Life had always been rough for me. As far back as I can remember, I never knew my parents. They left me at a temple when I was little. Growing up, I felt like an outcast, especially at school where I was bullied constantly. My plain looks and glasses made me an easy target. I never felt grateful for my life; it always seemed more like a burden than a gift. My name is Rudra, and today, at 18, it's my last day of school. And once again, I'm running late.
As I approached the traffic lights, my mind was a storm of memories—every taunt, every lonely night at the temple, every moment I wished my life was different. I was so lost in thought that I almost didn't notice the ball that rolled into the street.
A child ran after it, completely unaware of the green light and the truck speeding toward him. Time seemed to slow down as I saw the danger unfolding. Without thinking, I dropped my school bag and sprinted toward the child. My heart pounded in my chest, not from fear, but from a sudden, fierce determination.
I reached the child just in time, pushing him out of the truck's path. I felt a brief moment of relief, knowing he was safe. But then, pain shot through me as the truck hit me. I fell to the ground, the world around me starting to blur.
As I lay there, my life flashed before my eyes—every hardship, every moment of loneliness, every cruel word. But amidst the darkness, there was a strange sense of peace. In my final moments, I realized that I had made a difference. My last act was one of courage and selflessness. For the first time, I felt a spark of something I had never felt before: purpose.
Where am I? This seems like blackness, is it darkness? What happened to me? Oh, right, I died saving that kid from an accident. So, this darkness—could it be the afterlife? Wait, can I walk? Yes, I can walk, but I can't see anything beyond this darkness.
"Oh, are you a soul?" a voice interrupted my thoughts. "How can this be? I made sure I managed every single soul that died today. Did I make a mistake?"
"Who is it?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Oh, you can even hear me. That's interesting. Let's meet in person, then." With a snap, my surroundings suddenly changed. The dark void transformed into a white room. Inside, a man with a book in his hand was sitting on a couch.
"So, tell me, how is it that you are not in my records?" the voice asked me. I remained silent, still processing the surreal shift.
"Oh no, this is bad. If Lord Yama finds out about this, he will kill me!" the man panicked.
"Wait, are you Chitragupta, the one who maintains the souls?" I exclaimed.
Chitragupta stopped panicking, straightened himself, and said, "Oh yes, it looks like I am pretty famous, huh?"
"Famous? No, you're known as Lord Yama's assistant on Earth," I replied, my voice slightly breaking.
"It's good to know that humans still remember us. Anyway, this is a big problem. You weren't supposed to die today," he said.
"What do you mean?" I asked, bewildered.
"Well, I sort of made a mistake and took you before your time."
"What?" I freaked out. "So, what now?"
"Well, nothing much, really. Lord Yama will see you, punish me, and then judge your deeds. Or," Chitragupta's face lit up, "I could just reincarnate you in another world. That way, you won't be going to hell or heaven, and I won't get punished. How about that?"
"You can do that?" I asked, hesitant but intrigued.
"Yes, I can. So, will you accept my proposal?"
This was my chance. "Yes, I will, but I have a few conditions."
"Conditions?" Chitragupta raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I want to change my life. I will agree on one condition: give me a system like a video game, where I can live my life like a game."
"A video game, you say? I don't mind approving your condition, but I can't give you infinite lives like in a game."
"That's fine. How about giving me a pause button to stop time for a few seconds? It would help me grasp situations better."
Chitragupta laughed. "Really, it has been a while since someone bargained with me. Sure, I will grant your wish. I'll transport you to another world where you can live your life as a video game character. Now, I'll give you a system. First, choose a character design you like, and then hit enter."
A screen appeared in front of me with a bunch of premade avatars. I chose the hottest and strongest one among them. "This one," I clicked.
"Okay, you've chosen quite the character. Now, listen for a second. The world you're going to isn't as friendly as your old one, so be prepared. Your system has some limits. You can pause your life indefinitely, but you can only move for about four seconds in stopped time. After that, you'll be paused as well."
"So it's like a four-second skip, right?"
"Yes, you can be four seconds ahead of anybody, but don't get too excited. You can only stop your life once every hour, so you must live carefully. One more thing before you go: I'm giving you plenty of powers to begin with, and I'm leaving your death decision up to you."
"What do you mean?"
"Simple, really. You won't die naturally since you don't have any records. You'll only die if someone kills you. Understand?"
"Yes," I nodded. "I'll be careful in my next life."
After saying that, a bright white light surrounded me, and I was transported to another world where I could live my life as a game character.
To be continued.....