''You have to come with me now''

"Where we goin'? I don' wanna go, I wanna stay here with Mummy."
"I'm sorry, Mirli, you can't stay here anymore. You have to come with me now."
"Why? I don' wanna go."
"You just… can't stay here anymore. But I'm here to show you the way to where you need to go. You'll like it there, I think."
"Why will I like it? I wasn' feelin' too good, when I were in bed. I was really hot, then I gotted all cold. Then I felt… all drifty n' strange. But now m' fine. Why? D' you know, mister scarecrow man?"
"Yes, Mirli. You passed on, to the Other Side. And now I'm taking you where you need to go."
"I di'n't pass nuffin', least not that I sawed. And now Mummy's cryin'! I don' wanna leave Mummy when she's sad!"
"Mirli, I'm so, so sorry. We have to go."



For 's March 2012 character: Hibiscus.

I was trying to think of what I could draw for this month, because I loved the idea of the group and wanted to participate, and tossed around a few ideas before I came up with this one. And then I just had to draw it. It was just so sad and dramatic.

An angel of death guides all who die, even the children. And that has to be the hardest part of that duty.

As usual, this is a mix of traditional and digital media. I like the scratchy texture that the colored pencil gives this drawing. It feels… right for this piece, somehow.

Main reference: [link]

Hibiscus (c) =Otai
Art (c) *Ambyrfire