"A twenty-year-old woman has been charged for the murder of twenty-seven people, and damage of property...."
A building, burning fervently in the heat of the mid-day sun was reported, early Sunday morning.
So was my death.
Now you might be wondering, how is it possible for a dead person to watch their demise being broadcast? Or be able to recount the incident at all?
It so happens that I ended up watching it through my own eyes as well.
To be precise, the god of life had set up a mini theatre for me to listen to the broadcast, equipped with popcorn and 3d glasses to give the best experience.
How did I die?
My dearest friend, the one whom I spent more than a decade with, set fire to my room. The dorms were razed to the ground by the time the fire brigade arrived, and the death toll was pretty high.
And the worst part?
I died of suffocation due to the smoke.
Why did I have to go through this? What sin did I, and the others who stayed in my dorm, commit? Why did we have to die?
The reason was simple. It was all because of the jealousy her best friend held towards her, that nearly twenty-seven people had lost their lives.
I was but only a university student. At most, I was slightly better than my peers, but that wasn't much to brag about.
I even had a boyfriend. However, he was indirectly responsible for this disaster.
Since my best friend loved him.
"How was it? It must be frustrating right?" a man asked from behind me. An ethereal beauty, with otherworldly features. It was hard to distinguish his gender but he had himself told her that he was a man, the first time they met.
"Not as much anymore." I replied curtly. I had indeed felt betrayed and hurt when she first got to know that it was her bestie who was responsible for her death. For days together, I had crouched in the virtual space that the man had created and cried my heart out.
I had technically been through all the stages of grief.
Denial that the person I had faith in the most betrayed her.
Anger that I now had no chance to fulfill my dreams and goals.
Bargaining that if I had behaved much more carefully, I might have not died in such a miserable way.
Depression, unable to hold any more attachments to the idea of life in itself.
And acceptance.
The man nodded. "You aren't lying. Do you want a fresh start? Another chance at life?" he asked her.
I was startled. Another chance? Did it mean I wasn't dead? I had indeed wondered what the place I was staying in was but hadn't bothered to ask about it.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
The man chuckled.
"You will be reborn in another world, in a whole new body, and with memories of your past life. How does that sound?" he asked.
It took me a while to process the significance of the offer he had made to me.
"If you have the power to make that happen, sure." I replied.
For an instant, his expression turned gloomy but returned back to normal almost immediately.
"Alright."
He closed his eyes and started speaking. However, this time his voice, rather than the playful one he had used earlier, was filled with power.
"By the name of the God of Life, I shall send your soul to the realm of humans once more. Borne of the Earth, back to it in the end, may this soul find solace in the new shell, as a solatium for having departed unjustly."
I felt my body, or rather soul, feel lighter. Looking down, my hands began to slowly disappear bit by bit.
The God of Life opened his eyes and smiled at her.
"I hope you enjoyed the brief time you spent at my abode." he said.
I felt my torso disappear slowly as well; the feeling of nothingness engulfed me quickly.
"Don't be too.... lonely." I muttered slowly.
Bright sunshine blinded me the moment I opened my eyes. It was painful.
"Uwaaaaah" I cried out.
Damn. I was reborn as a baby huh.