Hym and Hur by Phillip Frey

Hym and Hur are a young couple who never age and have been in love for more than a century. They also possess an array of magical abilities, two of which are either to play pranks on humankind or to perform good deeds. Enacting both at the same time is now what gets them into trouble, especially since it's the unruly character of Death they must deal with to bring their plans to fruition.

The prank Hym and Hur have come up with must first be agreed upon by Death, who happens to be a rambunctious, difficult character. Once agreed upon, the prank is set in motion. Hym and Hur soon discover Death had tricked them into a contract with dire consequences for all of us.

During their attempt to break the contract, Hym and Hur try to save the relationship of an earthbound couple, knowing they are truly meant for each other. A good deed that will bring Hym and Hur even more trouble.

This was a very amusing short story about two supernatural beings who make a pact with Death and, of course, things turn out a bit more complicated than they imagined.

With short stories, pacing is crucial, and this one is handled well, mixing a good amount of action with characterization. It’s just enough to keep the readers entertained, while also telling us a bit about the protagonist. In my case, I would have actually liked to have seen a bit more about them, actually. Where their powers came from and all of that is pretty much left to the reader’s imagination, which is fine, but I would have preferred a few more clues.

There were a few grammatical and spelling mistakes, but not dramatic enough to put the reader off. Overall, this was a fun story, and one I do recommend if you’d like something amusing and quick to read.