Let's Play a Game

by sandracaskey

“Let’s play a game,” Death said to me.
“And whoever wins the first ten rounds will get a second life for free.
The rules are simple, so listen to me.
You must first be born a he or she
With traits categorized, one to three;
The rest will come later, you will see.
You will begin off with guidance and support partially.
Loneliness will come upon you when you are not healthy mentally,
But you will be the key to unlock an antidote to your own disease…possibly.
The trick to the game, though, is to live fully and responsibly without a visit from me.
Live 100 years the way you want, and I’ll gladly give another life to thee.”

“Let’s play a game,” Life said to me
“And whoever wins the first ten rounds will get to live for eternity.
The game is tricky, so listen carefully.
You will be born a he or she
And from the very beginning given a number, one to three.
The numbers represent a path you are willing to go without attempting to flee.
However, the tricks are spontaneous and can ruin your chances of winning anything from me.
There will be moments, where you will be trapped, where you may not be able to see.
You can make decisions to change the outcome of your imprisonment, primarily.
Nothing is permanent about this little game unless you fail at finding a remedy.
Live 100 years down this puzzled maze, and I’ll happily give you a round in eternity.”

“Let’s play a game,” Death said to me.
“Let’s play a game,” Life said to me.
“Where the option is yours,” they said with clarity.