I sat there staring out the window of the giant 7-story office building. I am completely and utterly bored out of my mind. I consider, only for a second, how it would feel to jump out of one of the huge windows that outline the entirety of the 7th floor. I quickly dismiss the thought, as it would be too unrealistic, and I would never actually do it. Right?
As I think to myself just how miserable I have been these past 3 years, working in this same plain old office building, I feel a sudden jolt coming from my right pocket, of course, where my cell phone is.
I grab the cell phone out of my pocket and to my surprise it's my best friend Gabe, asking to meet up at a local seafood restaurant after my shift is over. I contemplate for a second: do I really want to go or should I stay back and get dinner alone?
For someone as introverted as myself, the answer should have been obvious, but for some reason I decided that today would be a great time to hang out with my friend. Which is quite odd because typically I would always refuse and eat alone because I simply do not like hanging out with people, but today was special. I could feel it in my gut.
***
My shift ended due to me completing all of my work earlier than expected. I was free to leave when I wanted to, but I hung back in the office for a while in the hopes that Gabe would decide against dinner. Even though I decided to go in the end, I did oddly have this weird feeling that something might go wrong.
I would never normally call myself a cautious person, but lately I have been a bit on edge. It's almost as if my mind is telling me to prepare for something to come. What that might be, I have no idea.
I did, however, know the type of crowd my best friend surrounded himself with, and it was an understatement to say that they were just bad criminals. They were the most ruthless gang in the entire city, and that's why I would typically have second thoughts when Gabe asked to hang out.
However, today was different because I'm just so incredibly bored that I don't care what I'm doing, I just want something to do.
Finishing this thought, I grabbed my things off of my desk and took the clip off of my shirt, stating that my name was in fact Allen. Allen Graves to be exact, but that is not of much importance any more. It's not like I go around trying to make new friends anyway.
Then finally, standing up from my desk, I made my way towards the elevator which would then lead me down to the first floor where the exit was located. Finally I'm free.
Now, glancing at my watch, I noticed the time to be a quarter past 5.
I quickly realized I don't have much time before the start of the scheduled dinner, so I hurriedly made my way to the location of the restaurant.
***
It took me roughly 30 minutes to get to the location, so I still had a bit of free time before sitting down with Gabe for a meal. I decided that I would spend the roughly 15 minutes I had, exploring the surroundings, and that is exactly what I did.
I walked around for a bit before noticing a nice looking older couple around 60-70 years old, sitting together peacefully. I then noticed that from behind them was a man dressed in all black with a hood over the top of his head, covering the top half of his face.
It was very strange because the man dressed in black was looking at his surroundings very intently as if he was trying to spot someone in particular.
Unknowingly, I was staring at the man for quite a long time. However, I immediately stopped walking as me and the man made direct eye contact. For some strange reason this interaction gave me huge goosebumps, as if my body was warning me about this strange, mysterious figure. Almost as if it wanted me to get away.
So I did exactly that. I walked back towards the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Gabe, and as soon as I got there I was delighted to see Gabe already having saved me a seat at a table for two people.
Calmly, I walked over with a slight grin on my face, remembering how long it had been since I last saw Gabe due to them associating with vastly different groups of people.
Well in the case of me I simply did not involve myself with anyone aside from my mother and father, as well as Gabe from time to time of course.
Gabe heartily greeted me with a strangely huge smile.
"Hey Allen! How have you been bro?"
"I've been alright I guess, for the most part. How about you man? I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah well you know how it is with work and everything so I usually get tied up and don't have much free time."
After that was said, I sat there for a moment thinking to myself. No I really don't know how it is with work because you're part of a gang you idiot! But I don't want to get involved so there's no point in asking.
"That's unfortunate, but I honestly feel the same due to having to work such long shifts at the office a lot of the time."
I could have sworn I saw Gabe roll his eyes a bit as he heard me say that. As if he was in a hurry to do something and I was slowing it down, but before I could say anything about it I was already being cut off by Gabe.
"Yeah well actually I'm on a job right now. You want me to let you in on a little secret?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Okay well I'm actually looking for an older couple who might be in on some criminal activity. Have you seen them?"
When Gabe finished his question, I felt a bit off, as if the mention of the older couple changed the atmosphere for some reason, and even though I thought the question to be pretty strange, knowing that Gabe was involved in a gang, I still answered truthfully.
"Oh, yes I actually have. You see, I just saw them not too long ago. I can show you where if you'd like."
Although I'm not quite sure why I offered to show Gabe where they were, I would do it anyway if it meant that I wasn't bored by this interaction any longer.
Hearing this, Gabe smiled yet again. However, this time it wasn't the same huge, hearty smile he had earlier. No, this one was a very creepy, ominous grin. As if he was a beast who had just cornered its prey.
"Yes! That would be wonderful, Allen, thank you."
He said, whilst still holding the creepy grin that sent cold, fearful shivers down my spine.
And with that, we got up and walked out of the restaurant towards the direction that I had seen the older couple sitting last.
We couldn't find them where I had seen them before, so Gabe suggested that maybe we look around the area to see if they were still there or had possibly left already. I look towards Gabe and hear him say, with the creepy grin once more plastered on his face,
"Let's split up to cover the area faster. How about you go over there."
I heard Gabe say whilst pointing, but the odd thing was that he was pointing to an alleyway where the people around seemed instinctively avoid like the plague.
However, what was more odd was the fact that I actually agreed, I mean, why would I agree? There wasn't anything in it for me and that alley scared me quite a bit. But still I agreed and slowly but surely made my way toward the alley.
While slowly walking towards it, I stopped once to look back to see if I could spot Gabe anywhere because they were supposed to split up, but when I looked back, I realized Gabe was gone, and in the place where he once stood, a man dressed in all black. As soon as I noticed him, the man immediately lunged forward, rushing towards my direction. Unsheathing a small dagger like blade from his back pocket.
Quickly realizing what was happening, I didn't panic... Well almost. Instead, I simply started running as fast as I could in the opposite direction. Which just so happened to be... yes, directly into the dark alley.
Not caring where I was at the moment, I simply looked for the quickest route of escape directly into the alley. Still running as fast as I possibly could, noticed not too far ahead, two older people lying on the ground. Getting closer, I realized they actually seemed to be unconscious!
And those weren't just two old people, they were the older couple I saw sitting on the bench!
So, because it felt like the right thing to do, stopped and tried to wake them up, but I couldn't for long because the man in black was right on My heels!
So, with a regretful sigh, I yelled an apologetic sorry towards the older couple then turned around, trying to run away again, but as I took the first step, I felt as though weights had been strapped to my legs, something was weighing me down!
Looking down, I realized exactly what happened. Two people were holding onto my legs as I tried to run away, pinning my feet to the ground!
I started shaking my legs, trying to get them off. But, it wasn't working! I was stuck in place!
And that was all it took for the man in black to completely catch up and tackle me. I started struggling desperately with the man in hopes of being able to fight him off, but it wasn't working. He was too strong for my frail body to compete with.
Yelling for help would not help me either, as everyone who was around avoided this alley for the lives of them.
However, as soon as I came to this conclusion I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. Looking down, I noticed the silver dagger the man had been carrying, lodged deep into my chest. But it got worse as, because considering that I felt light-headed all of the sudden and could barely bring myself to breathe, the wound was likely fatal.
Now looking around the alley, I noticed the two older people already running off, afraid that they might get caught.
The same could not be said about the man in black though, as he hung back for a bit, likely deciding what to do with me, lying in a pool of my own blood that slowly seeped from the gaping wound in my chest.
Still gasping for air, and applying pressure to my chest I noticed the man in black turn around and walk back towards the entrance of the alley. However, just before reaching the outside he said loudly in a booming, sarcastic voice...
"Goodbye Allen~! Thanks for the help."
As soon as I heard those words, I knew exactly who it was hiding behind the hood.
It was Gabe. My best friend.
Dammit! I should have known he would pull something like this!
However, what happened next, blew my mind completely, because somehow, someway, I could hear a voice.
Not from the, what felt like, endless expanse of alleyway in front and behind me. No, this voice was coming from within. It was as if someone was transmitting words into my mind.
The words spoken by this voice truly shocked me. So much in fact that I nearly forgot all about the, still fatal wound in my chest.
[The Gods of Creation gaze upon your existence with a shred of astonishment]
[The Gods of Creation wish to reward you for your bravery and selflessness]
[You will now be reawakened within the soul of a boy from a different universe, with a special privilege]
[Prepare yourself]
What? Me? Why me? I was just tricked! it wasn't bravery or selflessness. No, it was foolishness!
The voice seemingly unwilling to hear me out.
However, before I could protest further, I suddenly felt as though I was being embraced in a tight, loving hug filled with energy. Then in the very next instant, I was dead.
That was not the case at all however. I had just disappeared, gone in an instant. Not even enough time to think.
I was gone... but to where?
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