Well, damn.
I sure as heck didn't expect to die like this at 32 years old.
I mean, come on. I'm still a virgin, never had a girlfriend, and I only just achieved one life goal that could have gone way further if I had more time.
"What life goal would that be?"
Hmm? Oh, that would be my life's work, my game called Aearth! I spent 12 years on the development all alone, from programming to art, character design to storyboarding, everything! And I finally released it a few months ago!
Sure, it didn't get the best reviews. Players complained about the buggy gameplay and all but most of them loved the story! It is my proudest work and...my only work that I ever completed. If only I had more time and a team to work with...perhaps it could have become so much more.
"That sounds sad."
Oh, stop with the pity talk. I'm already as sad as it is.
Hold on a minute. Where the heck am I... and who are you?
"Apologies for the late introduction. My name is Adam. I'm the Administrator of Worlds."
Oh, um, nice to meet you?
"I understand your confusion about the situation, but please do relax. Give me a few moments to explain and I'm sure you'll be pleased to know you're with me."
Uh, sure. Go ahead, I guess?
"Donald Woel Rosethanl. You have died. In fact, you've been dead for ten years now, according to Earth's timeline."
Whoa, hold up right there. I recall very vividly that I have just been hit by a truck perhaps around three minutes ago, and suddenly you tell me that ten years had already passed?!
"That is correct. Your memory did end at the moment of death, so I'm not surprised that you feel that way."
That...is slightly a bit disorienting and disturbing to know that I'm already dead for 10 years or so in a single moment.
"If you need a minute to let it sink in..."
No, it's fine...I'm just surprised to hear it is all. Please go on.
"Glad to know you're quick to accept the situation. This makes things easier."
*Adam waves his hands in the air, a classy book appears and he grabs it. Adam proceeds to open the book and starts reading its contents.*
"It seems you led a completely ordinary but short life. You didn't have many friends, but you left a good impression on many acquaintances. You're a perfect example of a stereotypical human, with the exception of your short life. In fact, according to my information here, your death was twenty years earlier than expected."
Wow. So I died twenty years too early? How does that even happen?
"Well, while I won't call it an error, things like this do happen occasionally. Earth has some odd inner workings that I don't understand either."
I assume I'm just an unfortunate victim that got caught up in this 'odd inner workings' you speak of?
"That assumption is correct. Which really brings us to the topic of why you're here actually."
Please enlighten me.
"You're here because of the contribution you made to the system, to Earth."
What contribution?
"Aearth. Your efforts, or as you quote your life's work, has manifested into a real world."
Whoa whoa, hold up right there! WHAT? Aearth's real now? For real?
"Yes. Human imagination holds the power to create new worlds, and Aearth is your original product of imagination and is now a living world."
Haha. HAHAHA. That is amazing to hear.
"And as compensation to your short life, I'm going to give you the power to manage it."
...
Hmm?