My life was fairly normal, well at least by modern day standards, I worked a nice job, lived in a nice apartment, and had some lose friends at work, if asked I wouldn’t say I had no regrets in life, I had plenty, but I can’t say I was unhappy with my choices either, to that end I can’t say my life was exactly easy, my parents both died in a car crash after I graduated college, though I never had the best relationship with them, I still felt terrible for awhile after that, but things got better, and my days went on, so yeah, I can’t say I ever wanted to die, and yet I lay here my consciousness fading. Wondering as my breath stopped, how this happened and as my life slipped away from me my only thought was.

“So this is how I die Huh. . ., Not so bad, Quicker then I thought”

It was just another day grinding at the office. I had been sitting at my desk idly staring at the ceiling. Watching the clock my eyes followed along with every movement. Waiting to clock out my hours... My phone screen lit up as it received a text.

[Annoying office guy] “Hey man, me and the guys are hanging out at the bar near your apartment. You should pop in; bar’s go a lot of hotties. You need to be here bro!.”

A sigh escaped my lips as I texted back

[Nameless Soul] "sorry can't :(".

Closing the messaging app, I looked up to see that it was 9:00 o'clock, and I was done for the day. Sitting up, I stretched my legs while turning off my computer. With a slovenly gait I exited the building, beginning the, (just long enough to be inconvenient), trek back to my apartment, soon passing the bar mentioned in the text message.

Peeking inside, I half-heartedly contemplated introducing myself, but ultimately ended up shaking my head and turning around to walk away. As I did so, I came face to face with a man stumbling through the darkness. He cried out, "your money or life (or some cliche mugger line; I wasn't really paying attention)," Pretending not to hear him, I kept walking or I tried to, as I was suddenly halted by a hand grabbing me by the nape of my neck. I attempted to struggle, but long days at the office had been of no benefit to my physique.

Luckily, my shrieking seemed to grab the attention of the bar's patrons, who ran out to see what was happening. The hand on my neck loosened as I was slung to the ground breathless, seeing his figure dart away.

Noticing a hand on my defeated shoulder, then a voice in my ear, I looked up to see who it was.

[Annoying office party guy] "Ahha man, that was wild. Uh, sure you want to head home? want to just spend the night at my house? I mean, I know you're busy, but like come on after that? Don't worry; I was literally just planning on bringing the party there anyways, maybe do some late-night activities... Well, um, if not, we can always walk with you, bro; like seriously, that's some scary stuff."

His overly worried face looked down at me. Although the prospects of being assaulted again weren't in the least appealing, it was still preferable to spending the night with his crew.

Coming to that realization after weighing the alternatives, I shook my head and stood up, saying half to console myself

[Nameless Soul] "he won't try something like that again (right?) besides I have more work to do at home."

[Annoying office guy] He replied "it's always work with you. Like, come on bro you could’ve died there. Whatever man, I’m not taking your shift if you croke, so make sure you clock back in tomorrow.”

The rest of my walk home was rather uneventful. Ahead of me was the door to my apartment building’s lobby. I yawned and scanned my key card, heading inside and hitting the button to the elevator as the security door closed behind me.

Just before it did, I heard the sound of footsteps and turned around, scratching my neck as I realized that I was probably just hearing things.

[Nameless Soul] “It really has been a long night, huh?”

With that, I stepped into the elevator and went up to my apartment. I shut the door and prepared to spend the rest of the night with my two best friends, 'Last Imagination 14' and 'Mega Italian Brothers 2.'

Ever since I was little, there was nothing I liked more than sitting in my room playing video games. But when my parents died, I knew I had to grow up a little bit. So by the time I turned 30, I got a good job, learned how to talk well enough to not get fired, and mostly stayed at home, wasting all my time and money.

*Ring*. Just as my thoughts took a depressing turn, a ring at my doorbell roused my attention.

[Nameless Soul]: Opening the door, I thought, “Man, who is it late at night? It better not be the landlord trying to get my rent early again.”

But what met me was only a slightly better fate, as the man who mugged me before, appeared in my vision. For the second time that night, I felt his hand clasp around my neck.

Once again, he spoke, although this time perhaps because my mind was fading his words were much less clear than earlier.

[Maniac Mugger] “Thi..s ul learn yo..u to ta.lk down to me.” The corners of his mouth moved in an unsightly display, and I felt something wet hit my chest.

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

[Nameless Soul] “Was this really how I was going to die? Being spat on by some maniac?”

[Nameless Soul] “I figured I would at least grow old and die alone.”

With my vision slipping and as my eyes closed for what seemed to be the last time, I heard his voice fading in and out of my ear.

[Maniac Mugger] “This really wasn’t worth the effort.”

I opened my eyes; they felt heavy, though I couldn't say I really felt them all that much. What greeted me was nothing but an empty void, an eerie blank, a seemingly infinite expanse of whiteness. I couldn't tell if what I saw was just a small cube around me or something that went on forever. Space seemed to lack meaning here, but my mind seemed to just be going along with it. At some points, I doubted if my eyes were really open, I could just tell they were.

My body felt immaterial, like I didn't exist, and yet I knew I did. It was a feeling I didn't want to think about too much. I didn't have arms, or legs, or really anything, but I still felt like "me," even if that word had lost a bit of meaning to me. I couldn't tell how long I thought of stuff like this; time didn't matter, and it wasn't possible to tell how much time had passed.

After a few minutes, or maybe they were years, I honestly hoped it was the latter, I slowly laughed to myself and thought, huh, I didn't think this is what the afterlife would be like. I always thought it'd be more exciting; there was no fire, no wrestling with my mortal sins, not even a god. But then again, maybe this is exactly what my afterlife should look like. I was never a good man nor a bad one, just an average everyday businessman trying to make ends meet, but isn't this still a bit much? I mean, I never lived a good life, but it'd be unfair to say I lived a bad life as well. Shouldn't I at least get some compensation? I mean, I was murdered, wasn't I...

Huh, I feel tired; well, at least that's something new...

Everything seemed to be losing meaning in this space, or they would have, if a voice or what I assumed to be a voice, didn’t suddenly interrupt my pitiful self reflection.

The voice sounded feminine and sweet, while at the same time sounding entirely foreign, something that couldn't exist on earth. As for why I could understand it, I'm not sure. It just felt "voice-like," and something told me to trust that feeling. Well, even if I didn't like it, it’s not like I had any choice to listen, the series of sounds which seemed to have been getting louder, more insistent. To the point where I could make out the sounds better, it was like something was trying to get my attention, and it was getting to be annoying. As much as I wanted to respond to it, I couldn't seem to do anything beyond listen. I couldn't even turn my "body" to look in the sound's direction. Seeming to be annoyed by my lack of response, the voice stopped talking, and even though its tone or sound, or whatever it was, was grating to me. Despite this, when it ceased, I was worried; no, I was scared. Scared It wouldn't talk again. I didn't want that silence to return. Wrenching me out of my thoughts I felt something grab "me" from behind. And though it was a bit concerning, I couldn't feel anything beyond the sense that I had been grabbed, I didn't have much time to ponder these strange feelings as I felt my being, in its entirety, be spun around violently. I didn't seem to suffer any discomfort from this, my vision now stabilized, I could see in front of me part of a body or similar. As for which part, I couldn't tell as my vision was too close, but the skin appeared almost unnaturally fair and gave off a rather soothing warmth. Well, I might be making that bit up, but I certainly felt warmer, or maybe I was just relieved to finally be seeing something comprehensible, material.

The being, as I was unsure what it was, began to once again speak. Its voice was much softer up close, what unnerved me about it, however, was that it was definitely happy, and that wasn't something that comforted me here. After all, if it was stuck in the same situation as me, how could it possibly feel something like that? Yeah, maybe everyone isn't like me; I'll acknowledge that. But even if they don't feel any dread or fear, they'll definitely at least be bored or discontent. I couldn't imagine anyone feeling happy in this situation, which meant either it knew something I didn't, or it wasn't in the same situation as me. And seeing as I was now being clutched in its grasp either wasn't something that was comforting to consider.

[Unknown]: "Yo, how'd you... {undecipherable}...a soul, huh? {undecipherable}, this is a, {undecipherable}! Well, {undecipherable} , good..."

Suddenly, I heard something; well, more I understood what I had been hearing this entire time. It was words, ones I recognized, at least I think. Some of them weren't clear, but as she (and at this point, I was confident enough to name the currently unseen being in front of me as at least humanoid) kept speaking, I was able to make out more of what she said.

[Unknown]: "Oh, sorry might be holding you a bit too close for you to make me out. I can tell you're a little frightened right now, right! Here we goooooooo there, see I'm not that scary, uhhh yeah not scary at all, I know, I knowwww, don't worry, no need to say I'm pretty, uhhh anyway, how'd you get in here um, being a lone soul and all, and uhh one that's not in great shape at that. You're not some sort of demon seed are you? You are celestially required to say i..."

She pushed me further away from herself, to the point where I can vaguely make out how she looked. She's beautiful, those were the first thoughts that came into my mind to the point where I couldn't even compare her to a normal woman. She appeared to be clothed in some sort of formal dress, but everything besides herself was hard to focus on or really comprehend. At least from my point of view, I could tell where I had previously been held against, a place I'm a bit ashamed to have been so comfortable in. Trying to blot any unearned shame out of my mind, I focused on her words. But everything she said just seemed a bit loose; she was some sort of ethereal being, right? So why the hell is she talking like she's a streamer trying to play for time?

[Unknown Goddess]: "Huh not amused, sheesh my bad me for trying to lighten the mood. Well, don't blame me for what's next, and yeah, I know you can't speak, stop squirming so much, I don't want to accidentally absorb you."

[Nameless Soul]: (Absorb me, squirming what are you going on about? Where am I? What is this place? Who are you, and stop playing around, this is supposed to be heaven, right? Have enough decency to not start threatening me as soon as I arrive.)

Hearing all her half-sarcastic chatter drove me over the edge, which must have resulted in me manifesting the ability to, what I assume is speak. That's what it felt like anyway, and judging by the look on that over talkative goddess's face, my words were conveyed well enough to her.

[Unknown Goddess]: "Fineeeee I'll stop, I swear, just be still and listen. I'll be honest; I don't have time,. . . or rather you don't have enough time for all your questions to be answered. Your soul is dying; I'm not sure how it got here or what it's doing outside of your god's domain, but the point is it can't exist here, and I can’t fix it. Frankly I'm surprised you haven't already faded out of existence, but don't worry, I found you now so it's going to be okay! Wellllllll, probably, maybe, alright, you might still die, but I'm doing my best here, understand? Anyway, I need to send your soul somewhere more. . . accommodating, and uhh I'll give you some of my power so you can make it there in one piece, well, if it doesn’t fade away half wa. . . anyway uhhhh, you'll have a better chance of your soul still functioning by the time it does arrive. Yeah, I mean, by better, it's up from 0% all the way to 14%..."

[Nameless Soul]: "Wait, slow down! What are you talking about? Shouldn't I be congratulated for living a fruitful life, or have my soul be weighed, and shouldn’t there I be welcomed as an unfortunate victim of society and given compensation? You're telling me I'm going to die when I've already been killed?!"

[Unknown Goddess]: "I can’t explain to you everything, nor should you be wasting your time with such thoughts. Your time grows short, so I need to act now. I wish you well on your journey, Oh uhhhh one more thing, this might hurt a bit, like a lot; well, good luckkkkkkkkk!"

[Nameless Soul]: "Wait! Wait! Wait! Stop, shouldn't reincarnation be a bit more Cliche... !!!"

I didn't get to finish this thought as my mind was suddenly overcome with a searing pain. Everything hurt; my very being was burning. I could feel it, something foreign coming into me, something beyond me, something that I knew, on a base level, shouldn't exist within me. Luckily, these were my last thoughts before everything faded to black...

I awoke still in the blackness, but the pain had gone, and more importantly, I began to feel something, hear sounds, and perceive I was "me" again. I felt the air on my skin, the warm weight of my covers pressing down on me, the softness of my pillow under my head. Everything was divine coming from a world of no feeling. I half hoped it was a bad dream, but as I opened my eyes, all hopes of that being the case were lost, as in front of me hanging almost mockingly were a set of happily glowing words.

System> {User Recognized:

{Time until apocalypse: 335hrs, 53m, 18s}

Currently Tracked mission: Survive: Reward: (1GP)}

Message: “Good luck 07, I’m rooting for youuuu!!!”}

[Unknown Soul. . .Unknown Women ]: *sigh* Nothing's ever simple, is it.