"Are you willing to die for this world?"
Hellen was dumbfounded.
She slapped the man's arm out of her face and raised her eyebrows,in confusion.
"Why are you touching me?"
"My my, what a feisty one. My apologies, Hellen."
"Do we know each other? How do you know my name?"
"No, but yes. Soon. You will." the man smiled.
'Who the hell is this man? He kept smiling at me and it's creepy.' Hellen thought to herself, as she was staring at the man, from head to toe.
"Take my hand." the man extended his arm out as he placed his right arm at the back.
Seconds passed but Hellen's hand was exactly where they were.
The man lost his patience and held Hellen's palms, slowly pulling her off of her wheelchair by force.
Hellen, fully knowing that she was paralyzed, started to panic and couldn't find any right words to stop him.
She shut her eyes tight, hoping that someone would come and save her from falling off of her wheelchair.
She thought her knees would hit a rock-hard ground and at least scrape her knees but what she felt was something cold.
"What are you so scared of? HAHAHAHAH."
'This voice. It was that man. But why is it quiet all of a sudden? There is no wind or any noise around me anymore. What's going on?' Hellen started to freak out.
The only one who can answer her questions right now is herself.
She slowly opened her right eye and her left eye followed,as she couldn't believe what she saw.
All she could see was black.
The man she was talking to, is standing right in front of her. But how?
She looked at his feet and was puzzled.
"How are you standing?" asked Hellen as she couldn't draw conclusions on her own.
"I don't know how that works but it just works. How about you try standing up? My dear?"
Hellen felt like she was being made fun of by this guy. She felt like he was looking down at her.
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm literally paralyzed. You saw me. On a wheelchair!"
"Why are you so worked up about this? What I'm telling you is simple. Just stand up and find your answers."
Hellen was angry at this man and she wanted to prove to him that she couldn't stand.
She looked at him straight in his eyes and tried to move her knees so that she was on both of her knees.
It worked. But she lost her balance, breaking eye contact with the man, and almost hit her face on this black surface. She balanced herself by slamming her hands on this black surface, just in time.
"AHAHAH. You look like a dog on all fours!"
"How?" Hellen asked.
"This is a place where anything can happen. My dear. Good things, bad things anything. Tragedy? Fortune? You name it."
Hellen managed to get up but was wobbling because, this, is her first time standing on her legs again after god knows how long.
"Follow me." said the man, as he walked away.
"Wait!" Hellen called out, as she gets extremely scared of being left behind in this dark place when even the surface that she's standing on is black.
The man turned around.
"What's wrong?"
"This, are you sure I won't fall?" asked Hellen.
As she played the surface with her foot and saw waves being made as if she was playing with the water. But her foot was not wet.
The man shrugged. And kept walking.
Hellen gulped and took a step, and found herself standing. Her confidence started to build up as she took more steps, knowing that she won't fall.
When she looked up, she saw doors.
Doors, where she can see rays of color shining through the doorway.
For some doors, there were no colors. It was either grey or black.
"Why are there doors here? I thought there would be nothing?" Hellen asked as she tried to keep up with the man.
"I told you anything can happen here." the man replied.
"But how? Why? And what is this place?"
"You're asking too many questions, my dear. I probably can't explain what this place is but I can tell you that this is...my domain?"
The man stopped and turned around, at the first set of doors.
One on his left and one on his right.
One of them looks extremely beautiful with flowers, butterflies, children running around, and people living a peaceful life on what seems like a hill. Through this door, you can see a variety of colors.
Another one looks like what seems like a warzone. People hiding in the ground, soldiers fighting for their country, tanks taking their place, bombs being thrown left and right, and smoke and blood being one just like a beautiful sunset reflected on the surface of the sea. Through this door, you see grey color. Which is literally colorless.
Hellen was sad to see the activities going on, past the colorless door.
"For your question, how. I am a god. Not like a god. But I'm one of the gods. You must've known by now that there are different types of gods." the man started to speak.
"And you are?" Hellen questioned the man, but her eyes were still on this colorless door.
"I like you, you catch up real fast. Well,I am God of Humans."
This time Hellen looked at him.
"God of Humans? May I know your name then? Or is it perhaps, Prometheus?"
"AHAHAHAH. He is a Greek god but seems like you know enough about Greek mythology huh? I am not a big shot like him but I do have powers and authority to do things. But it is mostly my responsibility to keep the world balanced. Yin and Yang remember."
"Okay...What's your name?"
"Right. My pleasure to meet you, my dear. I'm Lycus and this is my assistant Victoria."
Hellen's eyes followed Lycus's hand gesture and found a beautiful girl walking up to where they were standing.
She was nothing like how you would imagine her to look as an assistant.
Victoria looked really kind and she could even be a goddess.
She has long brown hair, that is at the length of her elbows. She wore a light purple dress that has several layers around her waist and below. Moreover, the upper part of her dress was backless, showing her smooth brown skin.
"What work do I possibly have with God of Humans?" Hellen asked.
"I'm glad you asked that," Victoria replied.
"You are one of the people that we chose." she continued.
"What am I chosen for?" Hellen was confused.
"To be a sacrifice," Lycus replied.
"A sacrifice? Does it have something to do with what you told me at the hospital?"
"Yes, literally. You are one among many people, around the world, who made it to the list." Victoria paused. Then continued, "For the better."
"You want me to think that I'm lucky I got onto the list?"
"Of course not, my dear. We're talking about life and death right now. I am a god. God of Humans. I wouldn't be it if I treat anyone's life as a plaything."
Hellen didn't say anything after that. She was thinking again.
"Tell me about it," Hellen said, finally.
"I want you to be one of our sacrifice," Victoria spoke.
"To whom?"
"To the deities."
"Why?"
"It is complicated, my dear. There have been things going on, on Earth. Lately, it's been getting out of control. This involves evi-" Lycus answered, but was stopped by Victoria.
"LYCUS!" Victoria raised her voice.
"She doesn't need to know what's happening. I've been telling you not to tell people randomly, and you never listen to what I'm saying, do you?!"
"Ahahah...." Lycus laughed, but that was an awkward laugh.
"Go away, I'll do the talking." Victoria pushed Lycus, and he went into one of those colorful doors.
"Is it okay for him to enter the door?" Hellen asked Victoria out of curiosity.
"Yes. It is his home."
"Oh, I see, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. So continuing, we're making a deal here. We're also gaining peace for Earth and you will also get something in return, for sacrificing your life."
"Okay?"
"You will give us your life. But we won't take it by force. And if you decided to become a sacrifice for the Earth, we will still give you a time limit. The most we can offer is 3 months before you die. Your wish will also be granted."
Hellen started to have a slight headache as to how much information is being fed to her right now. She had to take time to process what she's been told.
"You mean I can make a wish? Whatever it is if I accept to die for the world?"
"Yes, except for reviving the dead, being lucky, changing your fate so you won't die at the end of our deal, killing someone, and talking to someone who's either in heaven or hell. Of course, I can go on but this would be enough for now. I can tell you if you can wish for it or not when you wish for something when the time comes."
"But why am I chosen?"
"Well, I don't much about it. We hired someone to collect data about people who has the potential to die for the world. And you happen to be on the list."
"Potential?"
"Yes." Victoria stopped to check her watch and got her eyes back on Hellen.
"I think your time is up as of today. I'll come and find you to fill in more information, Hellen. Then, take care."
"Wa-it...Huh?"
Hellen was back in the hospital, in her wheelchair, at The Garden.
She glanced down at her legs and realized she can't walk or stand anymore.
She knew that she is back to reality...