The clock hit 6:30 PM on a gloomy Friday evening, October 10, 2025, as Eren Drayce walked home from school. His uniform sleeve was torn, and a bruise showed on his cheek from another fight. The bullies had beaten him again.
His messy black hair fell over his pale face, and his old clothes showed he came from a poor family. Eren was always an easy target. The cool autumn wind stung his skin as he walked, his shoes scraping against the cracked road that led to his broken-down house.
As he walked, dark thoughts filled his mind.
Why is my life like this? Why can't I feel anything? What's the point of living when everything feels so empty?
His chest hurt. The world around him looked blurry — the old shops, the barking dogs, the cars far away. Everything just made him feel smaller.
Finally, he reached his two-story house. The walls were gray, the paint had peeled off, and the windows looked like they would fall apart any second. Inside, the air smelled old and damp. Eren pushed the creaky door open and dropped his torn school bag in a corner.
He walked to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and looked in the cracked mirror. His eyes were dark from lack of sleep, and there was a red mark from a bully's punch. The water didn't help. The sadness stayed.
In the small kitchen, he cooked egg bread. The pan sizzled in the quiet house. The bread burned a little, but he didn't care. He ate slowly, not even tasting it.
Then, suddenly — bang! — the front door flew open. His father stumbled inside, drunk again. He smelled of cheap alcohol and anger.
His red eyes glared at Eren. Without a word, he kicked Eren twice in the ribs and slapped the back of his head.
"It's all your fault, you useless brat!" his father yelled before collapsing into a chair.
Eren fell to the floor, pain spreading through his body. But he didn't even cry. He just stared blankly at the ground. The pain inside was worse than any beating.
Ahh… what should I do? he thought. I could kill him. I could kill anyone if I wanted to. But I don't even have the energy. I'm just tired.
He felt numb. Why am I alive? I don't want this anymore.
With shaking hands, Eren stood up. His chest hurt, but he ran outside into the cold night.
There's no need to think too much, he told himself. His feet carried him to the old stone bridge by the dark river.
The wind blew hard. The rusty rails rattled.
I should just jump… Why are my hands shaking? I don't need to be scared. Just do it. Just jump.
His heart pounded. He closed his eyes, took one deep breath, and jumped into the darkness below.
The freezing water swallowed him. He sank fast. His lungs burned, and bubbles escaped his mouth. Suddenly, something strange happened — a slimy creature slipped into his mouth and crawled down his throat.
Then, everything went black.
When Eren opened his eyes, he was lying on the muddy riverbank. The sound of water was faint. He coughed and slowly sat up. His clothes were soaked, his body cold and weak.
Wait… what? Am I alive? Or did I reincarnate or something? he thought, confused.
He clenched his fists. "Fine. I'll just jump again. That's easy enough," he whispered, trying to steady his voice.
He looked around — and froze.
The world around him was in ruins. Broken buildings, shattered glass, and fallen walls surrounded him. Trees and vines grew over the remains. Not a single sound. No people, no animals. Just silence.
It felt like a world after a great war.
For some reason, seeing all the destruction made him feel... calm. Even happy. Ahh… this chaos… it makes me feel good, he thought with a strange smile. Maybe I'll jump from that building next.
His eyes locked onto a tall, half-broken building in the distance.
He walked toward it slowly. The walls were cracked, moss grew on the concrete, and the stairs were covered with dust and broken pieces of stone.
Step by step, Eren climbed up to the sixth floor. The wind howled through the open holes in the wall.
He stood on the edge and looked down. His heart raced.
This is it, he thought.
Without any hesitation, Eren jumped.
The air rushed past him. Then — crash! — he hit the hard ground. Blood splattered everywhere. His skull cracked, pain exploding through his head.
But then… something unbelievable happened.
His body started to heal. His skin, bones, and flesh came back together like magic. Within seconds, he was whole again.
Ahh! It hurts so much! he screamed, clutching his chest as the pain faded.
He stood up, trembling, and looked at his hands in shock. What is this? Is it magic? Am I in another world?
He stared around the empty ruins, confused and afraid. Or maybe… this is a curse? Why me? Why now?
No answers came. Only silence.
Eren stood there, breathing heavily, surrounded by a world that was dead — yet somehow, he could not die.
---