Collina
I lift my head, I see him staring at me.
3 seconds over
He is still staring at me. I look at him as blankly as he does. Should I smile? Will it look stupid?
''Let us pray,'' the priest begins. I flip across the pages of the prayer book not knowing which page it is. I look ahead at the altar but it takes me just one second to look back at him. He is to the other side, two benches ahead of me. He looks back at me. His sudden gaze melts my words that I begin to stammer the prayer. Who is he, Lord? Embarrassed, I fix my eyes on the book. Today I am standing at my grandmother's funeral. All around me, my family members are moaning about her loss. A scar of pain cuts through everyone's face.
It's time for the eulogy. My aunts are going up the stage and breaking down. It's hard; hard to see them feel that pain. My heart whimpers for them. The priest is consoling them; the funeral attendees are consoling them. It doesn't make a difference. The people know that, but they still try. They try to glue together those shattered pieces. I look at that man. He is deeply listening to the eulogies. Our eyes meet. I want to stop staring at him but I can't. I can't look at my dad standing on the altar delivering a eulogy for his dead mom or at my lamenting family.

The man
I look at her sitting 2 rows behind me to the left. I start to repeat the prayer along with the congregation. She is searching for the page. It's 103. At last, she found the page. She isn't crying, unlike her family. She is staring blankly at the altar. It might be hurting her deep within. She might be broken to such an extent that her heart has gone still, not able to pump pain. She looks at me and I look at her. Our eyes meet for a second before her eyes fall on the book. I can hear her heart ripping apart. You don't deserve this pain.
Why do people want to say eulogies? I know it's a tribute to the dead person. But shouldn't those compliments be said personally? They could just say it in their hearts with the hope that the departed souls will listen. Does saying it out loud decrease the pain? The daughters of Mrs. Carlson are delivering eulogies one by one. Their words are stumbling, tears drenching the paper. After every two lines, they wipe the watery face with their hands. She looks at me. I don't smile; I don't know how to console her. Her pain-filled eyes don't stare at the altar but instead at her feet. Every word spoken pierces her heart. I feel that pain. She looks at me and all I do is look back. 

Collina
'I am sorry, Collina' I hear a man's voice. All around me women are seated, and no man is talking to me. 'There's no easy way' says the same deep masculine voice. I shut my eyes and press my forehead. What's wrong with me? As I open my eyes, I look around. No one is talking to me. My eyes fall on that man. He is staring at me. Suddenly his blue eyes turn red. Blood red. His white shirt transforms into a long black tunic. Long wings protrude from his shoulders and he ascends from his bench. My head is hurting. Is this a dream or reality? ''Jamie, do you see a black creature like an angel there?'' I ask my aunt pointing at the mystic creature. ''No, are you mad, Collie? Who's there high above? This is why we say don't watch movies at night.'' Jamie's agony stops my words from coming out.
'They can't see me.' He is speaking to me in my head. 'Don't make any noise. People will think you are crazy.' The creature flies over to me. Sweat starts dripping from my forehead, hands tightly clenched onto the bench, my heart beat racing. 'I am Death. I have come to take your grandma's soul.' He is right in front of me, but I don't look. I am scared. The fingers of the red-eyed beast lift my chin. I don't try to hold his life-taking hands. 'I have to do this.' His black wings spread in splendor, and he reaches the altar. His hands are on top of grandma's dead body, I see grandma coming out of the coffin. She isn't looking at us. She holds his hands and they ascend high above. Before disappearing he looks at me, his red eyes burning my thoughts, 'We will meet again' and all I do is nod.