Mort - Equals

“You could let them go,” said Mort. “They just got involved. It wasn’t their fault. You could rearrange this so—”

WHY SHOULD I DO THAT? THEY BELONG TO ME NOW.

“I’ll fight you for them,” said Mort.

VERY NOBLE. MORTALS FIGHT ME ALL THE TIME. YOU ARE DISMISSED.

Mort got to his feet. He remembered what being Death had been like. He caught hold of the feeling, let it surface….

No, he said.

AH. YOU CHALLENGE ME AS BETWEEN EQUALS, THEN?

Mort swallowed. But at least the way was clear now. When you step off a cliff, your life takes a very definite direction.

“If necessary,” he said. “And if I win—”

IF YOU WIN, YOU WILL BE IN A POSITION TO DO WHATEVER YOU PLEASE, said Death. FOLLOW ME.

***

Mort p194-195