I was an average guy, the most average you could get. I went through all of high school not accomplishing anything, went to college, graduated, and joined the workforce like most middle-aged Americans. But what was unique was how I died.
It wasn't anything grand like sacrificing myself to save others or meeting a serial killer and dying while fighting for my life. No, I died to a banana and a puddle. How, you may ask? I'll leave that up to your imagination. Just know I now hate litterers and rainy days.
Fuck, but back on track, you might be asking how I am able to tell you the story of my heroic death if I died. Well, that's because I—
"Tyler, are you alright? You know we will all miss her."
Snapping out of my inner monologue, I looked up to the speaker. It was a man who looked to be nearing his late 30s with a head of black hair. It was Aaron Hotchner, and the reason he had said those words was because of where we were.
Smack dab in a cemetery in D.C., watching as my older aunt was put into the ground. Now it might've all started to click together for some of you folks, and your assumption was probably right. I had indeed been transmigrated to the Criminal Minds verse, or at least I hoped that was all. Flashing through this body's memories, there seemed to have been another teen who, for a short time a year and a half ago, was being accused of having blown up the Louis Gate archway. Realizing I had let my thoughts run, I looked up to meet Aaron's gaze. Although he looked in his 30s right now, it looked like he was one push away from giving up on life.
In his arms, he held Jack. Though I didn't fully understand the situation, I had stayed quiet since they both arrived, knowing I couldn't trick someone who had learned to read people for years. I knew I had to slip away.
"It's rough, Uncle, but I know she wouldn't want me to drag my feet around, and I don't think she'd blame you for how the situation ended up." With that, I walked away from him and his child.
As I led myself out of the graveyard, I could see my grandfather crying, and my other aunt consoling him. As I passed them, she looked up, her eyes basically asking for help. But consoling people wasn't my forte, so I speed-walked past them and headed out of the graveyard.
Now that I'm thinking of it, I should've probably stayed by the cemetery. But just having died, I didn't want to mourn the death of another or be near a place of death at all. So, I was now wandering around a random air and space museum, which was going well until I saw a group of teenagers and a massive lion the size of a pickup truck in a stand off.
Seeming to have sensed me, the lion—who had been in a pouncing motion on one of the many spaceships—changed its course and pounced at me. "Wtf is this bullshit?" was the only thought that passed through my head as I watched the lion approach. With a swipe of its paws, it flung me into a wall.
How did I know I was in a wall? Well, instead of dying from that like I should have, I didn't. Either that lion was weaker than it looked or I was much stronger than most people. Pushing thoughts away, I could feel that I had at least broken a rib and was covered in rubble and blood.
Not giving me much time to think, I saw the lion still charging at me, mouth open. What I saw in its eyes confused me—anger. Pure anger. "Did I kill one of this guy's family or something?" As the fear of death crept in, I felt something else—anger. I had just fucking died and been to a funeral. WHY THE HELL WOULD I HAVE TO DIE AGAIN
As if on cue, I felt something in my mind snap, and memories rushed in. Time seemed to have halted to a pause.