Even before the birth of mankind, two entities have coexisted in both harmony and chaos. During the burst of atomic Life that shrouded the world in greenery and jealousy, Death sprouted from a neglected seedling, releasing its power into the soil to inevitably create roots of inevitably. One cannot survive without the other, so instead, they breathe the same oxygen and filter the same blood, over and over, until the world spins off its axis. 
   Life and Death currently reside in the same home, hundreds of thousands of hopes and dreams away from this plane of reality. Both are at their peak, consistently in their purest and unfiltered forms. Both understand that only the next few seconds exist and nothing beyond that, aware of the unavoidable end. Both are content in a place where time slows enough to allow for tranquility, despite being aware that once it passes, it’s forever gone and forgotten. 
   Atop a creaky bed of bones and memories, Death lies dormant and somewhat motionless. A maze of creases and wrinkles decorates its face, pointing toward the places it has been and the lives it has affected. Death’s dull eyes stare, half-lidded, at the world beyond its reach. Grey skin stretches across every weakened tendon and muscle. Occasionally a hand twitches to send an angel to the afterlife and its lungs, heart, or mind is filled with a machine’s gift of artificial life. A simple breath from its delicate, withering organs captures and whisks away all of Death’s energy. However, despite the exterior, Death is never fully allowed to pass on until everyone and everything else has done so first. 
   Life scampers around the same establishment, vitality teeming from every vein and pores overflowing with resilience. Life grabs for meaningless objects with chubby hands and leaves its greasy mark on everything within reach, nose scrunched with the tiresome gift of birth and creation. Smooth skin leaves room for new memories to scar up and toughen its body, eyes already alight with the possibilities of the future. Though the world lies beyond its reach as well, for Life cannot be tainted and continues to exist without knowing. The power Life has over every inch of the planet is tremendous and frightening, yet somehow possible until the clock stops ticking. 
   Life and Death hardly come in contact—as the doors are often locked—but when they do, they strongly clasp hands and stare into cascading eyes, longing to see another faithful day in each other’s arms. Death has lived Life’s moments and Life will eventually live Death’s. They know this and forever will, no matter how many times the repetition loops. But once Death slips through Life’s hands, there is no going back. And every time, Life must venture forward without worry, as Death will eventually return. Time and time again, they will forget each other and only be reminded when the worst comes to worst. For all of eternity, both must coincide. Both must work together. Both must raise the people of this world and eventually whisk them off to a better one. And both must remember one another for the rest of their days. 
   Life and Death will forever reside in the same home. They will create and destroy every single being, hand in devastating hand. Those who forget they exist, or those who don’t appreciate one as much as the other, are doomed to fail. We are all here—you are here— because of Life and Death and their never-ending duty. Only after human beings have gone extinct and taken everything with them, will they pack up and lock the door to the universe behind them.