I stepped out of the office into a face full of cold rain. Sigh. It’s not like this day could get any less mediocre.  

I started the walk back to my apartment, getting soaked to the bone within minutes, thankful that my computer was at least safe in my waterproof backpack. The sun shined slightly through the clouds, albeit barely, making the evening at least a little less dreary. 

*Honk*

I was jerked out of my thoughts to a man making rude gestures at me through his windshield, realizing I was walking into traffic. I waved an apology and stepped back, but not before he drove quickly past, splashing me, and somehow soaking me even more than I already had been. As the light turned green, I crossed, making a left around a familiar diner. Good, I only had to walk a few more blocks to my flat. I made sure to keep my eyes up to avoid any more possible crossing accidents, just in time to see a child run straight in front of a speeding pickup truck to chase his balloon, while his mother was turned away on the phone. 

Stolen novel; please report.

I stared in shock, frozen with indecision. Then my instincts took over, and I sprinted in front of the car as well, pushing the child back onto the sidewalk, where his mother was now staring in horror.

I realized my predicament, and as the truck came hurtling at me, it seemed like everything slowed in my final moment before I died. A million thoughts flashed through my head. Why would you sacrifice yourself for that child? At least he’s now ok. You didn’t finish your paperwork for tomorrow. 

Another thought flashed into my mind out of nowhere as the truck seemed to inch closer and closer. Are you satisfied with yourself? With what you’ve done during your life? Will you be remembered? I had an easy answer to that: no. I had a business degree from Harvard, yet I was only an accountant. I wasn’t important to anyone, to my job, and I didn’t even have any family left. An additional thought popped into my head unbidden in response: What did you want to do? What do you still want? And although I had no specific answer, I knew one thing. I wanted more.

Barely an inch away from me, I saw the truck, and I prepared for the end, but then everything stopped. Color vanished, and all I saw was a single blue window, almost like from one of those RPG games I used to play, popped up in the center of my vision.

[Conditions Met. Accessing System. Current universe is not compatible. Transporting commencing.]

“What the fu-”