BZZZZZZZZZZ.
BZZZZZZZZZZ.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
The sound of the alarm echoed through the darkness. Taka couldn't bear to open his eyes. He hit the alarm and drifted back to sleep...
BZZZZZZZZZZ.
BZZZZZZZZZZ.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Taka groaned, rolling onto his side to look at the alarm clock.
It read "09:26"
Taka blinked. And blinked again. "No, no, no no no this can't be happening!" He shouted as he scrambled to his feet. Today was the day of his university graduation, and the ceremony was scheduled to begin at 10am. He scampered across his room and slipped on his socks, then threw on his pans and shirts, grateful that he has the foresight to lay his clothes out the night before. He hopped to the bathroom to splash some water on his face as he looked at his phone. 10 missed calls from Mom, and 7 new text messages. Taka ran out the door.
The street was busy for a Thursday morning, more people walking about than usual. Taka didn't even take the time to notice -- he was running at full throttle towards the bus station.
"Oi, Taka, take an apple!" The old man at the fruit cart called out to him, tossing him an apple as he zoomed past.
"Thanks gramps!"
Taka bobbed and weaved his way through the crowds, taking bites of his apple along the way. He checked his phone: "09:34". Only 3 minutes til the last bus he'd be able to take would come, and he was still a 5 minute run away from the station.
"Oh goddamit!" He cried out as he picked up the pace.
He channeled the spirit of Usain Bolt for the next 2 minutes and was almost at the station, just one more busy intersection to go. His phone rang again, and he answered.
"Hello?"
"Taka!" His mom cried out, "Where are you? We're already here, and-"
"I'm almost there, I promise. I'll be there in, uh, 10 minutes? Maybe 15? Definitely before it starts."
"Taka if you don't make it to your own graduation--"
"I know, I'll be there in a sec, mom! Can't talk right now, see you soon!"
He hung up as he approached the final crosswalk, the bus xcoming into sight on the other side of the road. A combination of fear and dread poured through Taka, igniting the fire within him to make one last sprint. As he leaped into the street, he looked ahead of him and saw a flashing red light, and heard a loud noise coming from his right side. He turned, and was met face-to-face with a semi-truck.
"Oh fu--"
BANG.
...
Taka gasped and opened his eyes. Everything around him was white. His body felt weightless, and his head was spinning.
"TAKA," a booming voice said, coming from nowhere, or everywhere, maybe inside his head?
"Where am I? And how do you know my na-"
"-SHHHH CHILD. YOU WERE STRUCK BY A VEHICLE AND PERISHED, BUT I, VALISH, GOD OF CREATION, HAVE CHOSEN YOU TO BE GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AND BE BROUGHT TO A NEW WORLD AS A HERO!"
"What? I have my graduation today!"
"FRET NOT ABOUT THE INCONSEQUENTIAL EVENTS OF YOUR PAST LIFE, YOUR NEW ROLE OF HERO REQUIRES GRANDER THINGS OF YOU. YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO SLAY THE DEMON LORD AND BRING THIS WORLD INTO AN ERA OF PEACE."
"What? Why?"
"IT IS YOUR DUTY AS HERO-"
"I don't wanna be a hero! I just wanna go home, can you like, teleport me back with your god powers?
...
"YOU ARE TO BE THE HERO OF THIS-"
"I said I didn't want to. That seems really hard and it's not my problem."
...
"YOU DARE DEFY ME AFTER I GIVE YOU THE CHANCE TO LIVE A GREATER LIFE, ONE FULL OF POWER AND RICHES?
"Wait what kind of power and riches, I might be able to get behind that-"
"SILENCE! I CLEARLY MADE A MISTAKE BRINGING YOU HERE. I'D SEND YOU TO YOUR GRAVE, BUT I UNFORTUNATELY MUST SEND YOU TO THIS WORLD. SINCE YOU ARE NO MORE THAN A PEST, YOU WILL LIVE AS SUCH."
"What? Hey, that's not fair! I don't even know what's going on, how am I supposed to react when I just found out I died and I'm getting brought to a whole new world and-"
"YOU TALK TOO MUCH. BEGONE, AND DO NOT CALL UPON ME OR I WILL SMITE YOU."
POOF.
...
The world went dark, and then, color. The ground felt soft on Taka's body as he tried to take in his surroundings. He was laying on his back, looking at the sky, but something felt... wrong. Really wrong. Taka looked down at himself, and saw the scriggly figure of a worm facing him.
"OH GODDAMMIT!!!"