Life and Death often meet in Waffle House parking lots. Contrary to popular belief, it's not easy being an ageless inevitable entity and sometimes hash browns are in order. Also, they're twins. It's good to catch up every now and then. Sometimes they swap stories. They always know the same people, they each meet them once.
     Life likes to know how each persons story ends. All of the little details. Every person matters to life, no matter who they were in their time on earth.
     Death likes to know how each person's story starts. the exact circumstances if possible. The contrast is what's interesting to them. More frequently than anyone knows, no one starts and ends their journey in the same place.
     No one sees them as they sit at the bar, but two plates of hash browns and two cups of coffee will find their way to the end of the counter.
     It's nice, this time together, it reminds them they aren't so alone.

      It was done. Despite the journey. Despite the warnings of danger. The Prince won the battle with the dragon. It's corpse lay broken, bloody and charred in the ruins of the thorn bushes surrounding the castle. Climbing the winding stairs of the tower, he imagined the look of gratitude and adoration that would be on the Princesses face.
      There was a wooden and iron door at the top of the stairs, it opened without a sound. The vaulted chamber beyond was dim, the light from the fire below barely coming through a small window. The only furniture in the room was a large bed with gauzy curtains hanging to the floor. Everything was covered in a fine layer of dust. The Prince left footprints as he approached the bed, dust fell in a cloud as he pulled back one of the hangings to look at the Princess.
     Even protected as she was she could not escape the dust. His fingers left a trail as he gently stroked her cheek, caressed his thumb over her lips and down her neck. Even asleep she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Her skin was so soft and her hair was starkly black in the dimness of the room.
     He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
     The Princess sighed and opened her eyes. She smiled sweetly, lifting a hand and gently tracing the Princes features. The Prince smiled in return, closed his eyes and leaned in for another kiss.
     Without a sound, without warning, he was hurled from the bed and thrown against the ancient wooden door. His head hit with a resounding thud. He struggled to his feet, preparing to battle whatever new entity would keep him from his prize when he was shoved down and held in place.
     Coughing he looked up and screamed.
     It was his Princess, squatting beside him, head tilted to the side like a bird.
     Her eyes. There was nothing human in her eyes; There was nothing of gratitude or adoration, more like cold detachment. He couldn't look away, terror made him week.
     "I know you," she whispered in his ear, coming closer. Her voice was clear and lovely. He flinched back but there was no where to go.
     She wrapped one cold, delicate hand around his throat and squeezed. As he fell into the void he heard her whisper,  "You walked with me once upon a dream."