"??? – Chemistry… Practice… I'm already sick of it, but I have to keep going…"
A resigned sigh fell heavily from the young man's mouth. He was standing in front of a bus stop and wore a bored and tired expression. His surroundings were pitch black, and you could tell it was late at night.
He looked young and healthy, even though he wore a tired expression that did not fit his age and physical features. His medium-sized golden hair fell into bangs over his face, and his green eyes were like those of a dead fish, staring relentlessly at his phone while he scrolled down without a single reaction.
His clothes were clearly for basketball, and he had a uniform on with "HUNTERS" written on it.
His surroundings were quiet, filled only with the sounds of a few people walking by or a video playing on his cellphone. After a few minutes of waiting, his bus finally arrived, and he made a hand sign for the driver to stop. As he did that, he opened a small smile and tried to focus his eyes a little so he wouldn't look so defeated.
The bus came to a stop in front of him, and he entered. From the driver's friendly expression, it was clear that the young man always got this very bus.
Driver – Hey Dante, how have you been?
Dante – I've been great, Salas-san. Just busy with school, championships, and basketball, y'know? It ain't been easy.
The old man grabbed the five dollars Dante handed him with a smile and attentively listened to what the young boy had to say while humming. He pressed a button to open the turnstile so the young boy could enter.
Salas – I see. This is the most important phase of your life, you gotta work hard. But don't forget to rest, Dante.
The old man said this with a smile while he once again started moving the bus. Inside, it was almost empty, and since Dante had nothing to do and seemed to have a friendly relationship with the old man, he decided to keep talking.
Dante – Yea, I will graduate in three years… I don't really want to go to college, but it's better for me to study a lot so if things go south, I have a plan B…
And about resting?…
I already rest much more than necessary…
Even though he said that, it did not relieve the man's concern at all. The boy's tired expression said the absolute opposite of what he was saying, even though he tried to hide it. But the old man decided not to push it much further, so to lighten the mood, he changed topics.
Salas – So you're resting, hm?…
Anyways, what about the girls? Have you been hitting it up? They must go crazy over you.
The old man's point was indeed true. Dante had handsome, unique features such as his green eyes and natural blond hair. He was also pretty athletic. But he was very shy and extremely busy, so he did not have a girlfriend or anything like that.
Dante – You know I don't got the time for this stuff, Salas-san… And even if I had… I'm too awkward for someone to really stick with me when I open up…
Salas – Geez, boy, you should really have more self-esteem. You really won't rizz up the huzz if you keep like that.
Dante – Salas, is it just me or are you trying to use slangs you don't even know the meaning of?
Dante said with a playful expression. The heaviness in his eyes seemed to have faded a bit, and he now wore a more fitting expression for his age.
Salas chuckled upon being figured out.
Salas – Was it that obvious? I'm not even that old.
He said with feigned sadness while taking a turn. This light mood was everything they needed.
Dante – Yea, Salas, you are officially reaching unc sta—
His speech was cut in half by the sudden appearance of a girl, seemingly in her twenties, throwing herself in front of the bus. Her white hair swung in the moonlight while her body flew almost in slow motion toward the bus. She seemed to have a letter attached to her with a pendant.
Nonetheless, they did not have time to think about such things.
Salas was the first to react, as a seasoned driver. He swung the steering wheel hard to the right, but upon doing so, he realized he had turned straight into a truck coming at full speed. The collision was wild and immediate.
Dante continued with no reaction as he saw the glass shattering and felt the bus shaking while it overturned wildly. His body, not held by a seatbelt, flew toward the bus walls, and shattered glass cut through his skin.
He felt a burning pain in multiple parts of his body. Then he noticed he couldn't move. His back had slammed against the wall, and his spine was shattered. He tried to scream, but his lungs were compromised. The only thing he could do was try to throw up.
But he realized—
He was on fire.
The truck that hit the bus was carrying oil, which exploded and left everything on fire instantly upon collision. Dante's abdomen and legs were burning. The only thing he could feel was pain. He couldn't think. He couldn't do anything. He only felt pain
He could feel his internal body parts boiling inside of him, it hurt, but more than that he felt fear, he wanted to live, he wanted to keep living, the fear was just as overwhelming as the pain, the fear was primal, he knew he was going to die, someone, he wanted someone something anything help in his mind he couldn't think
It's hurting, I am scared, someone something it hurts please please please help me it hurts I don't want to die I don't want to die what do I do, someone help me, it's hurting I can't feel please please I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to dieI don't want to die I don't want to die I don't... Ahh...
His vision started to blur and fall into darkness. But the last thing he saw was the body of the man he saw as an uncle, one of the people he trusted the most — one could even say a father figure.
Half his body was strapped into the driver's seat, and the other half hung against one of the bus poles.
Once again, Dante tried to scream, but there were no lungs.
Then everything turned black. The pain stopped. The deafening noise against his ears stopped, replaced by an inexplicable sense of loss.
He could feel nothing.
He could see nothing.
He could hear nothing.
But he existed.
In this inexplicable state, time passed. Maybe one minute? A year?
A billion years?
A Trillion years?
He did not know. But it felt like a single second to him.
And when he had eyes to see again, a mouth to speak, and a mind to think—
He was at the top of a tree, hanging upside down.
And his mind was completely filled with the thoughts of what had "just" happened.