[ WP ] You tell Death that you will never tire of living no matter how long you live . It makes you a bet that you will and thus grants you true immortality . You 've just lived through the second death of the universe and show no sign of stopping . Death is baffled .

`` What do you think of this one, old friend?'' 
 
 We stood in solitude, leaning back on the starry sky. I smiled. It had taken half my life for him to start calling me friend. Before that it was just the odd look, or an occasional glare if I ever came across him performing a death. 
 
 That moment, when he turned to me and said *'Still not tired, friend?'* was fresh as yesterday in my mind, though that had been long ago, as we watched the death of the universe for the first time. 
 
 I took in a breath of star-dust. 
 
 `` Mmm. Not as good as the first one, of course,'' I replied. He breathed a silent laugh. 
 
 I paused again, submitting to the dreamy silence as planets formed beneath us. I swirled my arm, softly stirring a nebula. 
 
 `` How long does it take for things to start dying?'' 
 
 Death glanced down at his shadowy watch. It had millions of hands, some whirring too fast to see, some seemingly unmoving. 
 
 `` A while yet.'' 
 
 He sighed. I felt a pang of sympathy. He was always so busy. 
 
 He looked at me again, with that perceptive gaze of his. *I'm older than you, * it said. A look I did n't see all too often nowadays. 
 
 `` You're the only one.'' 
 
 His speech interrupted my thoughts. `` Huh?'' 
 
 `` You're the only immortal. How do you do it?'' 
 
 `` I just never get tired of living.'' My friend snorted. 
 
 I thought back to the day I met death. There I was, blood mixing with rain. He walked up to me- with a calm walk that seemed both young and old- and extended his hand. I took it and silently got from the warm, wet tarmac. I knew that this was the end. Somewhere in my mind, I knew who he was, and why he had come. 
 
 `` If only I had longer.'' I had said, numbly. He laughed. 
 
 `` Trust me, life gets old. That super bowl you were in such a rush to get home too? So boring. Always the same.'' 
 
 `` If I were immortal I would never get tired of life.'' We locked eyes. 
 
 `` Fine. Try me.'' 
 
 The bet was on.
