Zander slowly opens his eyes to find a blinding white light. He shuts them tightly before slowly opening his eyes again and blinking. He's currently laying on his back on what fills like a soft bed. 'Good gravy boats I'm not dead. It was all just a bad dream.' Running his hand over his face. An extremely beautiful woman is in front of him.
"Welcome Zander Solo. I've been waiting for you. I'm deaths mistress LOLA and you're dead." She smiles at him. She's dressed in a reddish gold flowing dress even though no wind is blowing. She has no shoes on. "Don't worry, you suffered greatly. I've already filled out all the paperwork on you and guess what Zander, you're lucky death number 6,639,076. You know what that means. You don't die just yet".
"What do you mean I'm lucky and dead not dead?" He tries to sit upright.
"Oh my bad." She floats to his side and sits him up. "Grab my hand. I have much to show you." Not waiting she grabs him, whisking him off to what can only be described as a mountain overlooking the stars.
Zander gasps as he can see countless stars and planets. While looking all around Lola floats behind him, grabs his head showing what happened to him just before she got ahold of him.
.....
Zander is laying on top of Kris. Life flight has landed and a team of medics run up-to Kris. Zander's body is dissolving. One medic is preparing her body while the other is trying to find signs of life. Within seconds he finds a pulse and gives a thumbs up. They run to the chopper, load her into the side pod, and fly off with her.
....
"She's alive!" He breathes easier.
"Yes for now. Now that I've shown what's on your mind look forward." Lola moves his head back to the vastness in front of him removing her hand from his head. "Now I want you to look around, pick THREE things and we will continue." She has an evilly twisted smile on her face. 'No mortal ever chooses right. This one is going to be my play toy'.
Looking out at the vastness he is at a loss. 'It's so huge yet so small. It's so bleak yet so amazing. It's perfect!!' He looks back at Lola. 'She's more amazing looking then my partner. Just look at her. The perfect amount of body fat to frame ratio. Her hair is that deep blood red with that pure porcelain white skin, the most deep purple colored eyes, and her nails on her hands and feet are perfectly manicured. I know why she's deaths mistress now.' Shaking his head slowly.
Lola's smile widens even more as she looks at his reactions. "So now that you've had a chance to look, what will your choices be?" 'I have him now'.
"Let's say that I want you. What will happen to me"?
Lola LAUGHING hard and with evilness. "Then you go to hell and permanently die mortal." She gets ready to snap her fingers.
"Wait what"!!!
"Yes, I'm Deaths Sting. Choose me and choose permanent death. You mortals are all the same in the end. Why Sarah Mantis even choose you to replace her is beyond me. Your are a weak, stupid mortal! You see a beautiful woman in front of you and all you want is to get into her pants and make her yours".
"Fine. Wait, what? Sarah, you know her"?
"She's my stupid sister. She's the one that gave you everything mortal".
Zander rubs his lips as that kiss comes back to his memory. Murmuring "everything will be explained to me in due time. Oh shit!' "Okay I get it now. So if I choose to see three thing out there," he waves his hand for emphasis, "then I get to live on as an immortal, but if I choose you, I choose death".
Lola smiles really big "yes mortal. You are the first one to comprehend so quickly. (Now I see why she chose you). So what option(s) are you picking"?
Zander grabs her hand and points her finger at three points. Each point he stops at lights up then zooms in. First one is a planet that looks like earth in a way but is twice the size. The second one is just a star. And the third one is a planet that is much bigger and greener then earth. "What about Earth? Do I get to go back there"?
"Yes if you want immediate and permanent death".
"But my partner is alive. Will she be able to join me or will she be stuck back on Earth without me"?
"Earth is her home. You must go at this alone. I'm not supposed to tell you this; however, you will have the option to choose a new partner on your new home. So what's it going to be"?
"Let's look at the Earth like planet".
Getting to that planet, Zander sees immediately how much like Earth it really is. Oceans that are the purest of blue, rivers that run pure white and clean, and mountains covered with the purest of white snow. This place looks too perfect to be true. Then, when he walks on the ground, that's when he sees it. Beasts and what not that could kill a human with no problems. Speaking of humans, there's none anywhere on this planet. Not a single intelligent life. He shakes his head sadly. The planet fades back to the size of a basketball.
Next to come into view is the star. Upon it getting bigger, it's really a very small dwarf planet. It keeps zooming in and Zander is disappointed. Only ice on this one. Ice and nothing but ice. Not a single life form can be found. Nothing can survive on that planet either. It zooms back out to a nice size star.
The last choice comes zooming in. Upon zooming in Zander is amazed at the size. Such a big size and yet nothing can be found. Not a single life form. He shakes his head in defeat. The third and final option zooms back out. The three go back to their normal spots. He looks back at Lola.
"You did good mortal. No body ever chooses three and I repeat three planets. Why the long face Zander"?
"I'm going to die now. I DON'T want to die"!
Lola LAUGHS extremely hard for what seems like forever. "It was nice meeting you Zander. I'm sorry to do this to you".
Zander grabs her by her feet holding onto her tightly. "Please Lola, you can't let me die"!
"Die. Death. Hmmmm." Still seeing that he's holding onto her she smiles a sweet smile this time. "I didn't say anything about dying. You like how I feel though. I can see it. Please let go of me".
Zander let's go of her and stands back up. "Then what is going to happen to me"?
"Did you like what you did back on Earth or do you want something new"?
Thinking back to his time on Earth Zander recalls how hard boot camp was at first. He had to run 3-5miles every day. Do 100 push-ups and sit-ups. Then they would drill for hours. After that they would do martial arts and firearm skills. All these lead up to his actual time in the Marines. He later recalled that how after he got out he wanted nothing more then to be an EMT so he did that which ultimately lead him to here and now. 'If I choose the same thing again am I going to get the same results or am I going to experience something new.' Looking at Lola in front of him he sees her smiling back with an almost subduction like yet sweet smile. "What happens if I say no and choose something new"?
"Then I spin a wheel of bad fortune and see what miserable new life you live. Hahaha. With that I also erase everything you ever learned and then you have to start over, as a baby, a stinking crying little pile of flesh or worse".
Jaw dropped he recovers quickly and finally answers. "Yes I want to keep my old memories and stuff." Zander glares at her. If looks could kill it was that kinda look.
She smiles back. "Good good. Now what time frame would you like? I don't ever do this; however, you're a special case".
Zander thinks about how he grew up reading about all the cool feats people used to do back in the 5-7th century. Then he thinks about how cool it would be to be a privateer on the high seas getting all the pretty damsels with rum and Jewlery golden filled chests. Then he thinks about what the future would look like with flying cars, laser guns, and robots as servants. "I'm thinking that I'm going to go with... the... era... of around the 25th century sometime in the future with all the cool sci-fi stuff and the space travel and..."
Lola smiles, SNAPS her fingers and Zander disappears. "Enjoy your new life my little play toy." She LAUGHS evilly.