A Battle With Death

So my grandfather was recently addmited to the hosptial and it inspired this one-shot.

A Battle With Death
The Mierek clan had officaly taken over the waiting room. Occasionally a family member would enter and another one would leave. A week ago my grandfather had fallen ill and had been at the hosptial. His condition had gone down hill and we were all called here to see him. I sat with my cousins playing games and trying to keep the younger ones happy. I had driven out after school with a few of my cousins to meet up with the rest of the family.

My grandma walked back in. She wasn't crying, thank the gods, a few of my uncles and I were trying to hold it together for everyone. She walked over to my mom and they started chatting. I looked around and saw all my aunts and uncles together with my cousins. My dad, being Zeus king of the gods, had better things to do than come down to earth and comfort his son and his old lover.

My mom waved me over and together we walked out of the waiting room to my grandfather's room.

"What did grandma say?" I asked my mom.

"Well they don't know excatly what's wrong with him but they are going to continue running tests. All we can do now is wait." She replied. I hated hearing that. Being ADHD sitting around and waiting is never my thing.

We entered my grandfather's room and I quietly shut the door behind me. My grandfather was propped up in his bed. Baloons and a stuffed cow were set on a table. Art work and get well cards lined the wall above his head. He was sleeping something he was doing alot of as a result of the medicine they were giving him. My mom gently shook him awake so he would know we were there.

"Hey dad." Mom said quietly.

"Jackie, Joseph." He said noticing I was there. His thining hair was a mess and his face sagged but the same smile spread across his face.

"How ya feeling?" I asked him.

"Tired." He muttered. "How's the barn?"

My grandfather owned a small dairy farm and I had started working there after school and on the weekends. Even though my grandpa is in his seventies he still workes in the barn morning and night.

"Hey don't you worry about the barn me and the guys have it under control." I replied trying to sound up beat.

"Good, good." He muttered nodding his head. he then fell back asleep and my mom and I exited the room.

We walked back to the waiting room and passed a male nurse dressed in a black scrub and black pants. He was checking something on an iPad. When I walked past all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I stopped in my tracks. I turned around and for a split second the nurse was a hooded figure reding a list and holding a scythe. I blinked and the the man was a nurse again. He started walking down the hall towards my grandfathers room then turned left going in the opposite direction.

A few minutes later a team of doctors and nurses rushed past us with medical supplise.

"Hey mom I forgot something in grandpa's room, I'll be right back." I lied. She nodded and continued on her way to the waiting room.

I rushed back to my grandpa's room keeping an eye out for the black nurse. I was moving so fast that I ran smack into a doctor coming around the corner. I fell to the ground but the doctor just dusted himself off.

"Be careful kid this is a hosptial not a race course." And with that he walked off. I sat up and noticed a small pill bottle in my lap. I turned around to tried and tell the doctor but he had dissappeared. I looked at the bottle and read the label. "Immortality Capsules. Take one with water and wait five minutes for effects to kick in. Side effects include; prolonged life, youthful appearance, cocky additude, lust for power, and immunity to death. Consult Dr. A. Pollo with questions and conserns. Effects last for one hour, depending on species."

I jumped up and sprinted the rest of the way to my grandfather's room. I enterd and pulled the curtain in front of the door shut. Thankfully my grandfather was still sleeping. I sat in a chair and turned the bottle in my hands. I opened it and took out the small golden capsule. I was instanly tempted to shove it down my grandfathers throat. I took one step forward then another back. The bottle said that the effects would last for only one hour. Would that make him fell better? Would it cure him? Would it backfire?

I fought with the desicion in my head untill another idea formed in my head. Suddenly a shadow appeared at the door. I knew by the size of the person that Death had come knocking on my grandfather's door. I ran over to the sink and checked the time on the clock 5:55pm.

"Here goes." I thought. I popped the pill in my mouth and took three gulps of water from the sink. Then the door opened.

The person who walked in wore a hooded cloak and carried a black scythe in his hand. I laned up against the sink and Changing Storm appeared as a sword in my hand. The figure seemed to hoved past me with no regard for my presence. He walked over to my grandfather's bed and pulled out his iPad. He tapped on it a few times then it disappeared.

"Hello Thanatos." I said calmly causing him to jump. He whirled around and stared at me. I but on a very smug look even though I was literraly staring Death in the face.

Thanatos he moved his hood revealing his black braided hair and hazel colored eyes.

"Joseph Mierek," He said in a deep voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh like you don't know." I said sarcastically. I pointed my sword at my grandfather. "The elderly gentle man laying in that bed is my grandfather and I would appreciate it if would distanced yourself from him before things get ugly."

Thanatos stayed where he was. "Your gandfather's time is up, Jospeh, and I am here to do my job."

"Now that's where you and I disagree. Look at this man, a week ago he was the picture of health. He's not supposed to die for a long time." I retorted.

"And what makes you the expert on me? Thanatos asked.

I shrugged. "Are you a gambling god Thanatos?" I asked.

"Do I look like Dionysius?" Thanatos growled growing impatiant.

"Hear me out," I began, walking between my grandfather and Thanatos. Surprisingly my grandpa was still asleep. "Man those drugs must be some powerful stuff." I thought. I quickly looked at the clock... 5:57. "If I can beat you in a fight in under one hour you have to leave my grandfather alone for a minimum of ten years."

Thanatos seemed to be intrigued by my challange. A smile played across his face. "And what do I get if I win?" He asked.

"You get him... and me." I said glancing at the clock again... 5:58.

"So do we have a deal." I asked.

Thanatos rubbed his chin. "Deal!" He said sticking his hand out after a few seconds.

"Swear by the River Styx that you will leave my grandfather and all the members of my family alone for a period of ten mortal years." I demanded.

"I swear." Thanatos said. He flexed his hand urging me to shake it. However I knew that if i touched him I would die instanly. That's how powerful he is."

WIP