6
Her teeth began to fall at once
into her mouth they went.
Her throat was black and from it came
a strong metallic scent.
It spoke again, the beast, I mean,
the voice chilling my spine,
"BARRY, YOU KNOW IT'S MUCH TOO LATE
TO WIN YOUR CHILD SOME TIME.
BUT THERE MAY BE A WAY, PERHAPS
TO CEASE YOUR GIRL'S DARK CURSE
DEAR GRIM HAS BEGGED ON YOUR BEHALF,
HE'LL TEND YOUR DAUGHTER'S HEARSE.
THERE IS A TOLL ON YOU, BARRY,
REPAY ME THAT YOU MUST.
ONE THOUSAND YEARS, YOUR SOUL IS MINE
YOUR LIFE YOU WILL ENTRUST.
DURING THESE YEARS, YOU WILL NOT AGE,
ALL THAT YOU LOVE WILL PASS
BUT YOU LIVE ON' CAUSE YOU, MY CHILD,
YOU WILL BE SAVED FOR LAST
AND WHILE YOU LIVE FOR MANY YEARS,
A TASK I HAVE FOR YOU
BECAUSE YOU BLAMED DEAR GRIM SO LONG
PART OF HIS JOB, YOU'LL DO
THE BLACK UPON YOUR HANDS, MY CHILD,
WILL NEVER WASH AWAY,
YOU'LL SCRUB AND TEAR THE SKIN RIGHT OFF
FOREVER IT WILL STAY
IT IS A MARK OF YOUR OFFENSE
TO SHOW THE WORLD YOUR CRIME
AND WHEN THEY SEE BLACK ON YOUR HANDS
THEY'LL KNOW IT'S NOW THEIR TIME.
With that last word, the ghost of death
vanished straight from the room
not one trace of my child was left
except my mark of doom.
An end, this is, to my sad tale.
so here I am today.
Oh sir, please stay, do not get up.
What's all the rush I say?
There's no one here but us for now,
I mean except for him.
But you don't need to turn around
for you to know it's Grim.
Oh please, dear sir, don't try to run,
you'll only make it worse.
You see I'm here to tell my tale,
it's all part of my curse.
Barry the Black is what I'm called,
Grim's foolish younger kin.
I swindled death now this I have
forever on my skin.
How nice of you to join us, Grim,
we're ready when you are.
Oh sir, please do not try to beg,
it will not leave a scar.
Your name is on the list, dear man
yes sir, you're young, we know.
But death does have a strict schedule
and it's your time to go.
THE END