Sorry, where did the script say that? I must have missed it. You're welcome to your interpretation.
Mine is, of course, my own. But I based it on Nestor's performance at that moment. That's how I saw it.
Yeah, he had a fear of hell. But seeing as he seemed convinced what he thought was hell for a while really was not, I have a hard time believing fear of hell was paramount in his mind at the moment.
His first two choices were things the episode clearly established were deep desires. Live Forever never came up once before Richard asked for it kinda despondently when his real wishes were stymied.
Either way, he obviously got a bum deal. They must not have had tv or radio or books or such in 1837, because everyone knows you should never wish to live forever.
Poor stupid Ricardo.
In any event, and I'll leave this to more die-hard Lost experts - but just what has Richard been doing to fulfill his job to intervene against the influence of MIB during his ensuing eternity on the Island?