text: [Themes: mystery / thriller]
  
  You don't have time to listen to people preaching. You are dying.
  
  You run past crowds of tourists. Old people, young people, even children. You see them all as so fleeting. They're all going to die one day, too. They might as well be dead already. A world of soon to be corpses.
  
  You keep walking. You can feel your heart beating in panic, and exertion. You had never stopped to think about that before. It was with you all your life, but you never gave thought to what would happen when it stopped.
  
  You run and run. You can feel your body slowing down, you're desperately thirsty and hungry, and your legs feel like they're going to fall apart. Yet you keep running. You are getting tired; so tired that you begin to lose your balance a numerous amount of times, and nearly get hit by oncoming traffic. At 6:30 p.m., you pass the borders of Rome, yet you still continue onwards. You must put as much distance between you and that place as you can.
  
  It is approaching night time, now. Your phone reads 10:35 p.m. You can barely think or concentrate, but you are far, far away from the City you were trying to escape from.
  
  You cast around, desprately, and see an inn by the side of the road. You are beyond tired and hungry and the place looks warm and inviting. There is a crossroads ahead of you. The road is very busy with cars and, If you continue forwards, to the crossroads, it seems very likely that you will lose your balance and fall into the way of a passing vehicle, or pass out and die through tiredness, hunger and dehydration. You could stay at the inn, however, and continue your journey tomorrow.
  
  > keep going, towards the Crossroads
  You decide to keep going, and not stop at the inn. You're tired, hungry and thirsty, but something compels you to keep on moving.
  
  You walk on the sidewalk, just by the road. You are so tired you very nearly topple over into the path of the oncoming traffic. The night is freezing, and the wind of the vans and cars rushing past you make it worse, their bright headlights making you feel dazed and confused. The sound of the vehicles rushing past, their tyres and engines create such a potent din that you can't hear yourself think straight. You had never realised just how loud and uncomfortable this would be.
  
  As you reach the crossroads, a white van drives passed you and, quite suddenly, everything goes silent. That was the last vehicle. You look around the crossroads, but there is nothing there, and all you can hear is the quiet, mournful sound of the wind rushing past your head.
  
  Behind you, you hear someone whistling. It is a slow, eerie tune that makes your hair stand on end. You turn quickly around. There is a bald man standing behind you, dressed in plain brown clothing, with blue trousers. He looks completely unremarkable, and he looks at you with a slight smile in the sudden emptiness and silence of the crossroads.
  
  "Who are you?" You ask.
  
  "Ah, now that is a fascinating question," says the stranger, "For now, you may call me Mr. Mirror. I am a man of many talents who knows a little something about the world, and about people. And I sense you, my friend, are a person who is being hunted."
  
  "How could you possibly know such a thing?"
  
  "What else would one be doing out here, so far away from a warm bed and a hot meal?" Mr. Mirrror counters, "Fortunately for you, I have my own means of evading anyone, or anything, that could be coming after you. Even if they're from your dreams."
  
  You stop in your tracks.
  
  "Of course, I'll want something in return for my help," he says, "Don't worry, it's nothing you can't afford."
  
  You could turn down the figure, and return back to the inn. Or you could accept his help. You don't know what he wants in return, but you suspect it's not mere money...
  
  > reject his deal, and turn back to the inn
  The man's smile does not fade. However, there is an unmistakable coldness in his eyes, and it could be your imagination, but the winds around you seem to be whipping up into a furious frenzy.
  
  "So be it," says Mr. Mirror, "I bid you to enjoy your life. Or at least, what little you have left of it."
  
  And with a blink of your eyes, the man is gone. Suddenly, cars and vans begin appearing behind and in front of you. You jump out of the way, just before one hits you. It is time to return to the inn.
  
  > go to the inn
  You decide you're far enough away that you're safe. You stagger into the inn, so tired you don't even stop to consider the name of the inn you're staying at.
  
  You book a room, get some complimentary food and water, then go upstairs to lie down in your warm, soft bed.
  
  The clock reads 11:47. It's nearing midnight. It looks like you've done it.
  
  You hear someone coming up the stairs. It's probably just another guest. As you begin to nod off, your eyes fall on the picture on the other side of your wall. It is a picture of the inn on its grand opening day. And your eyes fall on the name of the inn - "Rome".
  
  You rise from your bed just as the door opens. A figure in a black cloak, wielding a scythe, has come to visit. It is Death.
  
  And with that, Death takes you Away. In your panic to escape him, you never truly thought about what might happen at the end, when he finally took you, and the journey ahead lies mysterious and dark as ever...
  
  ENDING UNLOCKED: Don't Fear the Reaper