Suddenly, Joey pulls a chess set out of the backpack he is wearing. "How about chess?" Joey asks, smiling. You agree, although you have never prided yourself on your chess playing abilities. You and him walk over to a nearby table and sit down. "White or Black?" Joey asks. "White." You say, at least knowing white goes first. Smiling again, Joey hands you your pieces and you set them up. He sets his black pieces down and suddenly the board bursts into flame.
Screaming, you almost fall back in your chair when you see ice-blue flames burning around the sides of the board. "WHAT THE HELL?" you yell, looking at Joey. Joey doesn't look scared or even worried. In fact, he rests his chin in his hand and looks amused. "Wh...what.." is all you can say. Suddenly, Joey laughs. But it doesn't sound like his. It sounds low, deep, and demonic.
You look in horror as Joey's skin starts falling off. His skin slides off like paper, revealing the tendons and muscles underneath. His face falls off and he laughs again. You scream, trying to get up, but you seem to be held into your chair by some unseen force. His skin finishes falling off and then the muscles and tendons begin to rot, growing moldy and black. They fall off too, leaving joy a bloody, grime-soaked skeleton sitting in the chair in front of you. Then the grim and blood wash off, and his bones turn pure white. There is a flash of light and he's suddenly wearing black robes and hood. His empty eye sockets turn pitch black and red fire erupts in them.
"I am not your friend Joey." The thing in front of you says. You look in shock, mind still trying to comprehend what has just happened. "I am Death. And your day of reckoning has arrived." He laughs again. "But..." is all you can manage to sputter out. 'But, since you have never been a real sinner, I have decided to give you a chance. If you win, you can go back to your life. If you lose, you're mine and you come to the Valley of the Shadow of Death with me, where you will be reincarnated as something. Either way, you'll never be you again." With that, he sits back and attempts to give what must be a smile.
You stare at Death in shock. Two minutes ago, everything was normal. Now your entire life is at stack. And what has Death done with the real Joey? You want to know.
Suddenly, you both hear a stifled scream. Whipping his head around, he sees a college student standing on the path, staring directly into Death's eyes, reeling with terror. With a sigh, Death lifts his hand and flings a yellow ray of light towards the student. It hits him squarely in the chest and he tumbles head over heels off the path, clothes vaporized. While the tumbles, he shrinks and grows downy yellow fur all over his body, covering every inch of him. His ears grow floppy and move to the sides of his head. His spine straightens out and his face pushes out into an adorably small muzzle. His feet and hands shrink into tiny paws and his legs and arms shorten to the same length. His now canine legs attach to his swelling stomach and a long, thick tail snakes it's way out of his tailbone. He shrinks more and more until he's only about a foot tall.
The new golden retriever puppy yips happily and pants. Seeing you two, he scampers over and leaps into Death's arms. Death smiles and pets it as he pants some more. Then he hands it over to you over the chess board and it wriggles in your arms, yipping happily and licking your face. He then settles in your lap and falls asleep, tail curled over his tiny hind legs, which kick occasionally as he dreams.
"I guess I forgot to disguise us. Oh well, he has no recollection of being a human. Besides, having a sleeping puppy on your lap probably gives you new determination." Death says. You have to admit it does. You'd give anything to watch this puppy grow. Death waves his hand and you two and the puppy shimmer under the sunlight. Becoming invisible. "Ok, start the game." You say with new confidence. Death grins rests his hand on his chin as you make your first move.