Chapter ⓪ Start
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Andrew Ledonny. That's my name. Lost my family when I was young, so I became a poor orphan. I'm also partly mute, meaning I can't talk, but I can still make noises that are a lot quieter than a normal persons. I like to think of myself as a good person sometimes, mostly when I'm feeling down. I'm much smarter than most people, which is part of the reason of why I got accepted to the best college in the country. The other, well, I realized after I had taken their offer.
A wide spread of ethnicity is what this school is known for, accepting anyone, no matter who they are, if they are smart enough. Of course, to keep this reputation, some... cuts... had to be made with the student roster. Me, being the classic white and chubby guy, didn't really fit the bill. So, when a richer, less smart guy decided he wanted my spot, he got it. No questions said, he got it immediately. They kicked me out without a second thought, leaving me to fend for myself.
Because I had accepted their offer, I hadn't tried applying to any other colleges, so when I was kicked out for the reason of "being a bully" and "plagiarism", I didn't have a backup plan. So, I went to a public college, the one with the absolute worst reputation, funnily enough. There, I learned nothing. I was bullied constantly because of my weight and my voice, constantly demeaned by the teachers and... well... now I ended up in this situation.
"Lard ass, hand over your wallet." The man in the alleyway spoke with conviction, though quiet to not alert anyone of what he was doing. The knife in his hand was right next to my throat, and I felt it cut deeper every time I swallowed in fear. Pushed up against the concrete wall, there were no means of escape for me. I knew that, but I hated that I had to accept it. My wallet had my entire savings in it, meaning I'd have no money to survive on. Hah, at least giving me the choice of how to die, how kind of you world...
"You heard me, where's the money?" He whispered in my ear, and yet it rang out a thousand times louder. Watching my hand move into the front of the worn jeans I wore, he smiled crookedly. Grabbing what's needed, I slowly bring my hand out to pepper-spray the guy.
The college I got into may suck, but at least they know they suck. Because of this, they gave us students equipment to defend ourselves in the area. There was also a seminar where they told us not to go down dark alleyways, but I wrongly thought this could be an easy short cut.
"GAAAAaaaah!?" Clutching his eyes, I take the chance to run away. Serves him right for trying to rob me, and didn't even do that right-
As I ran back down the alleyway, I run into someone. One of my classmates.
"Where do you think you're going, pig?" John says like it's a creative insult. "The fun's just getting started." Wait, what? Grabbing me by the collar of my school uniform, John decks me right in the jaw. I FEEL it break. I try to scream out, but another punch to the face sends me sprawling across the floor. John walks up and crushes the pepper-spray bottle under the heel of his army boots. Looking up with my blurry vision, I see him smirk. This idiot doesn't even know what just happened to me!
"The little piggy tried to run aaaaaalll the way back home, and yet it's stubby little feet just gave out on him!" Kicking my legs causes an utterly guttural screech to come out of my throat, yet the noise is tiny in comparison to Johns maniacal laugh. Ah, I think he broke something... ah... damn it...
The next moment is a blur. A shadowy man comes up from behind John and he suddenly falls over limp next to me, with the shadowy man mumbling about something. He steps closer to my body, only for me to see a knife in his hands. It's covered in not congealed blood, very fresh even. Looking over to my side, I get a sudden sense of clarity as I see slashes all across Johns back, eyes lifeless and blood on my hands as the wounds drip.
I scream, but it goes unheard. My scream would probably be as loud as a normal person talking. It's another reason why I'm called a pig too, as my screams become very high pitched when I'm anxious. Trying to crawl away, get up, do anything, I end up not moving at all. I pull myself across the rough asphalt, cutting my own stomach in the process of getting away, but it's useless. Finally, he puts the knife to my neck and speaks.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Have any last words, filth?" Ironic². He's asking a mute for their last words while he calls them filth. Well, I guess the pot does call the kettle black, huh... Alright, I'll give you what you want. You better be satisfied.
Taking a couple of short breaths, I try to remember how to make a word. I can't talk out, and I can't speak in sentences, so... heh... I guess this will do. Breathing out, I begin saying what's on my mind, as the word "Die" is spoken from out of my mouth as I breath in.
He doesn't quip back as I feel the knife being driven into my throat. Blood clogs my esophagus as it try to breath in, and I begin to drown of blood loss. Both dying of blood loss and dying by drowning at the same time, I think that's a pretty bad death... but I want to live.
I really wanted to live.
Please let me live.
If there is a God, someone who rules over us cruel humans, please, don't make me die.
I want to live!
[…]
And then my soul exited my body.
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I "awaken" in a dark space. Or, a better descriptor would be black. I can't see my body when I look down, only the clear, glasslike walkway leading towards a set of ornate doors. Wisps of blue fire appear next to me as I force my current state of being forward. Wisps appear next to my walking path, as if leading me, until I reach the doors. From afar, I thought they were normal sized, but they were actually the size of a castle gate, dominating in stature alone. The pressure from beyond this door made me feel lesser. Going forward once more, the doors slowly open themselves as I see what can only be described as a throne room before me. Inside, there is actual architecture, beautifully made and absolutely crushing. A place like this has no room for me...
Pillars of pure white line the walls parallel to each other as I begin to move across the golden carpet, looking at the stairs before me. Focusing my attention above, there is a throne holding a human women. She's looking down on me from the height, smiling warmly as she begins to walk down the steps. I watch her every move, not understanding but wishing to. She reaches the bottom of the stairs and I look at her face. It looks-
{Next.} A voice with power unmatched envelops me as I crash to the floor, feeling great pain. Scowling, the women walks up and steps on me in a triumphant like position, like hunters above their kill. Trying to speak out, no noise at all comes. I try to ask what's happening-
{You don't know what's happening, do you?} I hear her voice as she asks mockingly. How did she know? She laughs a truly heinous laugh that shouldn't come out of a human and glares down at me.
{You're the heinous one, Andrew Ledonny. You're a waste of space, and yet somebody killed themselves for you.} ...What?
{A bully who steals others work and passes it off as their own, who doesn't listen to their piers and attacks people unwarranted, -} ...Wait, what!?
{-you have been judged guilty by God, your crimes on humanity free for all to see.} Guilty... of what!? What did I do!?
{Ignorant glutton who eats as much as they want, you have done many bad things is your life, a witness to each with me as copies. Their souls speak their truth: You are hated because of what you are. And now, you killed a human.} I... I've never killed anyone! I think you're making a mistake, I'm the one who is-
{SILENCE!!!}
I shut up. Whatever is happening, I don't have control over.
{You understand now. You caused a human to die due to your actions. If you had just let the robber have your wallet, both of you would've survived. And yet, your selfishness caused you both to die... Selfish to the very end even.} i don't understand...
"I want to live. I really wanted to live. Please let me live. If there is a God, someone who rules over us cruel humans, please, don't make me die. I want to live!"
My own voice plays back in my mind as I'm forced to remember my final thoughts.
{I want this, I want that, it's all wants! You even called humans cruel, you hypocritical swine! Still, I will grant you your wish...} She said with a wrathful tone, yet her face was calm, almost giddy. I'm ecstatic! I can live again!
{You will be reincarnated in another world, and as punishment for your actions against humanity, you will be constantly hunted down. Oh, and have fun trying to run away... HaHAAhaaHaaAHaHAAhaaH!}
I feel my spiritual heart fall as my soul begins to be forced out of the room. As I'm pushed out, I hear her screech: {Throw this fat peace of trash with the rest of the inhumans!} before the ornate doors close on me. The doors begin to disintegrate, with the transparent floors disappearing below me. The blue wisps extinguish themselves one by one, and soon I'm left in complete darkness.
What the heck just happened?
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Chapter ⓪ End