(1st Person P.O.V.):
I never thought it would end like this. It was just supposed to be another day at work; getting up before dawn, rush to beat the traffic, clock in at seven AM and then try your best not to have any trouble until cash up at seven PM. That's the life of a hospital receptionist, I guess. I'm sure I would have gotten a better deal somewhere else, but if you've been jobless for almost five years, I don't you should be picky about anything.
But still I can't believe it ended like this. It's December, and today would have been my second month behind the desk. When I started, I thought it would be tough, considering I have zero experience, but after learning the ropes for the first month, I think I got a handle on how things work in the hospital, but there was still one obstacle to deal with and that's the people!
Holy shit, the people are annoying. It's always one or the other, either someone asks a stupid question or someone is just plain rude. I remember, on my first day, I nearly slugged a man when he thought being a prick would get him special treatment. I was still new and I explained that to him, but instead of being considerate and understanding, he hurled insults at me through the plastic shield.
'Are you too stupid to do your job?!'
'What kind of place would hire morons?!'
And the list goes on. Luckily Astrid, the girl training me stepped in and handled the situation. In these rough new seas of my life, she was my rock. She didn't insult me or belittle me whenever I made mistakes, instead she supported me and helped me correct them. Honestly, if it wasn't for her, I would have quite on my first day.
Unfortunately, she left three weeks into my training, having found a better place of work. I was bummed but I understood. In this economy, you have to make decisions in order to better your circumstances or you'll be stuck in the same place forever. Then I got a new trainer who was a bit more strict, but hey at least I didn't get an asshole, so I didn't complain. But after another week, my new trainer, Patrick, a guy who's worked there since the age of dinosaurs, said it was time and stopped my training.
It was tough on my own, but so what, I learned new things as I went and luckily Patrick allowed me to ask questions whenever I got stuck. The next week went somewhat smoothly. I still got the resident dickhead every once in a while, but after you learn the pattern, it gets easier to handle them.
I thought this week would have been the same, but nope, I was wrong. Yesterday a patient fought with me because he got the wrong prescription and when I told him the doctor who saw him wasn't in today, he lost it, nearly pulled me out of my seat before security kicked him out. Today was no different, another guy wanted to knock me out, all because he thought I was racist.
I'm serious, this fat black guy came in, took a number and waited, but when an emergency patient, who was white was rushed in, he lost his shit. He screamed at everyone, from me to the nurses and even the poor janitor, calling them racists and threatening to sue. Keep in mind, I'm the only white guy in reception, while the nurses, janitors and even all the doctors are black.
I tried to explain that while he only had the sniffles, the white guy had someone carrying his missing arm in a cooler, but he didn't want to listen to me. The other black receptionist, Julia tried to calm him down, but he just slapped her in her seat. That's when Chuck, the big and heavily muscular security guard, who clearly played tighthead prop in his high school rugby team, picked him up and literally threw him out the doors.
That was luckily the only time something like that happened for the rest of the day. After I cashed up and left my desk for the night shift, I calmly walked to my car and dreaded the next day. What does the good book say again, let tomorrow carry its own worries? I think that's in Matthew, chapter six. Should've probably written that on my heart, but unfortunately I was always an anxious guy. Couldn't help it, even if I tried.
I'm still surprised that's how I died though. On my way home, I never thought a taxi would change into my lane and stop dead in its tracks, right in front of me, giving me no time to stop. All I remember was my head, violently jerking forward and then complete darkness.
Now that's all I see. I can't tell if my eyes are closed or open. I can't even move my body. But it does feel like I'm floating, like how I normally do in my dreams. But I'm not scared. That's the weird thing, I don't feel afraid. In fact, I don't feel anything at all. It's kind of peaceful.
I was half expecting the pearly gates, with angels playing their harps to greet me and maybe even seeing Saint Peter waving at me, but this is also nice. Maybe this is where I wait until God calls for me. Didn't the Apostle Paul mention that in First Corinthians, chapter fifteen? Is that how things work before we're brought before the Great White Throne in the book of Revelations?
It would be cool to finally see it with my own eyes, I'm not gonna lie. I always tried to picture it in my imagination, but I always fall short in trying to capture it entirely. The only thing I could get was it was great, white and it was a throney, but nothing else.
[Downloading System]
[Download completed]
Then suddenly I heard a mechanical, female voice. Huh?
[Permission to initiate system?]
What?
[King's authority recognized]
[Permission granted]
[Initiating system]
Okay what the hell is going on? What is that? It feels like there's a small electric current running through my body. I can feel it in my fingers and in my toes.
[Initiation complete]
[{Player} is now a recognized System user. Welcome]
Okay, seriously, what the hell? Don't tell me! Is this...
[Beginning soul transfer. In 5... 4...]
Oh shit it is! No! No way, somebody get me off this thing!
[3... 2...]
Hello, is anyone there?! If there is, please stop this! I don't want an isekai or a reincarnation, please!
[1... Initiating.]
Aw nuts!!
I then felt myself being shot through the void. It feels exactly like going under a wave and then being taken back and thrown around by the strong current. I felt myself, making front flips, backflips and even weird spins, as I went through this darkness.
I wanted to throw up, but could I even throw up? I think it's impossible, but my stomach is telling me it is!!! I was then taken through the motions again and again, for what feels like an eternity but just like what happened with the taxi, my body came to an sudden and abrupt stop. If I wasn't dead, I definitely would have gotten a whiplash.
However, that was the least of worries. Before there was nothing around me, and now I feel something light and thin on my face, and my back is on something hard and cold. Then I felt a lot of air, forced in my mouth, down my throat and into my lungs.
My eyes shot open and was met with a sharp, blinding light, but I didn't care. On instinct, my upper body sat up, and I think I heard a loud scream, but that was drowned out by my coughing. It feels like all my organs are going to be shot out of mouth and my nose. It hurts!!
Luckily, it didn't last long. I could finally get a chance to breathe normally and with that chance, I can see where I am and hopefully get a clue about what happened and what's going on.
But, safe to say, I don't recognize anything, other than it's a coroner's room. I recognized the steel table I'm on, but don't they usually use those for dead bodies? Oh yeah I was dead, almost forgot about that. I winced at the sharp light again, reflecting off of the steel, before I used my arm to cover my eyes. I did see I had that medical blanket covering my lower half, but there was something else, that didn't sit right with me.
This isn't my body. I should know because I never had this much fat on me. Seriously, it looks like I'm smuggling two tires in my belly and the arm I'm using, has so much skin hanging it's covering my right eye completely. For a second I completely ignored the light and looked myself over.
This is definitely not my body. I guess that what that weird voice meant when it said, soul transfer. I chose to momentarily ignore my new fatty self, to take a look around the room. In front of me are large cabinets, storing what I know to be chemicals and equipment for inquiry. I watched a lot of crime shows with my mom to know what kind of inquiry.
Speaking of, I looked back down at my chest and noticed two things: number one, I definitely need a bra and two, drawn on my chest, were those lines you see the medical examiner use as a guideline, when they open up the abdomen of the dead. I swallowed a lump. I may be scared about the whole transfer thing, but I'm glad I didn't wake up a little later.
I turned around and behind me is a sink. I shuttered, realizing what it was for. But I didn't get a chance to look around some more, before I heard a noise to my left. I turned, in time to see a female doctor walking into the room. She was dressed in a white doctor's coat, but honestly the only thing that I was focused on was how drop dead gorgeous she was.
As she was walking, all my attention were drawn to her proportions. Her hair was silky and blonde.
But those melons! Damn!!
I swallowed again, but it was really loud. Loud enough for the doctor to stop. She turned to look at me and when our eyes locked, we held it for a long time. I was blinking, but she wasn't. I was breathing normally, but I could see she was starting to hyperventilate. I also noticed she was wearing a sweater, a pair of blue jeans, and sneakers.
It made me wave at her to try and calm her down. "Hi." Wow even my voice sounds different. But the nurse had another reaction. Let's just say, that my attempt to calm her down, completely backfired.
She yelped and rushed for the door, swinging it open and running away, screaming: "Doctor! Doctor!!!" I could still hear her shoes squeaking down the hall.
"Was it something I said?" I know it sounds stupid asking that, but come on. At least, stick around and answer some questions for me, but on the other hand, that reaction was totally normal. At least she didn't pass out.
With her gone, I took the chance to get off the table. I threw the blanket off and man I got to say, what I'm seeing is a huge disappointment, mainly because I can't anything at all. Whoever this guy was, sheesh!!
However that wasn't my main problem. Instead, my legs felt like jelly. It may have looked like jelly, but now it felt like it too. I held on to the table to get my balance, but it took it's sweet time. I hope it changes soon, because trying to hold this body up, is like carrying three bags of cement on your shoulders.
I waited for a while, before I felt the pins and needles in my toes and for the first time in my life, I was grateful for that. Thank God!!
I shifted my weight to my legs and while stretching them, I realised it will definitely take some getting used too. I didn't have a chance to stretch them more, before I heard voices coming down the hall. One of them I recognized.
"I'm serious, doctor. He's awake."
"That's preposterous, you saw the injury. It is simply impossible for anyone to wake up after receiving something like that."
"But doctor he waved at me and he spoke."
"That's enough! As my assistant, you should not waste your time, spouting nonsense. You're a scientist for God's sake. Now, I'm going to open this door and once I do, you will see there is no resurrected corpse and then you will stop acting like a scared, little schoolgirl!" The older voice said as I could hear both of them stopping right outside the door.
Oh boy, you're in for a big surprise, doc. Luckily I made sure to use the blanket to cover more of my already covered dignity.
The second the door opened up again, I looked into the eyes of an old man, with a Colonel Sander's moustache and a Dr Eggman haircut. Like his assistant, when his eyes made contact with mine he froze and I could see the colour drain from his face. Unlike his assistant, his mouth was also open wide in shock.
Now, once again everyone is just frozen in spot, looking at me and me looking at them. And considering the fact, I'm standing here buck naked, with nothing but a thin piece of fabric covering what's left of my dignity.
You can imagine how awkward this felt.
"Hey, doctor." I said.
"KYAAAAAAAHHHH!!" The doctor screamed and it sounded just like a schoolgirl. The scream echoed loudly in this room and it was hurting my ears. He screamed like that for a few more seconds, before he simply feel backward and passed out on the hallway floor. Both me and the assistant looked at him passed out, with the same look of sympathy.
"So now wha?" I tried to say but then fell on top of the metal slab again. Darkness taking me again, but not before heard the assistant let out a squeak.
(Scene Change): 3rd Person P.O.V.
Nabi has been sitting in her car for what feels like hours, with her makeup ruined and struggling to keep her tears from running along her cheeks with her mascara. She had arrived at the hospital a few hours ago to talk with the doctor about her brother. Two nights ago, her brother went out for a walk and didn't come home, and when she woke up the next morning, he still wasn't home. She tried calling him, but the call went straight to voicemail.
She got worry and went out to look for him that same day. She went everywhere he liked to go, the arcade, the movies, the comic book store, but her brother wasn't found anywhere. Nabi got her answer, that evening when she returned home and found the police waiting for her at her front gate. They said her little brother was attacked and he was in critical condition at the emergency room.
Without wasting any time, she rushed over, but when she got there she wasn't allowed to see him, because the doctors were busy doing surgery on him. They didn't know how long the procedure would take, so she was advised to go home and come back the next morning.
That is what she did, she left and came back early in the morning, but the doctor had unfortunate news: her brother was dead. They couldn't save him. Nabi pleaded to know what happened, but the doctor merely stated that the injury he received had done too much damage to his internal organs.
She tried to keep her composure right there in his office, but it was getting too much. She asked where they took his body and whether or not she could see him, but the doctor said that he was already sent to the medical examiner for an autopsy. The doctor did assure her, that he will contact her once its finished. She left that office and moved as fast as her high-heels would allow, trying to get to her car and finally have safe place to cry.
And that's what she has been doing for four hours now. She meant to leave the hospital parking lot earlier, but once Nabi looked in the rear view mirror and saw her face, she decided first to fix her make-up and then she'll leave. But the task was proven to be too much. She couldn't stop crying. No matter what, Nabi could not get her tear docks to dry up.
It frustrated her to the point she started punching her steering wheel. She stopped when her hand was sore.
It was then she heard her phone ring. Looking at the phone, she recognized the number and quickly regained her composure. Despite it all, her voice still showed that she was crying when she answered: "Hello, doctor. A-any news?"
"Ms. Nabi, I-I... There's been a development in your brother's case. Please come to my office immediately." Nabi picked up on the doctor's voice. He sounded professional in the last bit, but the first part made him sound puzzled or scared. However, before she could ask him what he meant, he ended the call.
When the call ended, she forcefully dried up her eyes and quickly reapplied her makeup before she rushed back into the hospital.
Once more she found herself sitting in his office, but he looked different. Almost like he was worn down. His skin was pale and he couldn't meet her eyes, only flicking up to hers for a few seconds at a time. He looked like he aged further along than when she saw him earlier. "Ms. Nabi, I-I-i... I don't know how to say this?" He sounded meek.
"Yes, doctor?" Nabi said, sounding almost impatient as she waited for the doctor to say what he needed to say.
"I know I said over the phone that there has been a development, but... honestly, in my long career as a medical doctor, I have seen many things in my examinations but this development is simply a first for me. One may call it... miraculous." That word was the hardest to get out for him.
"What is it? What happened!" Nabi was close to losing it. But the doctor didn't respond, and this time he did meet her gaze. He then sighed and stood up from his desk.
"I think I should probably show you." The doctor said as he walked out of the office. Nabi quickly followed behind.
Both walked down the white corridor before they entered a consultation room with a number five labelled above the door. The whole room was barren, except for a couch and a hospital bed. On the hospital bed laid a morbidly obese young man asleep, dressed in a hospital gown with a drip in his arm.
Next to him was a heart monitor that displayed a steady beat on the screen. The doctor let Nabi walk toward the bed, but every step was takin in hesitation. Her face looked at the young man with joy and this time she didn't care if her tears ruined her makeup again.
"Ji-ho." She whispered with happiness, before she turned back to the doctor and asked: "How? I-I thought they said he's dead!"
"We... don't know. I checked with the surgeon that worked on him and he confirmed that he did die last night at 11:34 pm. There was just too much damage. However, just before I could begin my examination, my assistant and I found him alive and his wound was gone. We did further tests and he's... well alive." The doctor said.
Nabi couldn't believe it. Earlier she was mourning her brother and now they say he's alive. She just couldn't believe even if he was laying in front of her. She didn't know if she wanted to cry or scream in joy.
Then as if on cue, the young man started to stir. His lids opened up to reveal his chocolate coloured eyes, squinting as he tries to adjust to the light.
(Scene change): 1st person P.O.V.
The moment I opened my eyes, I thought I was coming out of a dream. It feels just every other time I did that. I thought that if I open my eyes, I might find myself in the hospital I work at. I definitely felt relieved when I opened them to find that blinding light piercing the back of my brain. Relieved that everything that I happen to remember from my dream, was just that a dream.
But that relief was dashed the moment I turned left and saw the doctor that passed out before I did. 'Shit!!'
Then the sound of sniffling came from my right. I could see another woman standing there, looking ready to ball her eyes out as she's looking at me. It's really weird! Is she crying because of me? Looking her over, I could see she similar proportions to that other woman I saw earlier, however her chest looked smaller. In fact, this woman is shorter compared to the other one. Her black hair was tied in a bun and her makeup makes her look like a clown. Her attire looked like she ready for a business meeting; a white button up shirt, covered by a jacket and a black shirt. I could really see her legs, but it did look like she is wearing pantyhose.
"Ji-ho?" She said. I looked at her as if she grew a second head. 'Who the hell is that?'
Everything then ran through my head again. The car crash, the peaceful darkness, the strange voice, the tumbling only to jerk awake on top of a metal slab, where they were ready to cut me open and now there to two strangers with me in a room, looking at me like I'm the next big act at the circus!! What the hell happened?! Did I reincarnate or is this an isekai?! I sure as hell hope it's not either!!!
While this was going on, I could feel the doctor watching me, studying me!!! Seriously, he was about to open me up like a Christmas gift and now he's drooling?!!
I could hear the monitor going crazy. "Uhm Ms. Nabi, let's give him some space. I'm sure he's been through much." The doctor said, and he was right! I could feel myself starting to cry.
"Ji-ho, I'll be right outside okay." The girl, Nabi said. But just when she was about to touch my shoulder, I jerked away. She jumped when I pulled away.
Looking at her confused expression with my own, I asked her: "Who... are you?"
It was then the flood gates opened up and the tears spilled out. She rushed out of the room with the doctor following close behind her. After the door slammed shut, I heard one voice yelling and the other one trying to calm things down, but I didn't care. No, I covered my face with my hands and just prayed that this wasn't real. This can't be real!!
I stayed like this for what felt like minutes, while the voices drastically got louder and louder. That girl was the one upset obviously, but comes on!! I'm not this Ji-ho guy! My name Andrew Collins. I'm an normal, ordinary guy from Pretoria-North, South Africa. So why the hell, am I in some other dude's body surrounded by strangers?!!
BZZZT
That was when I heard that same noise again. The one when I was sleeping. I uncovered my face to see a dark blue, screen right in front of me. It was floating right in front of my face and it read as follows:
[NOTICE!]
[YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THE NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS TO BE A {PLAYER}. WILL YOU ACCEPT?]
[YES OR NO]
I could not believe it? Just when I thought this day could not get any weirder, now I'm seeing this! Don't tell me... am I a Player now? The same one as Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling? No way!
I tried to turn away, but when I did, I looked out the window to see what was outside my room. Standing there, was a sign with a big bold letters in, that read: KUOH EMERGENCY HOSPITAL. Just when I thought my heart couldn't drop any further down, it discovered new depths to explore.
This can't be true!!! If this is an isekai or reincarnation, it should be anywhere but here!! This world is crazy.
I fell back down on the pillow, looking mindlessly at the ceiling above me. After everything I've seen, the only thing I could utter was: "Fuck me."
TO BE CONTINUED.