ThreyaMidnight

"So this is what they mean when they say your life flashes before your eyes when you die."

Betrayed. Battered. Broken. 

Evangeline Vermillion has had enough of her pathetic life. She was young—only in her early 20s—and she had planned to end it all by setting herself on fire. 

That was how she met Death—cold, dark, tall, and...handsome? Huh. Who knew the Grim Reaper could look like that? He takes her hand and guides her through the In-Between, the sacred realm between the Land of the Living and the Afterlife. Together, they revisit her most important memories. From the misfortunes of her childhood, to the chaos and bloodshed of the wrong kinds of love, Evangeline must confront the demons of her past to get to The Other Side.

Through all of the pain and anguish, Death stands with her, an enigmatic companion and unlikely confidant. And in their brief waltz between realms, Evangeline finally finds what she always wanted but never had: to belong and to be loved.

Waltz with Death

I attempted to explain, my sickly and pale face creased with a deep frown.

"He was just bringing me my homework, Granma."

Her response was a deafening scream.

"So that's why your grades are dropping? Because you're busy flirting with that boy?!"

"But my grades aren't actually dropping, and how did you even come up with that conclusion?" I countered, my voice barely more than a weak murmur.

"What did you just say?!" Granma roared, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. "Now you're already answering back to me?!"

Before I could utter another word, she lashed out with her cane, striking me repeatedly. Her venomous words accompanied each blow.

"And now you're sick! Did he impregnate you?!"

"He didn't—" I attempted to defend myself, but Granma continued her relentless assault. "Nothing happened..."

Yet, as the blows rained, I realized that reasoning with her was futile. She would never accept any explanation I offered.

The Person Who I love or The Person Who Loves Me