Chapter 1
Conrad was an average eighteen year old boy who had only just graduated from high school a few weeks ago, but mentally still stubbornly maintained his immature attitude towards life.
The harsh reality of having to find a job or go to college hung over him every day, but with his natural laziness, it was hard for him to start any active actions. It was also worth mentioning that Conrad was a rather antisocial type and spent most of his free time playing games and reading fan fiction on the Internet, diluting it with some classics in the evenings.
The sudden outbreak of the epidemic did not help his situation in the least, it only gave him another reason to stay at home and do nothing.
Of course, for some this was no excuse...
"- Mom, I don't want to run, there's an epidemic in the country, and you're throwing me out on the street." He tried to object once again, but it was all useless.
"-I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE EXCUSES FOR YOUR LAZINESS!!! You won't sit at home for weeks!!! Here, take a mask, rubber gloves and don't come back until you've run at least 5 kilometers!"
"- Okay, okay, damn it." All he could do was take the offered items and head outside.
Conrad left the house armed with the strongest means of protection... Ahem... A mask with medical gloves and soon with the most gloomy face possible, he set off to run through a small town, more like a village with many one-story houses, and known as a good place for a beach holiday. If not for one thing... WE. HAVE. A. FUCKING. EPIDEMIC HERE. Yes, even if this was a good excuse for his own laziness, he was not stupid at all. His family had a small hotel near the sea, and the increasingly spreading virus clearly did not contribute to the influx of tourists, so the place, usually full of people at this time of year, seemed deserted. Of course, there were still some vacationers, but mostly they preferred to either sit in their rooms most of the time or spend it on the beach in splendid solitude. Although they would leave soon too."
Conrad continued to run along the edge of the road, lazily going through his thoughts and completely unaware of the huge driverless truck approaching from behind, which had slipped off the handbrake and was moving surprisingly silently. The glare of the headlights was the only reason why the guy even turned his head in its direction. His body froze, looking at the approaching colossus, his head was completely empty, and only a couple of phrases managed to flash before the collision occurred.
"- Truck?"
"Is this the end?"
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(Conrad's POV)
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be hit by a truck, I'll enlighten you: it hurts like hell, and trust me, you can live without this unforgettable experience in your life, or it will be your last!!!
I was just jogging when this thing appeared, sneaking up like a cat on a mouse, and crashed right into me. I only had enough time to register the absence of the driver and to notice the approaching fox before the pain came. And don't listen to all those stories about how the body itself reacts to dangerous situations without the participation of mental activity. It didn't react at all. More precisely, not in the right way, instead of jumping to the side and saving my carcass, it just stupidly froze in a stupor.
"... WHAT THE HELL?! Uh, where am I?" - it suddenly dawned on me that I was in a completely snow-white place without any visible boundaries. And, strangely enough, they answered me.
"Well, certainly not in hell."
"Whose voice is that? Or am I hallucinating already?" - flashed through my mind as I turned around, looking around, and the next second I almost jumped to the side. Right behind me stood an old man, looking at me with a half-smile.
"- Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you, ... wait a minute, did you read my mind? Maybe you're God? And I'm dead after all?" - well, I hope this old man will give some answers.
"- Well, basically, that's all true. You're dead, and yes, I can read your thoughts. About God? Yes and no. Well, I am him, but in our hierarchy I stand practically at the bottom, and for example, for people in my universe I am the highest God." - explained the old man, or rather God, although I think one does not interfere with the other.
I had no idea yet what he meant, and seeing my confusion and, most likely, having again brazenly read my thoughts, he began to explain in more detail.
"- Take Jesus or Daedra from your favorite game for example. Some people call them gods, but they are just very powerful beings. For you and the people from your world, God is the one who created your entire universe, the true almighty being, the creator, etc. I haven't met him yet, but for some reason I think his name is Steve" - trying to comprehend what was said, I completely ignored the fact that the God of my world could be called Steve.
"As for other gods, there are an infinite number of universes, multiverses and the like, which all have their own God, like me." He finished his short lecture.
"-And now we come to why I am here. As you have already understood, I am not a local God, but at the same time I am standing here now, instead of allowing you to move on to the afterlife. The answer is partly that I am bored, and also that I cannot globally interfere with my own universe after it was created, but I was able to look into yours, and do not ask how, it will still sound too abstruse. And the second other reason is much more serious, so I am not going to explain everything to you today, and we will talk at our next meeting. Now that you already have an idea of what my boredom will turn out to be for you, I ask: how and where would you like to reincarnate?"
I really hoped for such a possibility and was happy when my hopes were confirmed. Well, really, he didn't just come here to meet me and chat. Although I was a little afraid, what if there was some kind of trap? God obviously saw/read my concern, so he chuckled and said... "-I'll tell you a secret." - then he came closer to me and whispered in my ear. "- Only a kind-hearted and sincere person can become a real god."
At that moment I still did not understand how important this information was, although after God's encouraging words for me, my soul felt lighter, and I asked for what I had dreamed of for a very long time.
"-I would like to be reincarnated in the world of Harry Potter, or rather as Harry Potter himself, with a very high IQ and eidetic memory."
Yes, I read a huge amount of fan fiction and knew Rowling's world very well. I always dreamed of getting such a chance. Although maybe I shouldn't have been so impudent and demanded additional perks. What if it's possible, and I'll miss my chance.
God chuckled at my wishes, "Not a bad idea, well, why not. Now it's time to say goodbye!" He snapped his fingers and I started falling. It was a bit like what the ancient did to Doctor Strange, the same kaleidoscope, but it ended after a few seconds and the next thing I saw was darkness.