"I need someone to help me
As I'm drowning in my own shadow"
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... I’m so cold... It’s so dark... where am I? “Oooooooooooo,” an eerie voice echoed throughout the area. I look around but can’t see anything. I tried to respond to the voice, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move my mouth, wait... I don’t feel my mouth! I felt nothing! “Ooooooooo,” the eerie voice echoed again through the dark. This is stupid. I took a deep breath and tried to speak again, “This is stupid.” My voice echoed, but not as loud as the eerie voice. Was that my voice? It doesn’t sound like my voice? Am I a ghost? “Ooooooo,” the eerie voice echoed again. It sounds like it has gotten closer.
“Hello!” I responded.
“Hello there.” whispered the eerie voice from behind me.
I jump back in fear? No, I wasn’t afraid, but I was as well. It was a weird feeling. The feeling of not knowing what was happening to me was frightening. For the first time in a while, I felt like I wasn’t in control. I turned to face the spectre of the voice, to confront this unknown thing. There was nothing left for me to lose... I had nothing to lose? Did I truly have nothing to lose? No... I have... no... I had something to lose, but not anymore. What was it? I can’t remember... I can’t remember!
“Having trouble remembering?”
Remembering... I can’t remember anything.
“I said. Are you having trouble remembering?” The voice said again.
“What?” I look up, remembering that I forgot about the eerie voice.
What I saw resembled a human, if a human resembled a huge freakin skeleton. The Skeleton was two or three feet taller than me. The skeleton wore one ring on each of its fingers; they varied in color with some having pleasant colors like red, purple, blue, and green. It wore purple robes, or was it a gown? It had a golden rim around the open and sleeves. Its boney chest is exposed. In the center of its chest, it had a glowing orb that changed from a dark red to a lighter shade of red. It shined like the skeleton’s eyes and emitted heat.
On his shoulders and back were these pointy spikes that went out on each side. There were about five on each side and got longer the farther away from its body. There were these giant orbs on each side of his shoulders. When shining in unison with its center orb, they created a face with a sinister smile? The two big orbs were a mix of blue and red. The orbs sometimes made faces that looked like there were screaming, laughing, or crying. Its mouth cracked open and a deep voice came from the skeleton,
“Aren’t you scared, little boy?”
“Oh no! A calcium-based life form.” I sarcastically responded.
“Really? You’re not frightened of my appearance?” said the skeleton, puzzled.
“No, you’re fugly. Now a silicon-based life form is scary. Imagine seeing a creature breathing sand. Compared to you, I would rather see a corpse than watch that create breath. Just imagine it breathing in sand, scraping its throat, every breath painful as the last. You endure this over, and over until you finally die from an agonizing existence.”
“That’s disturbing.” Replied the skeleton.
“You’re Death.”
The skeleton pointed at me, “Just because I’m Death doesn’t mean I can’t find things disturbing.”
“You’re lam-“
“SILENCE FOOL!” The Skeleton shouted. The sound of his voice paralyzed me. The skeleton places his boney hand on his head and sighed. “Anyway, you have figured out that you have died. This is just not my day.”
“Is there even any days or nights here?” I ask sarcastically, but a little curious.
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“That’s not the point!” Death shook its hands. Its rings clattered against his bones. Death took a deep sigh before continuing. “Anyway, we decided to reincarnate you.”
“Who’s we and why? I’m not even Japanese or live in Japan.”
“WE isn’t important. And I’m a god. We don’t see race.” Scoffed Death.
“Wait. Isn’t not seeing race also racist?”
“SILENCE!!!” Death smashed his staff on the ground.
“Ok, ok. I’m sorry.”
“First of all, shut up. Second, shut up! Third, if you speak again, I’ll drag your soul to hell.”
I nodded in agreement. “I’ll wake up soon anyways.” I thought to myself.
“Now we have decided to reincarnate you for our entertainment. You’ll be sent to another world-“
I interrupted Death, “So basically an Isekai or Mario?”
Death sighed and grunted, “I had this cool speech... and you ruined it. At least you get it. The last one was exhausting.” Death’s eyes glowed a sinister red. Death waved his hand and said with great strength. “Consider this an honor that I, Death, will give you another life. I will also grant you three wishes.”
I stared at it in confusion, “So are you like a genie that looks like a scary skeleton cosplaying like a Legend of Zelda villain?”
The skeleton’s mouth dropped open. Death paused for a minute before continuing. “Just say your wishes.”
“Is there a catch?”
Death grinned, “Maybe.”
“I want to be overpowered!”
“No.” Death said with a straight face.
“Is there something that is required for me to do? Like a quest or prophecy?”
“No, but you may find life harder than you expect.”
“Ok... I want to have the ultimate attack.”
“No.”
“Can I know how I died?”
“Sure. But do you really want to?” Death questioned me.
I nodded my head. “Can I have my old memories?”
“Sure.”
“Can I-“
Death cut me off. “No.”
“I haven’t even asked anything yet,” I complained. “Can I customize my new body?”
Death sighed, placing his hand on his head again. “Sure.”
I was about to speak before I paused, “Is there a limit of what I can choose?”
Death laughed, “Hehehe haha muwhahaha!!!” Death’s jaw rattled intensified the more he laughed. “So you finally figured it out. So speak your mind.”
“Can I choose my species?”
“No.”
“Can I stay a male or is it like a randomizer?”
“No.”
“That wasn’t a yes or no question!”
“No.”
“I didn’t ask a question!”
“Yes.”
“Hair color, eye color... forty-seven?”
“No, nope, what?.”
“Ok.” A smile came across my face.
“What’s so funny?” My response intrigued Death.
“Oh... nothing.” I look down to the ground. “It’s an inside joke.” I take a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
“Really?” Death grinned.
I laughed uncontrollably, but I wasn’t happy. “Fuck no! Who’s able to say that they died and accept that? Right now, I still feel alive! How do I know this isn’t a dream?”
“I suppose you’re right.” Death stood up and waved its hand, vigorously declaring. “Now is the time for a restart!! May my skull be edged deep into your soul, symbolizing your beginning...” Then with a menacing tone. “... and end.... Now get lost!!!”
“Wait!!!” I screamed.
“Now what!?” Death, now enraged.
“Can you at least promise I’ll stay a boy? I really don’t want to learn to pee all over again.”
Death’s bony mouth wide open, “Are you kidding me!? That’s why you don’t want to be a girl? Not all the psychological and physiological changes?”
“Yeah, like peeing, that’s physiological,” I responded.
“I can’t–Are you being serious?"
Something behind Death caught my eye. “What’s with the little girl behind you?”
“Fuck this!” Death waved his hand again. “Fuck you! Fuck off!"
A flash of light surrounded me as Death faded from my vision, then everything went dark.
"Something's not right. But Everything is not right. The world is spinning and so too am I."
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"I see you in your dreams, and
I'll nonetheless be there, even in your nightmares."