"…Luke…"
"Luke… wake up, man."
[Hm? Who is calling me? Wait! How can I hear someone's voice? Didn't I die already? Am I imagining things? But to do that, I should be alive, right?] Luke thought when he heard the voice calling out to him.
Slap!
Suddenly, he felt a stinging pain on his back. It was as if someone had slapped him. Then he heard someone shout in frustration, "Wake up, damn it! Professor Nina is coming."
[Professor Nina? It sounds familiar.] Hearing the name, despite feeling confused, Luke tried to open his eyes and when he did, a scene which was very distant but familiar unfolded in front of him.
"This is… my college classroom?" He murmured hesitantly. Then the memories of the peaceful times where no one had to go through to hell to live appeared in his mind.
While he was reminiscing about the olden days, he heard the previous voice, "Huh? Are you high? What would it be if not our classroom?"
Luke turned to his side and saw a chubby youth staring at him suspiciously.
"Ben?" He immediately recognised the youth as he was his only friend in the college. Unfortunately, when all hell broke loose, he was killed by the mindless zombies. The sad thing was, Luke watched him die, unable to save him.
Whoosh!
Feeling a little emotional, he tried to hug him, but seeing him lunge at him with open arms; Ben moved his round, ball-like body and kicked me down the student desk.
Then, while covering his chest with his hands, he hysterically cried out, "What the hell, man? Even though I knew you were sexually frustrated, I didn't expect you to be this pent up.." He then leaned toward Luke and patted his shoulder and sighed, "Sigh! I can understand what you're going through, but I'm sorry, my friend, I don't swing that way."
Watching this comical scene unfold, the students around them started laughing.
However, Luke didn't say anything or he couldn't say anything because the shock he was experiencing had rendered him speechless. Everything, the desk, the air, this fatty, everything seemed… real. Even if he were to doubt all this, he couldn't doubt the pain he felt from his kick because, when in a dream, no matter how realistic, you would not feel any pain.
Still, to confirm his speculation, he tried pinching himself, and indeed; he felt pain.
"I-I'm not dreaming?" He muttered, trying to adjust his chaotic thoughts.
'I clearly remember I died. I remember every detail. But now I'm here, alive. Not only I, but this fatty and everyone in the class that should've been dead for a few years now are alive.'
Wait…
'Did I come back in time?' His eyes widened at the realization. However, after the initial shock, He calmed down and accepted the fact. Then excitement arose within him. Now that he came back, he could change everything.
If it were before, he would've never believed that something like reincarnation or coming back in time after death could be possible. But after surviving in that apocalyptic world and witnessing things that normal people could barely imagine previously, nothing seemed impossible to him.
He hurriedly stood up. After glancing around, He asked Ben in a low voice, "What day is it?"
"Huh? Are you really high, bro?" Ben asked, looking at him strangely.
"Just tell me."
"It's 19th July. Should I tell you the year too?" he asked mockingly. However, his expression turned stiff when Luke seriously nodded. "Yeah. Tell me."
"Damn bro, are you sure you are alright?"
"I am. Now tell me."
"Huh, okay. It's year 2301."
"19th July, 2301." Luke repeated, in deep thought. Suddenly, his expression changed, 'Then, isn't today the day when the apocalypse started?'
He then urgently asked, "What time is it now?"
Hearing his question, Ben let out an exasperated sigh, grabbed Luke's hand and pointed to his smart watch. "See for yourself and sit down. Professor Nina is coming in any minute now."
Seeing that he had a watch but was asking Ben for date and time, Luke became a little embarrassed. However, it was only for a moment. He hurriedly checked his watch. "9:58 A.M."
'Damn it. There's only half an hour left.' His excitement of being reborn vanished in a puff of smoke. He only had 30 minutes to prepare for the big change.
"Fatty, let's go. We need to go out of the college right now." He grabbed his hand and started running out of the classroom.
"Hey, hey, what are you doing? I can't miss the class or professor would give me low grades…" Ben shouted and tried to stop him.
"Shut up and do what I say, or don't call me your friend ever again." Luke angrily shouted. He wanted to save his life, but this stupid guy was worried about his grades. But on a second thought, how would he know that everything was going to change in half an hour?
Although Ben wanted to maintain his grades and didn't understand why was he rushing out, hearing that they wouldn't be friends if he didn't bunk the class with him, he immediately knew what he had to do. "Fuck it. Missing a class isn't going to matter much, anyway."
"Let's go, then."
Just as they were about to run out of the room, a stunningly beautiful girl blocked their way and coldly said, "Luke, if you want to bunk the class, go alone, don't force him to go with you."
"STEP ASIDE!" Luke was already short on time. So, seeing someone block his way, his temper flared up. Not bothering to see who it was, he slapped toward her face.
Witnessing this scene, everyone in the classroom had the same thought: 'Has he gone mad? He dares to assault class prez.'
"Oh, crap!" Ben also exclaimed in shock. 'May the god protects you from the awful fate awaiting you, my friend.' He prayed inwardly.
Everyone in the class knew that the class president wasn't just a flower vase and had trained in close combat, something very few people did nowadays.
Moreover, she was infamous among students for her temper. Once, someone was trying to create a disturbance in the classroom. She warned him not to do it, but that unlucky fellow didn't heed her warning and thus she beat him until he fainted.
Now that Luke wanted to assault her, everyone could imagine what was going to happen to him.
As expected, her face turned cold when she saw him slap at her. She took a one step forward, raised her left hand to block the slap and threw a punch at his sternum.
'Damn it. It's her.' It was only now Luke realised who he was up against. He immediately let go of Fatty's hand and twisted his body sideways, successfully dodging her punch.
'He dodged?' Class president, Alice, was taken aback. She never thought that someone like Luke, who didn't have any combat experience, could react this fast and dodge her strike.
Swoosh!
While she was still in the punching motion, Luke pushed her from behind, causing her to lose balance and fall.
"What are you waiting for? Follow me." From the moment Alice blocked their way, and he pushed her aside, it only took a few seconds. After urging Ben, who stood frozen at the side, Luke dashed out of the room.
Looking at Alice laying on the floor, Ben didn't dare to stay in the classroom anymore because he was Luke's accomplice. He immediately took action and ran after him at his top speed.
By the time Alice got to her senses and stood up, both of them had vanished from the classroom. Feeling embarrassed and angry, she also dashed out to chase them.
Meanwhile, everyone in the class was dumbfounded. They didn't dare believe their eyes. Their war goddess was 'pushed down' so easily?
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[Author's note: Hello everyone! This is my second novel. I hope you guys would like it and support it. Feel free to comment and give your suggestions.]