A man was walking down the road, lost in his thoughts. "Life is boring; every day feels the same. I wake up, go to work, come home, eat, and then sleep. Nothing changes; everything is just the same."
He wondered to himself, "I wonder if anything will change today, or if it will be just like every other day."
"Ringing your phone is ringing...."
Suddenly, his phone began to ring, breaking him out of his thoughts. He reached into his pocket to check who was calling. 'Oh, it's Mom. I wonder what she wants now that I've just left the house,' he thought, bringing the phone close to his ear to answer.
"Hello! Mom, is everything okay?" he asked.
A feminine voice responded from the other end of the line, "Yes, everything is fine. I just called to remind you that you forgot something, Ryan."
"Oh, did I? I clearly remember packing everything." Ryan thought to himself, 'I took my phone and wallet and packed my documents before heading to bed. So, what could I have possibly forgotten?'
"So, you don't remember anything?" Ryan's mom asked with a knowing look.
"I'm sure I grabbed everything I needed. I didn't leave anything behind," Ryan replied confidently. But then it hit him, "Wait, Mom, is this one of your classic pranks?"
"I see that watching those prankster videos has turned you into a bit of a prankster yourself. Maybe I should tell Dad to limit your screen time with those."
Just then, a loud voice erupted from the phone, causing Ryan to instinctively cover the speaker, "Shut up, you idiot! I called to remind you that you forgot your lunchbox at home!"
"I see. I'll just grab something from the office store; you don't need to worry about it," Ryan said with a confident smile, sensing his mother's concern.
"Haa! That's why I called you an idiot. I knew you'd spend money on these unhealthy things, so come back home and take your lunch box," Ryan's mom replied firmly, her tone leaving no room for arguments.
"Haa! Fine, I'm on my way," Ryan sighed, turning back with a determined stride.
While Ryan and his mom exchanged playful banter, far away from Earth, a being composed entirely of light lounged on an ethereal sofa, surrounded by an expanse of pure darkness. "Bored," the being spoke, its voice echoing through the void. As the air around him began to shimmer with tension, he added with evident annoyance, "I am bored." With that, space itself warped, cracks manifesting in the fabric of reality. Before the fissures could expand further, the being waved his hand, effortlessly mending the rift.
"Should I erase my memory again?"
He pondered briefly before concluding, "No. I've already done that countless times—maybe even billions. I'm tired of the cycle of forgetting and remembering, only to feel bored again."
The being of pure light inhaled deeply, a sigh echoing softly in the vastness around him. "It seems I have no other options left.," he declared, his voice resonating with a sense of purpose. With a graceful wave of his hand, an elaborate roulette wheel materialized in the air, its vibrant colors sparkling against the backdrop of nothingness. He stepped away from the plush sofa, the soft fabric contrasting with the ethereal glow surrounding him, and walked confidently toward the roulette, noticing the many numbers boldly etched into its surface.
He paid little attention to the numbers; his gaze was fixed on the handle of the wheel. "All of this will depend on luck, and good luck to whoever is chosen," he proclaimed with an air of certainty before giving the handle a strong, deliberate spin.
The roulette whirled with an energetic rush, the sound of its spinning filling the quiet space. He stood still, his eyes locked on the wheel as it spun faster and faster, watching intently until it began to slow, the vibrant sections blurring into a colorful streak before finally stopping on a specific number. "So, it's 106927200," he murmured, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
With a graceful flick of his wrist, a holographic projection of Earth appeared before him, shimmering like a distant star. "There he is—a seemingly average young man with tousled black hair, dark, piercing eyes, and an unremarkable height," he assessed thoughtfully. After a brief moment of contemplation, he snapped his fingers, a signal of intent.
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Ryan POV:
Ryan walked briskly down the bustling street, the midday sun casting warm rays around him as he headed home to grab his lunch box. Glancing at his watch, he muttered in frustration, "I'm going to be late at this rate. Maybe I should just tell Mom that the office called and said I need to rush there."
After weighing his options, he chuckled to himself, "No way, Mom would flip. It's better to arrive late than to face her wrath. I can't even picture her ending up in jail over 'killing' me."
"I guess I'm quite the good son, looking out for my mom's future!" he chimed with a playful smirk, feeling a swell of pride.
Suddenly, without any warning, Ryan felt a jolt as he was transported to a completely different place. "What the—? Where am I?" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the eerie silence. He scanned his surroundings, his heart racing. All he could see was an intimidating expanse of darkness that loomed around him, a void threatening to engulf him whole. A shiver crept down his spine.
Ryan, while generally an average guy, was not one to back down easily. However, the abrupt change in his surroundings caught him off guard. "Hey! Is anyone there? Hello?" Panic began to set in as he realized he was losing control. "What's happening? How did I end up here? I was just on my way home." Just as he was on the brink of madness, a blinding light erupted around him, forcing him to close his eyes.
As Ryan's eyes gradually adjusted to the brightness, he dared to open them fully. Before him, the blinding light took the shape of a human figure. Initially, he felt a wave of relief, then surprise, and finally a tinge of fear. "What the hell? First, I get thrown into this dark place, and now there's a glowing figure? Am I losing my mind finally?"
While Ryan processed this bizarre situation, the being made of pure light observed him intently. After what seemed like a thorough examination, the luminous figure finally spoke.
"Hey! Do you want to reincarnate?"