People surrounded me and yet I felt so alone. Everywhere I looked people were passing by, their umbrellas open to keep them dry. But they didn't notice me when I tried to talk to them. Nobody even looked at me. It was strange since it seemed like ... they were ignoring me. Why should they though?

It was raining and my jacket as well as my hair was soaked. Strangely, I didn't feel cold at all despite the rain. All I could feel was irritation and loneliness and there was something else that I just couldn't describe. Maybe it was some kind of restlessness. Still unsettling, though.
Even though my previous attempts all failed, I tried again, one more time. A young girl with dark long blonde hair, who was accompanied by an adult with black hair and who wore a suit, passed by. They seemed nice, so I gave it a shot, hoping that they could tell me where I was:

"Excuse me?"

For a brief moment, the little girl looked up and I could see her greyish eyes. She could see me. I instinctively knew because she had stopped to look into my direction. Our eyes met for a short moment until the man next to her interrupted our staredown:

"Grace? Is something wrong?"

Shaking her head, she turned away from me and answered her companion:

"No, I just thought I had seen or heard something ..."

Then, they just vanished into the crowds of people that filled the streets, leaving me behind. I was confused. She did see me, didn't she? Or was I imagining it? Why did her answer seem so sincere? Was I slowly going crazy? Why were they all acting like I was ...

Dead.

I stopped walking. Could it possibly be? No, it couldn't be. If I was dead, I would remember the way I died. I would remember the person I am or was. I would remember my name ... Wouldn't I? Suddenly, I began to doubt myself. Then, a deep familiar voice behind me spoke:

"Still denying the truth, goner?"

Startled, I turned around to see a dark tall figure, fully covered in black. In his bony hand, he carried a scythe. He had no real face since he only seemed to consist of bones. A cloud of black mist surrounded his silhouette. My eyes widened as I realized: Before my very eyes, the Grim Reaper, which I only had heard of in stories, appeared. 

"So I am dead or at least I will be in the next few moments," I stated.

Strangely, I wasn't afraid. I could hear the rain pour while I faced death itself. Now, it did make sense why the people didn't hear or see me, except for that little girl. Maybe kids just see more than adults.

Calmly, he nodded to answer my question. While he did, I heard some noises that resembled bones clattering. 

"Actually, you are. I already took your life."

With a bony finger he pointed at me, continuing his speech:

"I am now here to collect your soul, the only thing that is left roaming these streets."

Suddenly filled with sadness, I looked at the sky to see each raindrop drop to the ground. I guess that could count as the last thing I would see since I didn't know where I would be taken to next or let alone what was about to happen. Instead of whining or pleading, I just turned around again to face the Reaper again.

"Could I ask you some questions before you will claim my soul?" I asked, hoping to get answers.

A few moments there was silence between us until the Grim Reaper spoke again, his deep voice echoing through my head: 

"Aren't you afraid, goner? Most people would be and yet here you are, wanting to ask me questions."

He was right. Thinking about it, I should be. Death itself was so near, standing right in front of me. My whole being would probably cease to exist. Yet, I felt rather ... relieved. As a response, I shook my head,

"No. I can't change what will happen. I am already dead, as a matter of fact. There is no escape from the harsh truth."

The Reaper stayed silent for a while as if he was thinking about my words but not moving at the slightest at the same time. Then, he proceeded,

"Go ahead. You may ask your questions. Though, I cannot promise that I will be able to answer them."

Surprised, I accepted his offer. Even if I wouldn't get a clear answer, something told me that I had to ask these questions:

"Who was I? Why do I not remember my name? How did I die? Why am I wandering these streets? And most importantly -"

I made a pause.

"What kind of human was I? Was I a good one?"

He listened in silence while I asked and asked and asked. After a short while, he replied,

"Does it really matter right now as you are about to face death? There is a reason that you forget everything after your body physically dies and only your soul is left. Only in the state you are currently in, you will be able to look objectively at everything. This will be your final experience."

Admittedly, I was a little bit disappointed. As expected, he didn't answer my questions. Upon looking at me, his scythe moving a little, he added,

"There is one thing that I can assure you of: You were a good person. A flower plucked too soon."

I smiled for a brief moment. How strange and ironic. Death itself, that had taken my life, had pity for me.

"I guess then I am satisfied," I concluded, ready for what was about to come.
"Now it is time. Let us go now."

The Reaper turned around, indicating that I should follow him. His scythe scraped the ground. Only now I noticed that he wasn't walking like me. Rather, it seemed like he was kind of floating above the ground.

"Where are you taking me? I thought you would collect my soul?"I inquired.

"Don't worry. I am doing so by escorting you to Oblivion."

"Oblivion? What kind of place is it? Is it heaven? Is it hell?"

Stumbling, I followed him. We were no longer surrounded by the people in the street. There was also no more rain. Around us, there was just grey fog now. I just followed him since I had no other choice. He didn't even look back when he said,

"You will see it for yourself. It's a place only souls can enter."

"Does that mean that you yourself can't enter?"

I was curious. 

"If Death itself would be forgotten, there would be no one to guide souls to Oblivion," he just simply answered. Immediately, I understood. Entering Oblivion would mean to be forgotten. 

"I will be forgotten?"

Still, he didn't turn around. We were still walking through the fog. It felt like an eternity. 

"That is not quite it. Your former physical self will be forgotten, hence is why you have to forget about yourself and your past. However, your soul will live within the hearts of the people you left behind. It will be as if you are taken into a deep slumber. That is what Oblivion truly is."

I had no time to reply back. Before us, there was a grey tall gate. The Reaper pointed at it and turned his head to look at me:

"You must leave now, goner. It is time."

I examined the gate before my very eyes. There was something that was slowly dragging my consciousness into it. I felt myself slowly fainting, vanishing into little fragments that flew into the gate. Yet, it wasn't painful. I rather felt relieved. 

"Thank you."

My voice was but a whisper but I'm sure he could hear it because I heard a little laugh but that could also have been my imagination. Finally, I didn't think anymore. I just fell into a deep slumber like he had promised.

The Reaper stood in front of the gate to Oblivion in silence. He would never be able to be part of his lost ones since he couldn't enter Oblivion since he had no soul. Everything. All that has happened in his previous life as a human, he still remembered. That was the price of being the Grim Reaper. For taking lives and guiding them, he himself could not be guided.
Until the end of time, he went off to strike with his scythe again, getting to know new souls and talking to them, only to escort them to Oblivion, the place he could never reach.

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