of a majestic animal at the feet of the worlds largest, most feared predator - Death.

He observes his work, the slight breeze ruffles the soft auburn tufts of fur, as of trying to wake her up from a slumber. After a moment he lifts his head, observing me instead, knowing I had just witnessed his unnecessary attack upon the tiny creature. Beneath the hood, an obvious triumphant smirk rests on his features.

He looks me straight in the eye.

And he winks.

His action leaves a wordless promise floating in the air - a promise of what is to come in his demented game, as he disappears before my eyes.

I take a huge gulp of air as I gradually come to terms with what I had just witnessed. Death killed an innocent animal, outside my house, as a warning of sorts?

This game Death is playing, has just gotten serious.