002#
"That's how my life ends," thought Andy, feeling a strange mixture of resignation and acceptance for the decisions he had made, despite being convinced that he was already dead.
But something bothered him. If he was dead, why was he still conscious? Maybe he wasn't dead after all; it had all been a dream. That would mean I'd never be a father.
When Andy opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, he realized that he was not in the comfort of his own home, nor the safety of a normal bed. Instead, he found himself lying on the cold, of a forest floor in the daylight. Covered in muddy, sticky dirt, with weeds in his hands, he wondered aloud, "Where I am?"
Determined to find answers and a way back, Andy got up and started walking in the silence through the forest. He lost track of time as he walked for hours, searching for any sign of civilization. Finally, he came to the bank of a crystal clear river that flowed quietly through the forest. Looking at her reflection in the water, he realized that her face was still as handsome as ever, despite the dirty state of her dirt-stained attire, with her dark brown hair and green eyes intact.
Tired of walking so far without any accomplishment, Andy kneeled on the bank of the river. The relaxing sound of the water surrounded him when suddenly a sound resounded behind him. "Neighhh!" His body was on top alert, his senses sharpened as he tried to locate the source of the sound, ready to face what might be sewing in the forest's shadows.
"Neighhh!" "Neighhh!" "Neighhh!" The sound was heard again, this time from behind him.
Turning around, he saw three men each mounted on a horse. Their appearances were not normal, their clothing evoked images of the Middle Ages, ripped from the pages of a book of fantasy novels. The three men circled him with predatory eyes and with fluid movements unsheathed their swords.
One of them, looking overweight, turned to Andy with a smile and said to the man next to him, "Haha, looks like we have fresh, high-quality meat, don't you think, Captain Stank?".
Andy stared at the man they called Captain Stank. His face was hidden behind a dark metal helmet and black armour that covered his entire body, with a red cape running down his back. He exuded an aura of authority and danger. The atmosphere became more tense as the three men on horseback approached him, the blades of their swords glinting in the daylight.
The tension in the air was palpable as Andy tried to maintain consternation at the strange situation that was developing in front of him. The three men on horseback continued to speak in an English that seemed archaic and ancient language, but which Andy understood for some reason. Confused and looking for answers, Andy decided to intervene and politely asked, "Excuse me, gentlemen, do you know where Murphy's apartments in New York are?"
The men, not understanding what he meant, responded to Andy's words with confusion. The overweight man who had earlier laughed at him gave an ignorant reply. "New York? What is that, some kind of food?" he asked, oblivious to the true nature of Andy's question.
This absurd response provoked a nervous laugh in Andy, who could not help mocking the man's ignorance. "Pfft! A food, says the fool," Andy laughed, unwittingly mocking the man's lack of knowledge.
But Andy's laughter turned into a shocked face as the man, now enraged at the insult, gripped his sword tightly and raised it in anger. In a quick act of impulsive rage, the man Andy's shirt, tearing it without causing him any physical harm.
A mixture of surprise and anger followed the sound of the ripped fabric. "You, damn fat! How dare you ruin my $3,500 Italian suit!" exclaimed Andy indignantly at the sight of his prized shirt in tatters absolutely oblivious to the fact that the man was armed.
At first, the angry fat man was determined to make Andy understand that he had to obey, but after being insulted twice, he concluded that Andy no longer deserved leniency and was determined to finish him off once and for all. Climbing down from his horse's saddle, he approached Andy he raised his sword even higher, ready to kill him.
Just as his sword was about to descend on Andy, a hand stretched between him and stopped him dry. It was not the force that stopped him, but the authority of the one who intervened.
"Leave him alone, Erik," said the man Erik had been talking to earlier. It was Captain Stank, whose imposing presence commanded respect even among his comrades.
"Why, Captain?! This guy offended me! I will not forgive him, even if it is worth 30 gold coins," protested the hunter named Erik.
"30 gold coins? You're not very clever, are you, Erik?" Stank commented sarcastically.
"Huh?" exclaimed Erik, confused by the captain's comment.
Captain Stank quietly pointed to Andy's clothes and said, "Take a moment to look at his suit. That's not common in this world. He looks like an alien."
"Al-alien?" The two men behind Stank looked at Andy with astonishment.
"What exactly is an alien?" asked the other hunter, who was young enough not to know anything about this world yet.
"Aliens," are deceased bodies that have been transported to our world in search of a second chance, as their previous lives ended in untimely tragedy. The Goddess of Humanity, Veldra, grants them this opportunity for redemption and to find a new purpose in life. This extraordinary phenomenon has fascinated our world for years, as you never know when they may appear. It has been 15 years since news of the last extraterrestrial being. " explained Stank.
"Yes, I've heard about that too," Erik said, showing a wicked smile and trying to hide his excitement. "So, how much is it worth, boss?" Asked Erik, absorbing the information.
"100 gold coins," replied Captain Stank, estimating the value of the unusual of the "Alien".
The two men behind Stank could not hide their amazement at the idea of having so much money. Erik smiled while pulling a piece of rope out of the horse's alforja.
"Then we will have to take good care of him," said Erik determinedly, approaching Andy.
He quickly tied Andy's arms with the rope, making sure he couldn't escape.
"Listen, what the hell are you doing? They don't know who I am, you fucking bastards! I am Andy Collins, one of the richest men in the United States," Andy shouted, desperate to get his freedom back.
Tired of his insults, the overweight man named Erik punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious and putting an end to his protests.
"Punch!"
After bounding him and dragging him on one of his horses,they mounted him and tied him tightly to the horse to ensure that he could not escape during the journey..
Meanwhile, Stank, in a moment of nostalgia, thought to himself, "Hmm, I remember delicious Hot Dogs in New York." Returning to reality, he ordered, "Let's go to the Murk Kingdom, to the Brothel of Lust."
"Yes, sir!" exclaimed the men, guiding Andy on his new and strange adventure as the forest swallowed them in its darkness, hiding their future destiny in the shadows of uncertainty.