I could either walk away or do the right thing. He did not emit any form of malicious vibe, so I decided to trust the universe.
"Can I help with your list?" I asked, trying to keep things light.
He searched my face for a moment and answered, "Will you show me the City?"
"Sure," I said, trying to put on my best smile.
***
I refused to let the reality of Sam's situation sink in too much. I would accompany him for a tour and then say my goodbyes.
We started with lunch at "The Three Cats" so I could ask him if there was anything, in particular, he wanted to see.
"A museum?" he asked, looking at me as if for confirmation. It wouldn't have been my first choice but then this wasn't my list.
I considered a few options before settling on the most logical one. It was the go-to museum for anyone visiting the city.
***
Panini's "Interior of St. Peter's, Rome", was stunning to behold. It was only the second time that I had seen the painting and the closest I had ever gotten to visiting Rome.
"So much effort for a pagan god," Sam said quietly.
"Excuse me?"
"God and Lucifer are individual expressions of what was once a single entity. When Constantine forged his religion, he ensured the survival of Janus; the only true Roman god."
I wasn't particularly religious but knew that his statement could easily be considered blasphemous.
"Don't tell that to my mother!" I said with a chuckle.
"Gods are mental constructs known as Egregores. Attention and worship makes them what you call 'real'."
He spoke with fluid ease on such a complex topic. Who was this guy?
"Janus, in all his forms, is slowly expiring as another male energy-dominated Age comes to a close." He was looking deep into my eyes, as he spoke.
"You got all of that from a painting?" I joked, desperately wanting to change the topic. It was making me uncomfortable.
"What do you think happens after Death?" he asked casually. Did he expect me to give him hope? Should I tell him what I really thought or what I thought he'd want to hear?
"Nothing," I whispered, not wanting to betray his trust with childish sugar coating.
"Close your eyes," he said, suddenly.
When I did as he asked, I felt a pair of soft lips touch mine. His tongue gently probed and I let it in. I grabbed the back of his head and kissed him as I had envisioned from the moment I first saw him.
"Why?" I asked when I finally let go.
"Because time is up," he whispered.
I felt like my strings had been cut as I dropped to the ground. A sharp pain was followed by complete darkness.
***
I slowly regained consciousness and found myself alone in a hospital bed.
"They plan to operate," Sam said. He was leaning against the window, drawing circles in the remnants of his breath against the glass.
"You are not the one with the tumor, are you?" I muttered, multiple realizations hitting me at once.
He shook his head without looking at me.
"How could you possibly have known?" I had no energy to raise my voice.
"It is my job to know," he answered without emotion.
"Who are you?" I whispered.
"I have many names," he said, approaching my bed. "You choose to call me Death."
"You can't be real!" I gasped, catching myself reassessing everything I believed in.
"Define real," he said, sticking his hand under the covers and grabbing my manhood.
His eyes flared with a golden hue and my entire body spasmed. Intense pleasure pulsed everywhere until he abruptly let go.
"A very long time ago, I accepted a job that no one else wanted to do," he said, wiping his hand on my sheet. "You inspired me to make some much-needed changes."
He closed my eyes with his hand and carefully kissed my forehead. When I opened them again, he was gone.
***
My complicated surgery was hailed as a great success. The doctor insisted that I had a guardian angel.
The tumor must have been the cause of elaborate hallucinations because Death couldn't possibly be real.
I spent the week in the hospital thinking back on whether Sam had actually interacted in the world.
We had shared a pizza at "The Three Cats" but I couldn't recall seeing him eat a slice.
He had been sitting in my spot at Ginny's but I couldn't recall a coffee cup.
There was only one tangible piece of evidence and I would have to wait till I got home.
I burned with curiosity every day, to find out if a book titled "Is Reality Real?" actually existed.
