"Phew! Now that that's done, better go finish my Deviants run," Ian sighed to himself. Deviants was a roguelike game he had recently bought. He liked playing on the hardest difficulty and spent hours replaying it. Currently, Ian had at least a hundred and thirty hours of gameplay, but it wasn't just time wasted on a stupid game—he had a ninety-seven percent completion rate and unlocked most of the achievements. Real impressive, he thought. Can't wait to share it online when I finally beat this game.
As he entered his apartment, standing in the doorway, he saw his roommate lounging on the couch with his legs up. The distance between them started increasing in an unreal way while Ian stood still. The room and everything around him began to warp and distort, as if the laws of science no longer applied.
The daylight from the massive windows outside grew brighter and brighter until it completely vanished, replaced by absolute darkness. Ian couldn't see anything—not even the faint, illusory shapes that dance around your eyes when you turn off the lights or close your eyelids. It was then that Ian realized his senses had betrayed him. He could no longer feel the floor beneath his feet, the clothes on his skin, or even the air around him. The very act of breathing stopped, as if his body had forgotten how to do it.
Panic set in, but it only lived in his thoughts, which seemed to remain the only constant. What the hell just happened? What is happening? His thoughts raced, but his body refused to respond. Am I dead? Oh god, what if I am? No... It can't be. I was just at the door. Nothing happened. Nothing. But what if that's why I can't feel my body? What if I'm dead, and my body's still out there, sprawled on the floor? Despair washed over him, and hopelessness replaced any shred of doubt.
Just as Ian was about to close his figurative eyes, his senses returned to him, as if a switch had been flipped. He felt the rush of water enter his nose, the pressure of it against his body. His eyes snapped open, and he found himself submerged in clear water, the bright sun's rays shining from above. Ian would never have thought to open his eyes underwater, but he couldn't resist the urge.
Luckily, he knew how to swim. His limbs moved in weak, struggling motions, but they were enough to get him to the surface. He gasped for air, his lungs and eyes burning from the sudden intake. He floundered in the water, still in place, splashing chaotically, but all the while staring up at the bright sun and the cloudless azure sky.
He could hear excited shouting somewhere far in the background, but he paid it no mind. His first thoughts were of where he wanted to be—home, not his apartment, but back with his dad, mom, his sister, and her kids. A strong wave of emotion swept over him. He wanted to cry, but he didn't. It didn't matter. Even if he were currently in his neighbor's pool and could just swim out to walk a few meters back to his house for dinner, he would still cry.
As his emotions slowly calmed, allowing him to assess his situation, the shouting became clearer. It wasn't just distant noise; it was filled with excitement.
He looked around and soon spotted a man splashing frantically on the right bank of the river.
"Nai, you bastard!" the man yelled, his words punctuated with curses.
What should I do? Ian thought. Should I swim to the left bank and try to escape? I'm barely holding on now. How far would I make it if he gave chase? Besides, I have no idea where I am. This looks like a forest... maybe. How far could I make it?
Ian was always cautious about others, even his roommate, someone who slept under the same roof as him. He scrutinized people from a distance, keeping everyone at arm's length. But right now, with no idea what was happening, his choices were limited, so he decided to swim toward the shouting man.
As he got closer, the man rushed into the water and helped him out. As soon as Ian was on the muddy bank, he felt like his exhaustion had reached its peak. He could barely move his arms.
The man kneeled beside him, dragging Ian by the armpits from the water. The man was breathing heavily, but with a slight grin, he said, "You're really heavy, and I'm old. Don't judge me. I knew you could make it... but for the stars, what were you thinking? You had everyone worried!"
Ian, too weak to respond verbally, simply stared at the man, trying to gather enough strength to sit up. The man looked back at the river before facing Ian again and sighing. "Well, it's okay. You're here now... but, you're in trouble, kid."
He paused for a moment, then pulled back his jacket sleeve to reveal a circular device on his wrist. The man pressed it lightly, and after a few seconds, a feminine voice crackled through.
"Yhon, what is it?"
Yhon sighed again, his voice exasperated. "I found him, north of the river. He's about to die, quick, so get here soon."
The voice on the device sounded shocked, then delighted. "That stupid boy! If he doesn't die first, I'll kill him myself!"
Yhon chuckled softly. "You heard her, looks like you're not safe after all."
Ian didn't respond, his mind still processing the bizarre sequence of events. As he tried to focus on something tangible, his thoughts grew lazy and dreamlike.
A loud engine-like sound broke through the haze in his mind, and Ian turned lazily. His vision blurred, and he saw a hovering craft some distance away. Three figures jumped from it and rushed toward them.
Before he could make sense of it, he completely passed out.