Being on fire watch is honestly a dream come true, I get my own little place in the forest to sit back and drink some coffee while living in the moment. Sitting at my post I take in all the wonders of nature, the beautiful view of trees and mountains, the sounds of birds chirping, and deer galloping, and of course the wonderful breeze you can only find in the wilderness. It's days like this one that really show you just how great nature is. The lake is especially beautiful today, the water is sparkling and you can occasionally see a fish or two jump out. With such an appealing display the only thing on my mind is going fishing.

Standing up, I finish off my coffee before resting the mug on the fence post. Grabbing my fishing gear I head down the creaking steps of my tower, but for some reason as I reach the bottom, I get a strange sense of... deja vu.. something about this is overly nostalgic despite this being my first day on the job.. But, not wanting to waste such a perfect day, I forget the thought entirely and continue my trek to the lake. After a few blissful minutes in the woods I arrive at the lake, with a fishing pole in hand I can already tell today is going to be a great day. The dock was the perfect spot for it. So I placed my coffee cup next to me and set up for a day of pure relaxing fun.

Sitting down at the dock, I cast my line into the lake, waiting for a bite. But for some reason, as I sit here everything's getting a little too quiet. The birds aren't chirping, and the breeze is gone. The silence is making me crave some music, and lucky me! There's a radio right here, turning it on I tune into some jazz.

Then it finally happened, the bobber plunged into the water and the line went rigid. "GOT ONE!" I reeled back, then stopped, to give the fish a false sense of hope, before repeating. Slowly but surely, the fish was nearing the shore. "GOT YA!" Finally I obtain my bounty.. a fish made of pure gold?

That’s weird, golden fishes are saltwater, not freshwater. Perhaps it migrated from England. Suddenly, the jazz music ends.

The radio is interrupted by a harrowing siren that pierces the peaceful air "Warning! This Is Not A Test! I Repeat! This Is Not A Test! A Nuclear Bomb Has Been Launched Upon U.S soil! Seek Out The Nearest Bunker And May God Rest Your Soul."

...I remember now...

The sirens, the phone calls from my loved ones, and… a flash of light. My hands are on fire. I look around me, the forest is lit ablaze. And the lake. Once full with so much life, now a horrific scene of death. I barely see myself in boiling water. But I see what I became, a burning corpse. I remember how I died, how my skin melts off my bones with the wrath of the sun. The stench of brimstone is overwhelming; I am shown what true hell is.

I wake up screaming.

Falling off my makeshift bed onto the ground as the old dusty pile of blankets hit the ground right next to me. Eyes snapping at the large slab of stone that I have been calling my bed for the past week, as I am catching my breath. Sweat is dripping off my body and onto the cold stone floor, I laid there on the ground trying to gather myself. A nightmare. A stupid nightmare ruined my sleep.

Slowly, I get up and off the floor as I recover from my stupor. Before shambling to the door and opening it to the main room. Unlike the room I slept in, this room is covered in cobwebs and thick layers of dust. Only thing noteworthy about this place is the beautiful stone pillar keeping the whole thing standing. The pillar itself is fashioned with gold and gems. It won't surprise me if this isn't the only expensive thing this place has. Closing the door behind me I move toward the entrance of this place. I check my surroundings just in case something is out of place.

There were still some unventured doors here and there.

The lanterns are still lit, strangely. They were like that even when I first arrived. It's a mystery I doubt I'd ever uncover. Old art pieces and tapestry with writings in a language that I don't understand; decorating the walls. All slowly fading away due to time. But looking at them, The only way I can describe it is that it's very 'dwarf-ish'. Not even a joke: the art and tapestries are full of short guys with long beards, doing dwarven things. Fighting, drinking, mining, and I did find a forge in this place when I was exploring it. Most damning evidence to this conclusion could be that everything was the right size for me. Also, everything is so boxy in shape. Seems the architects have no clue what a curve is.

“Ha, it reminds me of that popular video game about mining when I used to play” I think to myself as I reminisce about my old life. A sad smile creeps up on my face as a bit of sorrow begins to build up in me.

But I ignore it and continue forward. Then down the many stairs led by many lanterns which keeps this place well lit. I reach the top of the stairs and go left into the hallway. There are a few doors on my right and left that are storage rooms if I remember right. I did find old weapons and armors. Enough to arm a small militia I suppose. Sure it is nice that I found these things but they aren't for me. I can't use these weapons since they are far too heavy for me. And I never swung a sword before. The only experience I have with a weapon is a wood cutting ax. I was a fire lookout for crying out loud before everything went to hell. "But I was happy when I found the janitor's closet right next to the weapons storage." I say to an empty room.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The armor has the same problem, too heavy and thick for me. Not even a good fit since I'm a rat. I am impressed that these guys can wear these and most likely not suffer from fatigue. Count myself lucky I haven't run into any dwarves in here or I might wound up dead again. I test out the crossbows when I discover one but for the life of me I can't pull the string back to save me. I already have a bow so taking the free arrows is nice for going on a hunt... you know, the more I think of it, I haven't found any gunpowder or guns anywhere. Maybe there is a proper room to hold them?

After shaking my head out of those thoughts, I make my way to the 10 feet tall wooden gate which is slightly covered by a tarp. Uncovering the tarp slightly reveals a 4 feet tall door which is convenient for me. This will allow me to go through without opening the gate.

Wasn't locked as well. What luck. I slowly open the door on the gate. First thing I see are the claw marks right on the other side of the massive gate. Some on the ground here and there as if it was trying to dig through stone. On my right I see rotten old boxes and barrels that have been smashed to bits. Debris littering the floor.

One of the few issues of living in this dwarven home is that something was out to get me. “It knows, doesn't it? Who am I kidding? Of course it did.” Cold chills go down my spine knowing how close the beast was. Just one sturdy wooden gate between us.

There are two exits then. This one and the one that kept me alive for a night.

Question is: is it still here?

Quietly I walk onto a... dock? I believe it is a dock. It has a railing on the side with two long wooden platforms which have a U shape with ramps on it. As well as a strange looking contraption in the middle. I simply deduce that it is an elevator.. “Huh... What even is this place?” The floor creaks as I put one foot on the wooden dock. It is then I realize how high up the mountain I am.

I can see so far over the forest. Mountains that reach the heavens. The unknown world now within my sight. So much to take in.

I glance back inside. This place is absolutely massive. A ship can definitely fit inside. Wait, ship? Dock? I search further inside. There is an old map on one wall, with the language that is beyond me. If I don't believe that I am in another world, then this is the biggest evidence yet. Now what exactly is this place? Signs are barely readable, sadly.

A trading post? Possibly be.

"But…" I say to the hollow mountain. "What happened to the dwarfs? There was no way they just left this place when they put so much work into it." A cold wind blows through the empty room. My hands wrap around my fur body as the chill hits me. “Wait, fur?” I look down at my own form. Everything is bare for the world to see as I forgot to put on my clothes.

"Oh wow, good thing nobody is here." I turn around to head back inside. With the tarp back on right after closing the door, I make sure it was locked so there won't be a surprise the next time I wake up.

When I return to my room, I put the dusty pile of blankets back on the stone bed, then grab my clothing off my backpack, and wear them. A simple white t-shirt and pants with a hole to fit my tail...

“God, I am still not used to this. I still don't understand how I became a rat, I should be dead, DEAD! Yet.” Then I check my only belongings within my large backpack: leather armor, a green hooded cloak and a rat skull mask. Arrows, a crowbar for some reason, a grappling hook, a bedroll…

What the hell!? I must've been too exhausted to remember that and ended up sleeping on some dusty blankets. Well, better late than never.

Back on the list of useful tools: flint and steel, some rope- what is left of my torch. It is the first thing I got my hands on when the damn monster attacked. I'll forever be grateful for it saving my life. Alright, chalk, soap, a waterskin, and finally, some rations. It won't last long sadly.

At the very bottom is a note with weapons under it, it wishes me good luck. Longbow, dagger, and rapier. “I will be honest to myself, when I was taking a death nap from a nuke and woke up to this world, I thought god or something from the afterlife was fucking with me, seriously. I woke up as a mutant rat, finding this backpack filled with the most Dungeons and Dragons rogue shit I could find, and being in a dense forest that I remembered was on fire... I thought I was dreaming.” I place my hands on my face as I try to remember how I end up here.

“This all sounds to me like those trash isekai stuff that my old friend talked about. Did god show up and tell me I was the chosen one and gave me power to make me bullshit powerful? NOPE! For day one, I woke up in a dense forest as a rat guy with these clothes on, finding that note and the backpack filled with those stuff. So thinking none of this was real, I grabbed it and walked in a random direction.” I scream into my own hands remembering how stupid that was. A decision that almost cost me my life.

“Then before I knew it, it was night time, I was starving, and I realized that all of this was real. Of course I panicked, yelled my head off that I was somehow alive again.”

I leave my room to make my way to the dining hall. My tirade hasn't ended there.

“I had trouble sleeping under a log that night. For the past two to five days I have tried my best to learn about this world and how my new body works. So far I have learned that I could partially see in the dark, and have a tail... I'm just a rat that can walk and talk.” I check the kitchen and… right... no food. Unless someone is willing to eat the moldy pile that's no longer edible.

“But I did learn that this world has almost earthly nature: there are trees, flowers, bugs, plants, water, and berry bushes which I did check which one was safe to eat or not. But that is where it ends. So far I saw mushrooms tall as trees, saw crystal coming out of the ground, and a lot of... whispering. Yes I did run out of there as fast as I could.” I sit in one of the many chairs.

“Then day six happened. I... I don't remember how I saw or met that thing that night. All I remember is that I just ran as far away from it. And it followed me all the way here. That tall thing yelling and howling non-stop as it tried to get me, I didn't get a good look at it but thank god I saw that open door at the bottom of that mountain or I might have been killed by that thing.” I start to shake with fright as the idea settles in.

"But hey, good thing that gate wasn't left open." I say to myself thinking it will help my frightened soul. I force a smile on my face as well. "At least... I don't have to pay taxes anymore, hahahaha." My broken laugh fills the empty room. I can hear myself echo throughout the abandoned place.

I'm going to die again, am I?...