I waited

    I waited.

    On the slightly worn bench inside the train station, I waited. A side one, mind you, that still sat out in the open air rather than underground. I didn’t keep track of how many years it had been around, but perhaps I could make a guess. Most of the structures had paint chipping off to reveal rust. Spots of old gum spotted the cement everywhere and weeds grew into the tracks.

    Still, in spite of it’s age or location it got it’s fair share of business. People went in and out of it all day. Lovely people, I was sure of that. Many hard workers, parents, young ones looking for a vacation would wait patiently for their train.

    I watched each train pass. I counted the people who left and the ones who arrived. So many different ones, it was always a wonder to behold.

    After two days of waiting on the worn bench one of these people took notice of me. Her name was Aubrey, seven years old, bright curiosity and the eyes to match it. Of all the people that came to that station frequently it was expected she would notice me first.

    While her mom was buying tickets she skipped over to me.

    “Aren’t you here every day mister?” She said.

    “Only for the past few days.” I decided to be honest with her.

    “Why?”

    “I’m waiting.”

    “For the train?” She climbed up on the bench next to me.

    “Not quite.”

    “Then what?”

    I put a finger to my lips and smiled. “I can’t say.”

    Her eyes just widened. “Are you a...” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “Secret agent?”

    I laughed. “Not exactly.”

    Aubrey frowned and turned. “So do you just sit here all day?”

    I nod.

    “Sounds boring. What about food? Do you need some?”

    “I’m fine.”

    “Here you can have this.” She pulled two packets of fruits snacks out of her coat pocket. “Mommy gives them to me for snacks.”

    “Then you should keep them.” I smiled at her. “I appreciate the offer.”

    “Aubrey?” Her mom, Tabitha, said when she came over to the bench. She still couldn’t walk comfortably in those heels. As I studied her I could feel a wave of exhaustion. Things at work weren’t improving, but she’d never let anyone see it.

    “I’m so sorry sir.” Tabitha said as she took Aubrey’s hand.

    “Oh it’s fine, she wasn’t a bother at all. You’ve taught her to be quite polite too.”

    Tabitha’s face went a bit red. “Well, thank you. Come on Aubrey our train will be here soon.”

    Aubrey waved at me as she left, and I waved back.

    Over the next few days, as I waited, Aubrey would keep visiting me. Always ready to offer me food, which I’d decline, except for the one occasion she insisted we share a bagel. Her face lit up when I took a bite.

    “Have you not found what you’re waiting for?” She asked.

    “Not yet.”

    “Aren’t you lonely?”

    I smiled at her. “Not while you’re here.”

    She grinned back. “So we’re friends?”

    “Would you like to be friends?”

    Aubrey nodded but then paused. “No, wait, we can’t be yet.”

    “Why not?”

    “I don’t know your name.”

    I studied her for a minute, wondering what to tell her.

    “You can call me Hadi.” I said.

    “Hah- hay- that’s a weird name.”

    “Do you think so? It means to ‘rightly guide’”

    Her eyes seemed to glow until her mother called her.

    This time Tabitha waved to me as well as they left.

    The next day everyone went about their business as usual, but my waiting would soon be over. The air here had completely shifted, though no one else would notice.

    “Hadi.”

    It was so rare to hear my name being used.

    “Hello Aubrey.” I smiled.

    “Look,” she lifted a paper bag. “Mom bought us some hash-browns to share.”

    “That sounds lovely.”

    She climbed up on the bench and handed me one. In spite of everything I ate it. Hers was gone within moments and she giggled when I wiped a few crumbs off her face.

    Then her smile fell as she looked at her mom, waiting in line.

    “Hey Hadi?”

    “Yes?”

    “Is it... weird to hear voices from nowhere?”

    Something inside me ached. I hated when this happened.

    “No, not necessarily.” I took another bite. “What did they say?”

    “I don’t remember, it’s weird whispers sometimes. But they were talking about mommy.”

    I rubbed her head as I watched one of the trains pass. “There’s nothing for you to fear.”

    “Really?”

    I nodded and put the hash-brown on the bench. Static danced over me. Not too much longer now. My gaze darted to all the people who waited for the next train, to Tabitha, and then to Aubrey again.

    “Come here,” I pulled her closer to me. “Hang onto me.”

    “Why?”

    “You shall see.”

    When her fingers dug into my jacket I wrapped my arms all the way around her. My eyes fell shut and I focused on the sounds. The sounds of people speaking, walking, the cash register opening and closing.
    
    But now I could hear it, somewhere in the station, a faint beep.

    Everything exploded.

    Anyone who had the chance to scream didn’t for long. The train was thrown off the tracks and crashed into the other station. Fire erupted from the cement, sending metal, concrete and bodies flying everywhere. The flames engulfed anything in their way.

    Including the worn bench.

    But I didn’t let go of Aubrey, I didn’t dare. Not until this was over.

    By the time the explosions stopped I could hear the sirens. Fire was still everywhere, but I wasn’t concerned. Aubrey was still in my arms, at least from what I could see.

    “Hadi?” She looked up. “Whoa, Hadi? You’re all misty.”

    I smiled and let the smoke run along her face. “This is normal.”

    “But what-” She finally looked at the wreckage. Her soul shook at the sight. “What happened?”

    “You need not worry.” I let myself wrap around her. “You are safe.”

    “Where’s mommy?”

    I didn’t hesitate to nudge her in the direction of where the ticket stand used to be. What remained of the corpses there was very little, but I hoped she wasn’t paying attention to them.

    Tabitha’s soul, among others, were still there. They were in a frozen state, still awakening after leaving their bodies. It wasn’t uncommon.

    “Mom?” Aubrey tore away from me and ran over. She grabbed at her mom’s hands. “Mommy?”

    Her soul flashed as it stirred. “Au- Aubrey!” She awoke screaming. When she saw her daughter in front of her she swept her up in her arms.

    “Oh thank god you-” Tabitha paused when she noticed the scene around her. “O-oh... oh no... what happened?”

    “A bomb.” I drifted over to her. “A terrorist attack of some kind.”

    “Who are you?” She held her daughter closer.

    “Please be calm, I-”

    “It’s Hadi, mommy.” Aubrey said.

    “Wh-what?” Tabitha backed away from the mist that hovered around her feet.

    “Hadi was my given name, humans commonly know me as Death.” I decided to clarify. “I’m here to take the souls of all these people home.”

    “Is that what you were waiting for?” She glared at me. “If you knew this was  coming why didn’t you stop it?”

    “What do you suggest? That I consistently change fate so that no one ever dies again?”

    “Why her?” She screamed. “She’s only seven for crying out loud. This isn’t fair.”

    “Tabitha, I understand your pain well.” I allowed myself to slowly wrap around her. “Do you think she is the only child to meet such a fate? There have been many, countless. It always hurts to see ones so young taken from this world but... that is the way things are.”

    She shook her head and buried her face in Aubrey’s hair. The young girl just looked confused. His eyes darted between me and her mother.

    “Mom? It’s okay.” Aubrey patted her back. “I’m glad I’m still with you.”

    Tabitha couldn’t stop crying.

    “If you need a moment that is fine, I must awake and inform the others.”

    Reactions from such terrible events always varied. Some people just stared, others wept, and a few seemed relieved, free even. I gave them the chance to wander around, absorb what had happened. By then the emergency response had arrived, working to douse all of the flames. But to all of them it was just a field of death.

    They couldn’t see all these bright souls, some burning far brighter than the fire.

    “Come everyone,” I let my mist spread over the area. “Shall I take you home?”

    Not a single protest arose, although plenty were still afraid. After collecting them all in my embrace I took to the sky. Heaven is never as far as humans believe, but I need the running start.

    “Will they catch the person who did this?” A young man, William, said.

    “I do not know.” And I truly didn’t. Those sorts of fates were rarely in my field of vision. “But you need not worry about it.”

    “How?” The lady running the ticket stand, Maggie, said. “I know we’re dead but we can’t just forget about that.”

    “You do not forget, but you should let it go. There is nothing you can do now.” I slowed down and looked at them all. “I know it is not in human nature to surrender, an admirable trait, but there are some things you cannot change.”

    They all fell quiet, considering my words.

    I turned back to the sky until I heard a familiar voice.

    “I get it now!”

    I looked down at Aubrey. “Get what?”

    “Why you were named Hadi.”

    There was no stopping the pulse that went through me, but I pretended it was normal. I moved my gaze back up, trying to hide any smile that might appear on my formless face.

    She was one of the few.