I come to my senses slowly. Well coming to my senses isn't the best way to describe what is happening to me, it's more like my senses are changing into something more recognizable, more human.

‘Well that’s a good sign at least.’ I thought to myself in relief, imagining if I had become a cow or something my new life would be much harder, and possibly more deadly. As if my thoughts were being read by some cruel entity, the pain hit me. I was sure that I had never felt this much pain in either of my lives, even the pain of entering into this new world didn't compare, though that was a very close call.

‘What the hell is wrong with my body?!’ I thought as all the feelings came to me from my new body. I began to feel my body with my mind. My chest! ‘The hell happened to my chest!?’ I nearly screamed out loud but my mouth was unresponsive. I started to feel the rest of this body, and I wasn't liking it one bit. First off, my head was throbbing, second my arms felt like they were on fire, probably broken, and third was my chest! I don't even know how to describe the pain I felt from there, was I shot over a dozen times or something?!

Also I recognized that I had eyes now, might as well open them and take a look around and find out what is wrong with my body. Once I open them I am met with blinding light and I blink for a few seconds before seeing my surroundings. ‘Well…’ I thought to myself, ‘This definitely proves that I am in a different reality. Or at least somewhere I don't recognize, and definitely not in the same city anymore.’

I was in an alley, and it smelled a lot. Also it felt to be around 20 degrees here, nothing like the weather I remember was around when I died. On the other side of the alley was a busy street, full of cars and people going about their daily lives, as far as I could tell anyway. Then I looked down at myself. “Shit!” I said softly, my chest had a huge bloody crater in it and my arms were twisted at odd angles, they were also nice shades of black and purple.

I try to sit up and fall over because this body is much smaller than my old one, also lighter so my center of gravity is throwing me off. I start to scream for help as I try to get up once again, managing to get into a standing position and taking 4 painful steps. I am about 5 feet away from the alley’s entrance and people start to notice me. I see the looks of absolute shock on their faces, they probably haven't seen a man with a crater for a chest walking around and screaming their head off for help before. I can't blame them.

Finally someone rushes forward to me saying “Do you want me to call an ambulance?” “Yes!” I yell back, my voice cracking as I do. Immediately she pulled out her phone and quickly punched some numbers and started talking to someone on the other end hurriedly, but I couldn't pay attention to her and just fell over where I stood, trying to land as softly as possible while my vision and with it my consciousness faded to black.

________________________________________________________

I wake up, my body feeling completely relaxed and my mind refreshed. ‘When was the last time I felt this good when I woke up?’ I wondered silently to myself, letting my body sink into whatever that soft thing below me is. Wait… I open my eyes and are immediately blinded by lights. “Where am I?” I croaked out, feeling the stiffness and soreness of my limbs and the pain from my chest.

The pain causes me to remember what happened and I suddenly look around again trying to tell where I am. “Hey honey, How are you feeling?” a warm female voice cuts through my pain and I look where it is coming from, it's a slightly fat woman with a motherly look about her. “Where am I?” I ask once again, a little firmer this time.

The woman smiles a little and answers my question in the same tone as before, calming me down a bit “You’re in the hospital hun.” “What hospital?” I question again “New York Cornell Presberterian hospital dear.” she replies quickly.

New York? Like, U.S. New York? I thought that this was a different dimension? Maybe I am in a parallel universe? I then realized that I missed what the woman that was beside me was saying, “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” I ask her “I was just asking how you are feeling dear.” she kindly tells me “Oh, well I hurt a lot but I think that I am ok other than that.” I say, more confidently than I feel.

She seemed to sense that but she just nodded in understanding, “Good. Now, can you tell me who you are honey?” She asks me and I say “My name is Ardika Ekia.” She reaches over to a clipboard on a desk not too far away and writes something down. “Now can you tell me who and where your parents are?”

I start to think about what to do, I can't just tell them that I am from another dimension or parallel universe, they won't believe me and they might even lock me up so I think that it is best if I just pretend that I don't remember anything. I look back up at the smiling woman again and say, “I don't remember.” making a pained expression as I do so as if it hurts to think too hard.

“You don't remember? What about their names?” The woman asks worriedly. I just shake my head no. The woman is looking more concerned now and asks, “Do you remember what happened to you?” to which I say, “No I don't, do you know?” This apparently makes her even more worried and she answers saying “No I don't sweetie. I have to go now, ok?” I nod at that and then she walks hurriedly away.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The second that she is out of sight, I see a glowing blue rectangle appear in the air in front of me this time without the forming words and instead just them appearing with the rectangle this time saying “Body Creation and Modification complete. Activate Ring Master System Y/N”

I stare at the glowing blue rectangle in front of me for a few seconds thinking ‘So, that thing is a system. Interesting. Should I say yes?’ I thought very carefully for a few seconds before deciding, ‘Not yet. I really hope no one can see the glowing floating rectangle.’ and I began to relax into the bed once more. I wonder what sort of universe this is?

________________________________________________________

In the next few days I was really bored, I had to stay in bed for the entire time I was there. Apparently, both my arms were broken, I had a concussion, my chest was caved in with multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung. I spent that entire time being talked to. How I was doing? Do I remember what happened to me? Who attacked you? You know normal stuff like that.

I also found out more about my new body. For instance, I am still a boy, which is a relief. And I am also 11 years old, and small for my age. I nearly screamed at the injustice of it all once I found out, I have to go through puberty twice!? But on the Brightside, I would probably live longer than if I was, say, an 80 year old man.

Also, apparently it is the year 2005, June 29th 2005 to be specific. I wasn't even surprised at this point. I mean, why not time travel along with reincarnation into another dimension? My past world logic is already out the window at this point. Another constant reminder of this is the system message that follows me everywhere but no one else can see it except me apparently, I think it’s probably only me seeing it because the system is showing me it through my mind, which is pretty cool, but also mildly disturbing at the same time.

When I started to be able to walk around they started to talk to me about where I want to go. I didn't know so they told me that I would be getting sent to an orphanage the next day on July 30th. I hope that it will be good. Or at least not terrible. I am currently in the back of a black car, getting driven to the orphanage by one of the caretakers with an expression of ill disguised apprehension, and disgust, the car stank. The caretaker looks back at me in the rear view mirror and asks “Are you excited?”

I looked up at her questioningly, did she really think that I would be excited about going to an orphanage? “Listen, it will be great! I have a feeling you will have some fun there!” I continue to not answer because I severely doubted her words, this is her job after all, she is getting paid to say that. The woman glances back and frowns at me but doesn't say anything as she continues to drive.

The rest of the ride is in silence, but I am fine with that. I just looked out the window at the new city I am in. I never went to New York in my old world so I can't tell if there is any difference to what it is supposed to look like, but everything looks pretty normal.

A few minutes later we arrived at the orphanage. It was a small stone building, nothing to fancy. I opened the car door and stepped outside into the warm sunny street, taking in every detail of my new home for who knows how long. It doesn't look terrible, I think that it has a nice old building charm.

The caretaker woman brings me out of my reverie with a loud cough “Well? Go on in!” she tells me in a cheery voice, a little too cheery for my liking. I quickly walk up the steps to the front door and raise my hand to knock on the stained oak. Before I could knock however the door swung wide revealing an old woman standing in the door scanning me and then looking behind me, presumably at the other caretaker that drove me here. I quickly lower my hand and say “Hello, my name's Ardika.” rather hurriedly.

The old woman looked down at me and smiled “Hello Ardika, my name is Director Kasandra.” ‘She is the director of the orphanage, better make a good first impression.’ I thought to myself “Glad to make your acquaintance Kasandra.” I said out loud.

At that she looked like she was about to laugh, I frowned internally at that, did I do something wrong? “You have good manners.” she tells me while still holding back laughter answering my internal question. Oh, I see what’s going on. It must look strange, an 11 year old boy acting so proper. I let out a sheepish smile, next time I need to try to be a little less formal.

The caretaker that was driving me walked up at that point so the director began to bring me inside to show the building and where my room will be, what time supper, lunch and breakfast will be at, the usual stuff that I need to know. I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived at my room, it looked pretty good for what I thought a room in an orphanage would be, one twin size bed, dresser, even a desk in the corner. It was perfect for what I needed; to learn and understand this new reality.

Even my immediate needs were met, I was brought to have supper with the other boys and girls in the building a few minutes after I arrived. They seemed to be happy, so that was a good sign. That supper was a really good one, the food was excellent, it reminded me of going out to eat with my family so it was a little bitter sweet. Then again, when you are used to having an IV drip of nutrients for your food for a week it really isn't that hard to impress someone by giving them food.

I even talked to a few people of my new age for the first time, I mean, they thought I acted really weird but that was to be expected for someone who’s mental age is 18 in a 11 year old body. Despite that I still had a good time.

Immediately after supper I went up to my room to instantly collapse onto my bed, not even bothering to change out of my hospital provided clothes into the orphanages provided PJ’s before I went to sleep. As I lay down on the white mattress I began thinking about my old reality. I wonder what happened when my family heard I died? I didn't have very many friends, besides Nate. I wonder if they are burying my body now? I started tearing up, I would never see them again. I cried myself to sleep that night.