"Lewis! Don't leave that shovel behind. You're going to need it again."
"I wasn't going to leave it, Fred. I just wanted to make sure we didn't leave any evidence."
"Well if you're finished, grab it and let's get out of here before we get caught."
The two men left the empty grave behind. Fred had come into Lewis's life five days ago. The timing had fit his needs so perfectly, it felt like fate.
Lewis had lost his job. The small family store where he had worked since he had graduated from high school was closing. As he was standing in front of his former workplace, staring at his pink slip, a young man approached him.
The stranger was strong yet lean. Dressed in dirty blue jeans and a grey t-shirt, he looked like he had been used to manual labor.
"Say, you look like you're used to doing some heavy lifting. Want to earn a few bucks? You sort of look like you could use a job about now."
"Do I? You bet. My rent is due in a week, and Proxers couldn't give me any severance pay. I've never been homeless, and don't want to start now. What's the job?"
"The job" turned out to be stealing bodies from newly dug graves. Had he known, Lewis would have declined.
"What could you possibly want with dead bodies?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Good point... Probably not. So when is the next job?"
"It's the day after tomorrow. We will take Saturday off. Be ready at the usual time. Oh, and Lewis? Enjoy yourself, do some living!"
Lewis was momentarily speechless. The stranger had never been unkind exactly, but he had never made any effort to be friendly.
"Uh, thanks, I'll do that. My rent is due the day after tomorrow too."
Lewis hadn't seen a cent yet, he was working on good faith. Not that there was any choice, jobs were as scarce as gold bricks for paving stones.
He went into his apartment building, and was soon turning the key to his door. The only greeting he received was from his microwave and coffeepot. Both came to life, and provided him with the comfort which he craved. Comfort in the form of macaroni and cheese, and strong black coffee.
Lewis had never been very social, and television bored him. Books were even less appealing. His only real pleasures were classical music and building model planes.
"Music and fine food, a perfect evening. Mozart or Beethoven... Ah, why not both." He sat down to eat. The rich music was turned up loud enough that he could literally feel it.
COUGH COUGH COUGH COUGH
"That went down the wrong way!" He sputtered. Drinking his coffee, he began to relax. He would go to bed early, it had been a hard day.
The next day was spent exactly the same way as every other he'd had off since moving out of his parents house. He listened to his favorite music, while putting together a model plane. Today it would be The Spirit Of St. Louis. Another reminder that there was indeed adventure out there in the world.
"Time for work... I think after this I'll ask around more, maybe there's an opening at Beembeem's Cafe. I can't keep doing this." he thought as he put on old work clothes.
"Lewis. I trust you made the most of your time?"
"Oh, hello Fred. Yes, I had a good day, thanks. How about you?"
"I went home, it never fails to refresh me. Let's go."
After they finished digging , Fred leaned on his shovel. "So tell me, what did you do?"
"Huh? I helped you dig up this coffin. Shouldn't we be getting it loaded?"
"Oh, I meant with your day. Not the work."
"Why do you care? I spent it at home, listening to music and relaxing. I even built a model of The Spirit Of St. Louis."
"I'm disappointed in you. I thought you would have wanted to get out and do some living."
Indignant, Lewis put down his shovel. "What business is it of yours how I spend my free time?"
"None really, except that Saturday was my gift to you. You see, your time was up on Friday."
"What are you going on about?!?!" he asked, beginning to realize that he was standing in a graveyard, alone with a grave-robber. Maybe this wasn't the best time or place to argue.
Fred's clothes changed before his eyes. First they became gradually darker until they were black. Then a black mist enshrouded him, becoming a cape. The shovel blade twisted, as flexible as molten steel. Soon Fred was holding a wicked looking scythe.
"What are you..."
"You already know the answer. You can say it if you want."
"Death..."
"That's one of many names I go by. But you can call me Fred if you want to. I was sent to take you home. I really hoped you would put my gift to better use. Oh well, at least I tried."
"Can I ask... Why were we digging up bodies?"
"It was to give them a proper sendoff. All of the people you helped me to dig up were homeless, without any identification. They asked me to get their bodies."
"Why would they want that?"
"They were war veterans, and their last wish was to be buried in StoneBrook Memorial. I cremated them, then buried the urns in the wooded area. Their tombstones are oak trees."
"Wow... I never suspected. I'm glad I was able to help."
"It was probably the most useful thing you've ever done. What a waste, you could have been so much more."
Lewis looked down. He saw his own body in the now open coffin. "If it was empty, why was it buried?"
"Look at the date."
"I died on Friday? But how..."
"You choked on your microwave macaroni and cheese, right after you got home. The stereo was up full blast, and set to loop. When it got late the neighbors knocked to ask you to turn it down. When you didn't answer, they called the police. They found you still sitting in your chair."
He felt the earth begin to shift under his feet, and the coffin snapped shut. Soon it was as if they had never been digging.
"It's time to go."