Mattias opened his eyes, only to find himself floating in a void. It had no gravity or ground.
As he looked around, trying to see where this place was, he remembered he was just fighting through things.
"Where the hell is this place?"
Looking under him, there were two chairs there.
Propelling himself slowly to the chair, he tried to piece together all he remembered. "Without a shadow of doubt, I had died."
The black goo started reacting as he got closer to the chair. After finally reaching a chair, the black goo separated from Mattias.
Mattias, confused a little, "Honestly, this isn't the worst that could have happened."
The black goo took his form, the same face and the same body.
"You have died," the goo spoke, its voice just like his but a bit softer, "for real this time."
Mattias, shocked to see his younger self talk to him, "What are you?"
"The thing that has been repairing your pathetic body."
Mattias was confused, everything was confusing. "So, you're that goo thing?"
The goo, offended, spoke. "That is a really rude way to put it, dead man."
Mattias tried to test what he could get answered and not. "Yeah, you said that earlier that I am dead. What's that, and is this a personal hell or something?" he asked.
"No," it replied, "well, kinda, yes. This is the border of your soul."
Mattias, interested, said, "Border of my soul? What does that mean?"
The goo's facial expression did not change. "It's like the bridge between your soul and death."
It yawned a little. "So, what are you gonna do?"
Mattias was thinking about what the border meant. "What do you mean by 'what am I going to do?'"
The goo looked at him like he was a madman. "I mean, where are you going to go?"
Two opposing paths formed, extending endlessly to each side.
Once again, Mattias did not know what to say.
Mattias, standing up, "Am I supposed to choose a path?"
He said as he stretched himself, testing to see how much he could feel.
The goo, in its same sit, "No, you're supposed to choose one. What do you think?"
Mattias, walking at the edges of both, "Is that how I sound? What should I expect at the end of each?"
The goo, "I have no idea."
Mattias struggled to find words because, so far, this place had been a hell, and either way was probably dangerous.
Mattias: "Is there any condition making me choose one by force?"
The goo, smiling a little, "What do you think?"
Mattias blinked.
"I don't know, and in this case, which me is supposed to choose? So tell me, goo, what is the meaning of this?" he said.
The goo tilted its head, with a malevolent smile, it said, "Do you know who you are to tell the difference, 'Mattias'?"
Mattias hesitated a little at the sudden change. "Oh, so I should know myself then. Tell me, goo, you look like me and exist within me. That explains why you are this so-called border, but tell me, why should I do what you tell me? If at all, I am the original."
The goo's lips formed a curve into a large smile. "That's quite the answer."
Mattias narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"
"You reached a conclusion," it said, "because in reality, I am you, and you are I."
The words hit deeper. He studied the other him.
Mattias: "How is that possible?"
The goo appeared behind him and put his hand on his shoulders, whispering, "Some things are better left unknown."
Mattias, instinctively pushing him away, stepped back. "Then why are you talking so carefree about it?"
The goo's eyes went cold and hollow. "Because, as the dying man, I gave you one last chance to make peace with yourself."
The goo said casually, then leaned back on the chair. "But it would be a waste of time, that's what you're probably thinking. Well, time here moves slowly."
Mattias looked at the ground he stood on. He was sure it wasn't there. "What the hell is going on here?"
The goo, smiling as it leaned its back, "Beats me, it's your soul border."
Mattias's face changed. "You're correct, but then why are you here? And don't give me that 'I am you' bull."
The goo glared at him. "I already told you why."
Mattias stared at it, then went back to his seat.
Mattias could not, or did not want to, just believe it, but he had no choice.
The goo's face smiled again, then extended its hand and said, "Why not make a deal?"
Mattias (wary of it): "What kind of deal?"
"I need you to do three things for me."
Mattias couldn't understand what it was saying. "What?"
The goo kept its hand extended and continued to speak.
"What did you say? I can't hear you!?" Mattias said again, panic setting in.
The goo's eyes twinkled a bit.
"It's a deal."
Mattias did not even notice his hands were shaking, the goo's clammy hand before he could think about it