It felt like drifting in an endless sea, though there was no water—just darkness, vast and empty. Alex floated weightlessly, surrounded by a silence so profound it pressed against him from all sides, swallowing even the faintest sound.

He hesitated, then took a step forward. The ground beneath him rippled like water, silent waves expanding outward before vanishing into the black. He paused, staring down at his feet, unsure if what he'd felt was even real.

"Alright," he murmured, testing it again. Another ripple spread across the surface, faint traces of light-catching along the edges of the waves.

But where was the light coming from?

Alex glanced around, his chest tightening at the sheer emptiness. There was nothing—no up, no down, no horizon.

He took a shaky breath and called out, his voice cracking slightly. "Hello?"

The word echoed back at him, soft and distorted at first, then louder—unnaturally so.

Hello… hello… hello…

It stretched and warped as it bounced back, growing stranger with each repetition. Alex frowned, unease crawling up his spine. "Is anyone here?!" he shouted, his voice laced with desperation.

Anyone… anyone… here… here…

The echoes layered upon each other, growing into a chaotic symphony that clawed at his ears. Alex clapped his hands over his head, squeezing his eyes shut. The sound wasn't just around him—it was in him, drilling into his skull and reverberating like a thousand voices crying out at once.

"Stop it!" he yelled, though even his own words felt like they weren't his.

The noise obeyed, vanishing in an instant, leaving behind a silence so heavy it was almost worse. Alex stood there, trembling slightly, his breaths quick and shallow.

'Where am I?'

That question lingered in his mind, but another surfaced, unbidden—a memory. It flickered at first, slippery and incomplete, but then it sharpened, dragging him back.

The harsh glow of fluorescent lights. The hum of refrigeration units. The quiet of a late-night shift at the convenience store.

And Nicole.

Her voice had been steady and calm, even as those men burst in. Alex's jaw tightened as the scene played out in his mind. The masked men's demands. The gun. That ugly sneer one of them had shot at Nicole, like she was nothing but a target.

And then Alex—stupid, reckless Alex—had stepped forward as if he were some kind of hero.

"Brave," he muttered bitterly, the word tasting sour as it left his lips. The void swallowed it whole. He could almost see himself standing there, puffed up with false courage, trying to protect her.

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What a joke.

He gave a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, real smart." His voice was softer now, lost in the stillness.

But what did it matter? Whether he'd succeeded or not, nothing would've changed. Nicole wouldn't have looked at him any differently. He could've saved her a dozen times, and she'd still see him as… what? A part-time clerk. A nineteen-year-old nobody.

Alex's chest tightened. That was all he ever was—there, just enough to be seen but never noticed. Never remembered.

The ache in his throat deepened, but he couldn't tell if it was from the memory or the silence pressing in on him. Maybe both.

His thoughts spiraled, dragging him deeper into that familiar pit of doubt. The void seemed to amplify it, every whisper of insecurity bouncing back louder, heavier. 'Why did I even try? What was I thinking?'

And then, just as he thought the silence might swallow him whole, a voice rang out.

It was sharp, cutting through the stillness like a blade. It dripped with disdain, each word echoing as if the void itself had spoken.

"Well, if you knew no one would care, then why on earth did you do it?"

The words came from nowhere—sharp, cutting, and laced with amusement.

Alex froze, glancing around the void that surrounded him, but there was nothing. Just darkness. No form, no figure, only the voice pressing in on him like it had been lying in wait.

"Why step in? Why play the hero?" it continued, its tone almost mocking. "You knew it was pointless. You knew she wouldn't see you any differently. So… why?"

Alex swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. The voice felt invasive, prying into thoughts he didn't want to acknowledge, pulling at the edges of insecurities he thought he'd buried. He opened his mouth to reply, but his voice faltered.

"What's the matter? Nothing to say?" The voice sounded closer now as if it had leaned in to watch him squirm. "Or have you finally realized how foolish it was?"

A low, derisive chuckle followed, sending a shiver down Alex's spine. "You went in knowing exactly how it would end. Maybe even hoping for it. Isn't that right?"

Alex clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. A flicker of defiance rose up through the fear. "I… I didn't think," he said, forcing the words out, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just… did what felt right."

"How noble," the voice sneered, dripping with sarcasm. "But tell me this—how much is nobility worth when you're broken and bleeding on the floor?"

The memory of cold steel and searing pain flashed through Alex's mind. He winced but stood his ground. "You're right," he said, exhaling shakily. "I knew it wouldn't matter. But I still did it."

For a moment, there was silence. Then Alex lifted his chin, his voice firmer now. "So… what are you?" he asked, his eyes scanning the void. "Some kind of Grim Reaper? Death God? Or just something else entirely?"

The voice let out a long, exasperated sigh, sounding almost offended. "Unbelievable. Most people who end up here are frantic—crying, begging, trying to strike a deal. They think they don't deserve what happened, or they're desperate to go back and fix things. But you?"

It paused as if studying him. "You're… different."

Alex shrugged, a strange calm settling over him. "What's the point in panicking? I can't change anything now, can I?"

The voice hesitated as if caught off guard. "Why are you so calm?" it finally asked, a tinge of incredulity slipping into its tone.

Alex tilted his head, his detachment unwavering. "Because I've got nothing to lose," he said simply. "If I'm dead, that's it. I didn't leave anything behind worth clinging to. If this is the end, then… fine. If it's not, maybe whatever's next is more interesting."

The voice gave a low chuckle, somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "You think you're ready for whatever comes next?"

"Why not?" Alex replied his tone even. "Anything has to be better than—" He stopped himself. "Well, whatever I had before."

There was a beat of silence before the voice spoke again, its tone gleeful.

"Interesting. Very interesting. But…” It drew out the word, letting it hang in the air like a weight, "I'm afraid you don't get to stay here, kid."

Alex frowned, his calm demeanor cracking slightly. "Wait. You're saying I have to go back?"

"Oh, you're catching on," the voice said, its amusement palpable. "See, as much as you're done with that life of yours, someone up the chain has decided they're not quite done with you."

Frustration sparked in Alex's chest, a flicker of heat cutting through the numbness. "So, what? I'm just supposed to go back and pretend none of this happened?"

"Not exactly," the voice replied, a dark edge creeping into its tone. "Let's call this… a reset. A second chance. But not the kind you're thinking of."

"What kind, then?" Alex pressed, wariness creeping into his voice.

The voice chuckled again, low and sinister. "You'll see soon enough. Let's just say that things will be different. You'll have a reason to keep going, whether you like it or not."

Alex felt his stomach drop, his mind racing to keep up. "Different, how?" he asked, the apprehension clear in his voice.

"Oh, you'll find out," the voice said, relishing the mystery. "For now, just know this—what's waiting for you back there? It's going to be much more… interesting than what you left behind."

And with that, the void seemed to close in around Alex, the voice fading into a low hum. He braced himself, unsure of what would come next, but one thing was clear—there was no going back to what he once knew.