We hadn't talked about it before. But there was a silent agreement between us that if one of us got the Mark, the other one wouldn't do it. Instead we would protect the other for as long as possible—share what little moments we had left. That is, until someone from the outside realised why we were hidden in our house for so long.

And decided to take the kill for themselves.

We didn't need to say it out loud. We had that trust intertwined between us and nothing could change that. It didn't matter that killing someone with the Mark gave you an extra five years to live. We both knew that there was nothing in the world that would make us do it.

So that's why when I woke up one morning with the thick, black Mark slashed across my forehead, I didn't panic. I knew I would die soon but I also knew that my husband would protect me for as long as he could and I would die happy, knowing that he didn't exchange my life for his and held his ground until the end. I would die knowing I could say one last goodbye to my husband and son and leave this world on my own terms.

My little baby would be upset, confused, lost for a while. He would ask, "Where's mum?" and "When's she coming back?" After all, it's natural for ten year olds to miss their mother. But Daniel would tell him not to worry, that mummy has gone to a good place and she's happy there. And one day we'll meet her there too.

That evening, I was getting into bed when Daniel suddenly spoke about the Mark for the first time, shattering my thoughts.

"I'll tell the neighbours you've gone to visit your sister down south for a few weeks. That should buy us some time before..." Daniel trailed off. His unspoken words hung in the air between us.

Before they find out what I'm hiding.
Before they kill me.

I nodded absentmindedly.

"Are you scared?"

I took a long breath and released it.

"No," I replied honestly. "I knew I was going to have to leave someday. I didn't expect it to be this early but... at least I've lived a happy, fulfilling life. I think I'm ready."

Daniel smiled and enveloped me into his arms. "I'll always love you," he whispered into my hair. "And so will Max."

"You'll look after him, won't you?" I suddenly had an urge to know, to know I wasn't leaving him unprotected or alone. I bunched up Daniel's shirt in my fists. "Tell me you'll protect him."

"I promise, Maia, I will always protect him."

Satisfied, I released his shirt and nestled my head in the familiar crook of his shoulder. It will probably be a few weeks, a few days if I'm unlucky, before someone finds out I've got the Mark and comes to kill me. But until then, I have to make the most of my life and the little time I have left. With these comforting thoughts, I drifted into a soundless sleep.

I didn't know that this would be the last time I would ever sleep.

I don't know how long I slept for when I lurched awake to a dark shadow looming above me. I barely had time to register that the person was holding a knife in their hands, the sharpened edge glinting in the moonlight, before it was plunged into my heart, twisting into my organs. I spluttered in shock as warm blood trickled out of my lips. The shadow stepped into the pool of light and the last thing I ever saw were tears in his eyes. Surprise and betrayal surged through me as I struggled to hold on to the thin string of consciousness. He spoke so quietly, I could barely hear his trembling voice. But I didn't miss the words as I was finally enveloped into darkness, the shadow of death embracing me in its arms.

"I'm sorry mum."

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This short story was written using this prompt:

The grim reaper is no longer able to claim lives directly. Instead, when your time is up a mark appears on your body and it is the duty of every other person to kill you on sight.

This prompt can be found here:

https://instagram.com/writing.prompt.s?igshid=83symz39s14x

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This story is featured in Flash Fiction - The Final Push by flashfic

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This story gained two awards on Reddit:
• 1 Doom
• 1 Silver

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This story was also read in Serafin, The Midnight Bard's YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/iqWhCjI8z-g

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Written in Feb 2020