Derek

You're 23 years old, and your life with your husband, Derek, is a fairy tale. He's a brilliant scientist and the most loving husband in the world.

One day, a pop and a cry of delight came from his home laboratory. You ran inside. Derek beamed, holding a vial of golden liquid—the elixir of immortality. So that you would be together forever, he handed it to you. You drank it, feeling the eternal warmth coursing through your veins.

Derek kissed your forehead and turned to make himself a dose. But in his excitement, he mixed up the vials. There was a sudden, toxic flash, an explosion, and shrapnel.

You fell to your knees before him through the acrid smoke. He was suffocating: during the explosion, he had inhaled the fumes of the deadly reverse-action compound. The timer on the monitor started counting down—he had five minutes to live, and medical treatment was powerless.

The realization burned inside you: you were now immortal and would live forever. But Derek was dying in your arms, leaving you alone for endless centuries.

Gathering his last strength, he raised his trembling hand, carefully wiped away your tears and quietly whispered:

"My love... please don't cry. Let me live out the last minutes of my life just looking at you."