"Keyla! Keyla!" was the only name echoing in his head.
The air felt cold around him, though there was no air to speak of. The place was eerily silent, devoid of any sound. A heartbeat could have echoed like thunder in that silence, but there was none.
Dion's eyes snapped open, taking in his surroundings. It was empty, pitch black, and yet he could see his body as if his eyes were still shut.
Placing his hand on his chest, he felt nothing—a lack of heartbeat, no sensation of breath entering his nostrils, and no sound from within his body.
It was abnormal, given that he was alive, or whatever state he was in, and could sense his surroundings.
He stared down at his nakedness but that didn't bother him; his priority was understanding where he was.
He didn't feel alive, nor did he feel dead, although he had no frame of reference for what death might feel like.
Beneath him, it felt as if he were floating yet anchored in place.
"Where the fuck am I?" he wondered aloud, his thoughts ringing out loudly from his lips.
As he spoke, the surroundings began to illuminate, and fragments coalesced into structures. Watching as the structures formed before his eyes, he couldn't help but observe, turning around to scan the entire place.
The only familiar structure he could discern was a large table, though empty, its beauty was undeniable. Black in color with intricate designs that were both weird and captivating.
As he stood still, he heard slow, majestic footsteps approaching from behind. They were barely audible, but thanks to his sensitive ears, he caught them.
Quickly turning, unsure if the newcomer was friend or foe, he braced himself. However, in his current state—whether alive or dead—such distinctions seemed irrelevant.
He vividly remembered the impact of the car, the force of which must have surely taken the life out of him.
Upon turning, he beheld a woman clad in a flowing red gown that seemed to sweep the ground, though there was no dirt to speak of.
Her deep red hair cascaded around her, framing her face, and her lips were a vibrant red, almost dripping with allure.
Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of red, glowed as they locked onto his, sending shivers down his spine. Not from fear, but from the shock of her breathtaking beauty. Her radiance was undeniable.
Her dress, almost translucent, hinted at the bountiful curves beneath, and his keen eyes caught glimpses of her jugs within, as well as the scanty hair adorning her coochie.
It was surprising to Dion that his member wasn't responding, despite the tempting display before him.
"I guess dicks are useless in this part of the world," he thought wryly.
Attempting to be polite, he mustered the courage to greet her. "H-hello, Miss," he stammered, trying to find his voice.
She didn't respond, instead meeting his gaze with an emotionless face, though undeniably beautiful.
"Where am I? Am I... you know, dead?" Dion asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
"You're in the realm between life and death. You're not dead, but certainly not alive," the lady replied calmly.
Dion found himself smiling incredulously, struggling to believe her words.
"And who are you?" he inquired, seeking clarification.
"I am who you think I am," she replied cryptically, her gaze still fixed on him like a predator sizing up its prey.
Unfazed by her intense gaze, Dion pressed further. "So, you're like an angel or something, here to guide me to... hell?"
An unexpected smile graced her lips at his words, and she replied, "I am Hellestra, here to offer you a second chance."
The revelation caught Dion off guard. "A second chance?" he wondered, his mind racing with possibilities.
Dion had heard stories of people coming back to life, albeit rarely.
"So, this is how they do it? Meeting a gorgeous damsel who offers them a second chance. Quite fascinating," he thought to himself.
However, deep down, he couldn't bring himself to accept the second chance. Leaving behind a woman as captivating as Hellestra to return to Earth, where his beloved girlfriend, Keyla, lay dead? That was a chance he wasn't willing to take.
More to that he felt the need to have revenge for the gruesome death of his girlfriend, if he could.
Hellestra noticed his contemplative expression and added, "You can choose to go back to Earth and seek revenge for Keyla's death, or you can choose to work for me and bring her back to life."
It was evident to Dion that Hellestra knew everything about him and the circumstances surrounding his death.
"Wait... you mean I'm not dead yet and I can help bring Keyla back? Like, I can really bring her back to life?" Dion's voice trembled with disbelief.
"Yes, you're merely in a coma, sweetheart," Hellestra replied, moving closer to him.
Her movements were like a tantalizing dance, exuding beauty with every step she took.
"Humans are the most fascinating beings," she continued, "once wronged, all they think of is revenge."
Though she didn't know what Dion was thinking, she tried her best to convince him to accept her offer.
She glided behind him with a sleek, almost silent movement, her footsteps barely audible.
"The best revenge is reclaiming what was lost and punishing the perpetrator. What good will it do for you to kill the man who separated you from Keyla? Will it bring her back?" she whispered in his left ear.
Dion remained silent, absorbing her words.
"Or, you could strike a deal with me: bring her back to life and then seek retribution against the man," she whispered persuasively, moving to his right ear.
Dion didn't fully believe her words nor did he trust her, but he felt she was too beautiful to be deceiving him.
"What is the deal about?" he finally asked.