Part 629: Maribelle B

Hi, Maribelle. You look like a cat ate your favorite canary.

*Sniff* It's a fate far worse, I fear. My flower friend has withered and died.

Aww, guess it hasn't rained around here for weeks now, huh?

Henry, can you still... talk to her?

Nope! Only living stuff.

Yes, of course. How silly of me. She's dead, never to bloom again... It truly makes a woman think. Someday, on the battlefield, such could be my fate.

Basically. I mean, flowers die, people die... That's just how the world works.

Even so, the idea that I could be gone tomorrow? Or in the hour? Ghastly! We try to ignore the ever-present threat of death, but it's always there. And when you finally think about it, it's a black yawning pit of utter terror!

Meh, not to me. Everyone kicks the bucket at some point, so why fret?

Perhaps it's not so much death I fear as the pain of dying.

See, now that I can understand. But get this- I've got a special curse ready, see? Been working on it for a while now. If you're mortally wounded, it kills you off before you suffer any pain! Just... poof. Off ya go!

I see. And is this something you could perhaps cast on me?

Sure, yeah. Heck, I can do it right now if you say the word. Then you'll never have to fear the old boneyard again!

I declare, Henry, you have the strangest ways of putting people's minds at ease. And yet, I'm rather tempted to accept your offer.