2. The green door

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I think being given the opportunity to choose, the lesson I've learnt best from my childhood was that life comes before anything else. I chose life, always life ,over everything. Now that I'm in a death dimension, I'm still choosing life and it's ironic really.

I open my eyes just to see a garden in front of me. A garden full of trees and flowers, but most importantly, very colourful fruit. I turned around, but the door has disappeared and I couldnt go back. From now on ,only forward. I didnt know what I was supposed to do, but I felt like im going to make a choice again. I kept walking until I stumbled onto a root.

- You must be more careful, young lady. said a voice somewhere to my side.

- And who are you? And where are you? I asked already annoyed by these sudden appearances. I saw a young man, very tall and slim with almost round eyes. He was wearing what looked like a cape that pianists wear at their concerts. The cape was green and yellow at the edges. The weird thing about this man was his serpent-like tongue and his light green teeth.

- I am Serpiano. hearing his name made me smile slightly amused. I am the protector of this... do u find it funny, oxer? he asked irritatingly.

- I dont know what an oxer is, but honestly this right here is a very familiar scene. Dont tell me! Youre playing the snake and im playing Eve and this is the heavens garden. Am I right? Serpiano took a slight look at his long claw-like nails raising his eyebrows.

- Your imagination is why I am here. This is what you oxers believe. That is why I have to periodically direct you all from here to the next level, so if you just listen and keep ur runny mouth, I will tell you what to do next.

- So you're basically an ambulant instruction kit? I ask teasing him and he turned around. I realised that he is my only way out so I stopped him.

- Serpiano wait! Im sorry I said that. Please tell me what to do next.
he looked at me then turned his back.

- Follow me, oxer, and dont annoy me or youll be stuck here.

I followed him through the beautiful garden until he stopped in front of a huge tree with bright red fruit , bigger than watermelons, almost looking like balloons that had white dots in the middle.

- What are these? I asked analysing the tree and its extraordinary fruit.

- This is called a loodlet. Do you want to try it? I gave a thoughtful look to the loodlet and shook my head. Serpiano continued to walk in front of me and stopped in front of another tree.

This next was smaller, almost my height and had black fruit, which seemed to evaporate a grey smoke. Serpiano asked the same question.

- This is a bevad. Do you want to try it? I shook my head again.

- Serpiano, why do I have to try some fruit? I dont even know what they are. What if theyre poisonous?

- Poison can only kill you. Excuse my tactless manner, but you are already dead. his words worked like a cold shiver down my spine. He was right. I was dead and I didnt know why I needed to eat some stupid fruit.

- Whats this silver one called? I asked referring to a tree to my right, which fruit's colour resembled Reesas teeth.

- This is called a worlic. Do you want to try it? I refused.

- Serpiano? I asked still studying the silver round fruit that grew almost like grapes the size of apples.

- Yes?

- Does everyone in AED 1 have to choose to try some fruit from here? I asked. His reptilian eyes created a very intense eye contact with my blue ones.

- They do, but for you, its fruit, because youre an oxer who believes in Heaven's garden and you chose the green, which signifies the life. Everyone has their special distinct road to go on. The illusion is different, but the choices are the same.

I frowned slightly processing the information and even more question marks appeared in my head the size of those loodlets.

- How long am I going to be stuck in this garden? I asked feeling like time hasnt passed, even though ive been here for hours.

- Ariana, until you choose a damned fruit, were both stuck in here. So make up your mind. As for how long it depends on you! he burst at me losing his cool for the first time and quickly taking his proud controlled figure again.

- Im sorry, I have 3 kids, its getting at me. he said and I smiled.

- Thats the most humanly understandable thing you've said today.
I saw Serpiano giving a slight smile, which looked like he appreciated my sympathy.

- Follow me, there arent many trees left to see. he said and started walking by my side instead of walking in front of me.

I found it appropriate to converse with him some more and I asked him a question that I should have asked sooner.

- You keep calling me an 'oxer'. I dont know what that means. I said walking past another bevad tree.

- It means oxygen breather. Youre from the Earth, right? he asked.

- Yes. But why oxygen breather? I asked confused.

- There are the hydrogen breathers- the hyers, theres the water breathers- the wers... he started listing, but I had to stop him.

- Where do they all come from?

- They live in different galaxies. I know you oxers didnt get to meet them yet. I met an oxer who was a scientist before hid death, now hes in AED 4. He told me he had tried to find other forms of life, but couldnt, and now hes pissed that all he had to do was die, and he would complete his life's lust to find other creatures. said Serpiano in a very friendly manner.

As we were walking my head turned all of a sudden and I found myself looking at a small plant which very much resembled a strawberry. I was so happy, as this reminded me so much of home. I left Serpiano to walk ahead and ate the small berry. My head started spinning and all I could hear was Serpiano's last faded words.

- How did she find the...

But he was gone. Serpiano wasnt here anymore. I was alone, darkness again. So I started walking.

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