It was a bright, sunny day. Birds flew in the air, the flowers in full bloom. On that glorious summer day, Brenda stood beside the grave of her husband. Theo was sitting at the chairs near the torn-up earth, his hands laying limply in his lap.

“Theo?” Quinn asked. Theo didn’t move. Didn’t look up to acknowledge her. Quinn sat next to him, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Do you want a moment with the casket?”

Theo shook his head.

Quinn didn’t know what to do. She looked so helpless.

The scene changed to that night. A quiet celebration of life for Doug. Whispers were exchanged.

“…greatly missed…”

“…an outstanding man…”

“…not a selfish bone in his body…”

“…double heart attack…”

“…I don’t care what anyone says, it was too soon…”

“…that golden heart of his…”

“Theo?” Once again Quinn appeared next to Theo. Theo remained motionless in a chair, hand in his hair. “Theo, don’t close yourself off, please. It’s… not healthy,” Quinn said.

Theo again said nothing. Despite the funeral and the celebration of life, Theo had not shed one tear. Brenda and Doug’s children were talking with Brenda, the grandchildren in a different room.

“Theo, please,” Quinn said. “You’re… scaring me.”

Theo didn’t react. He simply acted like he was making it through the day. Ready to crash into bed and never get out of it.

The scene misted away. The flowers from the funeral were beginning to wilt on the table. Quinn was in the kitchen, making dinner when Brenda walked in.

“You dear girl,” Brenda said. “I thought you’d left hours ago.”

“To go where?” Quinn asked. “My semester at college has been done for weeks.”

“That’s right,” the smile on Brenda’s face falling. “Doug was going to line you up with a job over the summer.”

Brenda blinked, and Quinn stopped what she was doing to place a hand around Brenda. The two women remained like that for a while. “Your… apartment? Don’t you have to go back?”

“I could. But I won’t. I don’t want you to be alone,” Quinn said.

Brenda placed her hand against Quinn’s cheek. “You dear girl.” Brenda sniffed, then brushed her hands as she looked at the kitchen. “What are you making for dinner?”

“What else?” Quinn asked, sprinkling cheese on top of the tater tot casserole.

Brenda smiled again. Perhaps, at a later date, she would have laughed. It was lovely that she smiled at all.

Brenda’s cell phone started ringing, and she sniffed again before grabbing her glasses and putting them on her face as she pulled out her cell phone. She squinted just a bit before sliding to answer it.

“Hello?” Brenda asked. Brenda listened to the voice on the other side. “Yes, I am Theo’s guardian.”

Quinn paused, then glanced at Brenda.

The scene changed almost as fast as the doors of the hospital were thrown open. Quinn and Brenda marched in. Quinn was in a haze, the scene a blur to reflect it.

Waiting room

Hallway

Room

Theo.

Theo hooked up to a machine.

“…saw the danger…”

“…everyone else bracing for impact…”

“…witnesses say he was the only one who ran…”

“…pushed the woman out of the way…”

“…he got hit with the car instead…”

“…hero…”

“…doing everything we can…”

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“…might not last the night…”

Quinn was gasping, the only way she could breathe. She clutched at her heart as her legs stopped moving.

“Too soon…” Quinn whispered between gasps. “I can’t… loose another… family member…” There were tears in her eyes. “Too soon. Too soon.”

The beeping of the machine told her he was alive.

Later that night, Quinn was curled up in a chair next to Theo’s bed. She had a tissue clutched in her fist, and thought it was dark outside, she was far from tired. Her eyes were red rimmed, and she was clutching the tissue like it was Theo’s lifeline.

“Please…” Quinn whispered. “Not again. Not so soon.”

She didn’t know if anyone could hear, but it never stopped her from talking before.

“Hero,” she whispered to no one. “That’s what they call him. Saved a woman from getting hit with a car. Let him live. He needs to live. It’s only fair.”

“Mmm,” said an entirely different male voice. “Fair.”

Quinn jumped, screaming. She practically leapt out of her chair, holding her hands out. Brenda was just outside the door, talking to the doctor, but Brenda must not have heard Quinn screaming. “Who’s there.”

“Life’s not supposed to be fair. It’s supposed to be constantly unfair so you keep evolving,” the male voice said again. He materialized into the room, and time itself seemed to freeze. Quinn was gasping for air, glancing around. The machine Theo was hooked up to had frozen, and she was terrified it meant he died, but the more she stared, the more she realized everything had frozen. Everyone but her and this man. The man wore a white shirt, slacks, and a tie. Like this was any regular day at the office. Yet he was in a hospital, and had materialized out of nowhere. The man straightened his tie, keeping his back to her. “It’s what makes you humans so fascinating. Despite all odds, you just keep going. You keep growing, evolving, changing. Ever toward your version of perfection, as long as you don’t kill each other over it first.”

“Who are you!” Quinn demanded.

“Mmm,” the man said again, turning around. She got a good look at his eyes. They were so strange. Not like eyes she’d ever seen.

“Close your eyes, Quinn,” a female said. “My brother likes to trick people into losing their sanity. He is rather chaotic that way.

Quinn closed her eyes. “Who are you. Please, who are you?”

“Beings who reserve the right to their privacy,” the woman said, sounding more like she was talking to her brother than to Quinn.

“I’m so bored, sister,” the man said.

“You’ve meddled too much with this universe and its people. We need to stay in the universe where they recognize us,” the female said.

Quinn’s brows furrowed, even as she kept her eyes closed. “You’re alien gods? Can you save Theo?”

There was silence. So much that Quinn almost opened her eyes.

“No!” the female said. “Do not open your eyes. Your mortal comprehension will be affected if you do.”

“Then answer my question. Can you save Theo?” Quinn asked.

“No,” the sister said. “Not without breaking the laws of nature.”

“Well,” the man said, sounding a bit disappointed. “I’m sure we could think of something.”

“No. I forbid it,” the female said.

“You’re no fun.”

“Please! I will do anything,” Quinn said.

“Anything?”

“Do not speak that word in front of my brother, mortal,” the sister said. “Not without serious consequences.”

“Ahhh,” the brother said, sounding delighted. “A game. Quinn wants to play a game.”

“I refuse to allow this,” the sister said. “You have played too many games with mortals.”

“Death,” Quinn said, the word escaping her. “You’re… death. You’ve come to collect Theo’s soul.”

“It is so funny to watch these mortals try to use their comprehension to place us somewhere,” the brother said. “Oh, please, sister. Let me play a game.”

“Yes.” Quinn said it without hesitation. “Yes, please. I will play a game for his soul.”

“She’s agreed, sister. A verbal contract is in the making. Certainly this is where your expertise is needed,” the brother said.

The sister sighed. “This still breaks rules. Theo did this himself, and therefore the consequences must be respected.”

“Ah, but look,” the man said. “The consequences are such that we can still play with them. Theo is in a state where he can still make a choice. His body is listening to his heart, choosing whether to remain here or move on. What if both play a game. A game of choices. Of revelation.”

“What are you talking about?” Quinn asked.

“Would you like to know what it’s like in Theo’s mind?” the brother asked.

“I… I don’t…”

“Make your choice carefully, Quinn,” the sister asked. “Would you like to know what it’s like to experience Theo’s suffering.”

“Am I playing for his soul or not?” Quinn asked.

“You are, yes. And part of that game is discovering what it’s like to be in Theo’s head. So you understand why he made the decision he did,” the man said.

“My brother is a hero,” Quinn said.

“Your brother made a decision to step in front of the car and take the woman’s place. Would you like to understand why he got to that point?”

“Will I get his soul back?” Quinn asked.

“No,” the woman said. “You will understand why Theo stepped in front of the vehicle, for whatever peace that will give you. Theo must make his own choice whether he wants to come back to a body with two broken legs and a badly shattered collar bone. And right now, he is choosing to let his body give up.”

“You can’t know that for sure,” Quinn said.

“Yes, I do.” She said it with such certainty that Quinn shivered.

“Please. Let me talk to him. If I can’t play for his soul, at least give me that. Give me an opportunity to convince him to live.”

There was another pause.

“Very well,” the woman said. “I shall agree to this contract.”

“What game shall we play?” the man asked.

“I… I… don’t know how to play chess,” Quinn said.

The man chuckled. “I know exactly what kind of game you want.”

Quinn was genuinely confused.

“In order for this to work, we’ll have to erase your memories,” the sister said.

“Wait, what?” Quinn asked.

“It is the only way I can be convinced you will play the game correctly,” she said.

“But… but my memories…”

“Will be returned piece by piece,” the brother said.

Quinn remained silent, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t understand. How will playing a game get me to talk to Theo?”

“Play the game, and you’ll get your answers,” the male said.

“Do you agree to the contract?” the sister asked.

It only took a moment. Quinn started crying. She covered her face, even though her eyes were already closed. She tried not to feel fear at the prospect. She couldn’t trust these people, whatever they were. But if it was a way to Theo? If she could convince Theo to come back?

“I agree to the terms,” Quinn whispered.

“Excellent,” the man said before snapping his fingers.