[ WP ] You die in a tragic accident . While sitting on a bench in purgatory , Mr/Mrs.Death approaches you and says , `` Pick a game , any game , and if you are the victor , I 'll send you back to the day before the accident . ''

`` Let's play Halo.'' 
 
 WHAT IS THAT? 
 
 `` It's a Video Game.'' 
 
 YOU REALIZE I HAVE PERFECT REFLEXES. 
 
 `` Do n't care.'' 
 
 ONE SECOND, LET ME LEARN IT. 
 
 Suddenly two gaming consoles and televisions appeared in front of me. 
 
 IT IS DONE. 
 
 I booted up the first one and heard the familiar choral strains. 
 
 `` Slayer, Hang Em' High, Assault Rifles and frags only. First to 25'' 
 
 OKAY. 
 
 We loaded up the game and began to play. Death killed me instantly with a perfectly placed grenade. I respawned behind it, and melee'd the spirit in the back. The score was now one-one. I wandered through the map and began taking fire from above. I took cover in some geometry in the middle of the map and returned fire in short controlled bursts. Death was an excellent shot though, it's got a lot of practice. 2-1. The game wore on and we spoke of life. The things I had done, what I would do when I got back. If I got back. 
 
 YOU DO N'T NEED TO BE AFRAID OF ME. It said at one point. 
 
 `` Sitting here, with a controller in my hand, I'm not afraid of anything.'' 
 
 YOU'RE NOT WORRIED YOU MIGHT LOSE. 
 
 There was a burst of gunfire to my left as I rounded a corner and I dropped. `` Nah, I got this.'' I said, knowing full well I was down by five. I pointed at someone who just walked in. 
 
 `` Should n't you greet the newcomer? ``, Death looked over at new guy and while Death was distracted I put a grenade at his avatar's feet. 
 
 Four down. 
 
 THAT'S NOT FAIR. 
 
 `` Life is n't fair.'' 
 
 I WOULD N'T KNOW. 
 
 We played on for a bit more. And I somehow managed to even the score. 
 
 `` I kind of miss them.'' 
 
 YOU DO? 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 WHO ARE THEY? 
 
 `` Friends, Family, Stuff.'' 
 
 THEY DO NOT ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY. 
 
 `` I know.'' 
 
 YOU DO?!? 
 
 Death almost dropped his controller and I got another kill. 
 
 `` Yeah, I know, they said things, talked about me, looked at me weird.'' 
 
 BUT THEY WERE SO CAREFUL. 
 
 `` I'm sneaky.'' I said melee-ing it from behind again. 
 
 THAT MUCH IS OBVIOUS. 
 
 The score was now 24-24. I picked up some active camo and screenlooked for a second. I saw death coming down one of the main ramps and hid beneath it. I popped out from behind death as it passed me. I fired two rounds directly into it, then stopped. I held my ground. 
 
 `` STOP.'' 
 
 WHAT? 
 
 `` I have you dead to rights, so to speak. And I want some answers.'' 
 
 Death did n't turn or fire and we just stood there staring at each other. 
 
 `` If I go back... will anything change?'' 
 
 NO. NOT REALLY. YOU'D BE ALIVE AGAIN THOUGH. 
 
 `` And if I do n't?'' 
 
 YOU WERE ON A CITY BENCH IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST WEALTHY CITIES AND WERE HIT BY A CITY BUS. YOUR PARENTS WILL BE RICH FOR CERTAIN. THOUGH SAD. THEY WILL TRAVEL A LOT. 
 
 `` And my friends?'' 
 
 SOME OF THEM WILL MISS YOU DEEPLY. OTHERS NOT SO MUCH. THEY WILL ALL GO ON. YOU WILL CERTAINLY BE REMEMBERED. ONE OF THEM WILL EVEN NAME THEIR SHIP AFTER YOU IN STAR CITIZEN. ANOTHER ONE WILL BE QUITE GLAD TO NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN. 
 
 `` What about my girlfriend?'' 
 
 SHE WILL MISS YOU BADLY, BUT WILL GO ON TO HAVE ANOTHER LIFE WITH ANOTHER PERSON AND WILL BE HAPPY. SHE COULD N'T TELL YOU THIS, BUT SHE DID WANT TO LEAVE. 
 
 I sighed, then squeezed the trigger once more. Then stopped. 
 
 WO N'T YOU FINISH THIS. 
 
 `` No.'' 
 
 YOU ARE CHOOSING TO LOSE? 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 WHY DID YOU PLAY THEN? 
 
 `` Because I just wanted to play. I really loved Halo. It was my favorite game and honestly, I have n't had the time to do this kind of thing as much as I would like. Going back would n't bring me back to that, not the nights with 15 friends around 4 TV's. You ca n't really ever go back. Not to the way things were. People have jobs, families, lives. The truth is, I saw that bus in enough time to move. I just... did n't.'' 
 
 YOU'RE RIGHT 
 
 Death threw a grenade at my feet. I stood there. It exploded. The game ended. 
 
 `` So now what?'' I asked. 
 
 PRESS X TO RESPAWN.
