Lightning lit up the tall gothic windows, providing light to the room as the fireplace did. Thunder echoed in the distance, a grim reminder of a time when I had met a man. Now this wasn't any man, it was a very hated man, more so hated than the evil of the world. It was the reaper.

It came about on a day like this one. Thunder was rocking the earth, as lightning illuminated the sky. I was sitting back in my great armchair, settling down to the novel they call 'Frankenstein'. It was at that moment that a knocking came at my door. A crisp knock, rapped by a man of great importance to the many who value life. This sudden noise startled me, and I mistook it for a thunderclap, telling myself, "That was no more than the sound of Thor's anger," and I continued on in my book. To those who know the story of Frankenstein, I was just at the part when poor William was murdered, when I was startled by another knock. This time, I heard it loud and clear, the sound of my brass knocker on the door. Getting up from my armchair, I headed to the foyer, inquiring who could be here at this hour, for the last rays of sunlight had departed hours earlier. Reaching the door, I opened the speculatorium as to view my visitor before opening my door for him. I slid the slat aside, and looked into the dreary night, rain already beating down on my face.

"Who is it?" I asked into the cold and dark night. But no one responded. Startled, I looked around the landscape, for something that could have knocked, anything. Thoughts raced to my head. Was I going insane? Could it just be the thunder? But my eyes found the answer. A man, or so I thought it was, crouched near the cornerstone of my ebode. Large dark robes covered him, swathing his body in darkness. Large silver chains fell from his neck, leading down to the ground. A large, silver timepiece, he held in one hand. In the other was a scythe, the long, thin iron blade glinting in the flashes of lighting. The man's hood was pulled over his face, obscuring his face from view, but I could still make out small dark pupils in the flashes of lightning. The sight was enough to razzle me, but no man deserved to be out on a night like this. My door creaked open as I pushed on it. Stepping out into the downpour from the heavens, I called to the man.

"Sir! Come inside. For the night is young, more terrors shall be coming. Come inside my house, and at least let me offer you a drink and some bread." Lightning flashed again, illuminating the thin figure. He stood up, standing a good meter taller than myself. He was a man of great height. Everything was plunged into darkness until the lightning flashed again. I peered over to the man, looking for any sign of compliance. When the lightning flashed again, I saw him reach a long slender finger out, the black nail tapping the time piece. Everything was plunged into darkness again as the lightning faded, and when the next flash came, the man was gone.