“Where is he?” I cried, desperately looking around the room…? The room was a pitch-black void as if painted on all sides with a deep black. There was no light, but despite that I could see the outline of my body effortlessly. It was weird though, outline really was the right way to describe it.

  My body wasn’t vague or anything, it was closer to an illustration yet to have any detail added to. Looking closer I could see faint grey lines on the edge of my body. I moved my arm hesitantly and it felt… off.

  I couldn’t explain it if I tried, but there was something deeply unsettling about the way it moved.

  Oh, right. The man… well, he definitely is not in here. Hell, even if he was, I wouldn’t be able to notice.

  “Hello! Is anyone there?” I yelled as loud as I could, normally it would’ve hurt right? Or at least been unpleasant to yell like that. But I felt nothing, I could hear the sound, the words echoed in the room like inside a cave. Bouncing back and forth over and over seemingly never stopping. Until it did, instantly the noises went completely silent.

  I came to the only conclusion I could at this point. I was dead, the truck killed us both. Hopefully it killed those bastards chasing me-

  No, I’m not allowed to think that, how am I any better. Even if by accident, my haste caused someone to die. His hopes, his dreams, everything he ever was or would’ve been was erased. All because I thought he would get out of the way. I could’ve turned right or left; I could’ve tried calling for help.

  There were literally infinite things I could’ve done instead, but I decided to run into a man pushing us both onto a highway.

  What was the story? I try to remember some short story I vaguely remember reading, one about a scientist who died and was forced to do nothing but think for all eternity to entertain some god.

  This environment is uncomfortably similar to that, nothing but black and a body…

  Surely, I’m not in the same situation, right? No… No, I --- a coma, yes! I have to be in a coma; that’s the only explanation that makes sense.

  Yes, it has to be that. Even in that horrible terrifying story the god introduced himself by now. And if there is an afterlife it would be pointless for it to be this empty.

  “Whew” I couldn’t help myself from sighing, it was much easier to except this than dying. If I am thinking, I still have brain activity. Meaning I am still breathing and there is no brain damage. As long as life support was not disconnected, I could eventually recover.

  Although, I might have severe damage to my body, I might’ve been crushed and my spine could’ve been severed. I might wake up to find myself like Steven Hawking. That was harder to accept, maybe I could get lucky… no I’ll accept the middle ground.

  Surely it would be at most the waist down. If the truck crushed any higher, I would’ve instantly died. Died?

  Died?

  How do I know I’m not dead? Maybe this is purgatory, my punishment for killing that man. Wasn’t purgatory meant to be white, not black?

  Maybe my eyes are… No if there was anything wrong with them, I wouldn’t be able to see anything. I just need to relax, and breath softly…

  It finally hit me, I wasn’t breathing. At all, I- that can’t be right. God, if I’m not breathing then I really must’ve-

  Suddenly my environment completely changed. It was a bedroom? That’s what it looked like… wooded walls like in a log cabin, an obscenely tacky green carpet with a diamond motif. It was hard to see that though, the carpet was almost complete obscured by mountains and mountains of books, of all kinds. Thrown around with no care for organization, on the walls were yet more bookshelves and finally, in the corner was a blue bean bag chain and a relatively small CRT television.

  Sitting on top of the beanbag chair hugging their knees was a extremely pale man? Well probably a man, they were more masculine than feminine at least. They seemed terrified, the fear was obvious on their face. Fear was the lesser of the emotions on display, they seemed more guilty than a dog who ate their owner’s plate when they left the room.

  “Are you okay? Where are we?” I spoke softly trying not to startle them.

  “Oh… thank the heavens you’re not mad. I’m so sorry.” They almost whimpered out; their words were incredibly soft and quiet. It was hard to tell from the voice as well.

  Sorry, who is this person and what are they even sorry about? Are they God? No surely God wouldn’t be this meek.

  Instantly they further deflated, their expression looking even smaller and scared.

  “I… I am God...” they said with obvious embarrassment, their voice shaking and cracking from the effort.

  “Huh? What? You- your- so I’m dead! I… What about the man. The one I pushed!” I suddenly exclaimed not caring about my stutter. If this was God then, why eve-

  “He’s also dead, I know you don’t want to hear that. But he is, but- but don’t feel bad about it. It’s all my fault” they stammered out, and then audibly gasping.

  Stolen story; please report.

  “How? How is it you’re fault? I guess you are God, but I don’t-” I was cut off before finishing.

  “I know what you’re thinking, but no… it seriously is my fault… directly” they seemed so tense, as if I could pose a serious threat to them.

  “Why? What did you do? Did you-” interrupted again I realized that they probably could read my mind.

  “I accidentally deleted your luck, all of it. Even though I tried to save you… you still died.”

  Luck? Well, I guess that does explain that day. It was undoubtably the unluckiest day I have ever had. Even so, God seems to feel bad about it, so I’m sure they can bring me back and start-

  “I can’t do that; I don’t have any more power. I-I even if I kept you in stasis and gathered more, it would never be enough to go back in time. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I-I-if I was a higher ranked god I could’ve but I don’t even have enough power to save one person.” They seemed so ashamed, how could God-

  Wait, higher ranked? Are there other gods? Who is this the god of, earth? Or…

  “You are correct, well to be more specific I am the god of this universe. I guess I got too greedy making a whole universe at rank D.” They laughed awkwardly, tears starting to form in their eyes. A single tear runs down their face and hits the ground. Flashing the room in light.

  “Sorry I’m so sorry, I didn’t-”

  “It’s okay, it really is fine. It seems like you couldn’t really do anything about it. I appreciate your apology; I forgive you completely.”

  Since when was I so agreeable and compassionate? I should be angry, I should be enraged, but I can’t bring myself to feel anything negative towards them. Surely, they can make up for it in the afterlife.

  “About that… I-I didn’t have enough energy to make one… so I kind of just, you know?” they seem embarrassed again, their face now redder than pale.

  “Huh! So, you can’t bring me back and there’s no afterlife? What are you going to do with me!” I scream. My earlier agreeableness completely gone.

  They shrink back in terror, almost falling off the beanbag.

  “I’M SO SORRY!” Now they really start sobbing, snot filling their nose as their eyes join the rest of the red face. It was a really ugly sobbing, definitely unbefitting of a god.

  “Please forgive me! I’m so sorry” they continue, their tears flash-banging the room like a strobe light.

  Every drop overwhelms my senses, causing them to seemingly feel even worse and cry harder.

  “I’ll do whatever I can to make up for it. Just give me a moment.” And instantly they vanished. The room once again became the black void.

  My eyes should’ve struggled to adjust but there wasn’t even the faintest light remaining in my tired eyes. This body must be a placeholder or something, because human eyes take time to adjust to darkness. At the very least this is not my body at all.

  I don’t even know if these eyes are real, I try to touch my face but I feel no resistance or touch of any kind.

  My mind was surprisingly calm after that; it’s not like stressing about it would help. I really cannot do anything at this point. I just have to wait on that god to come back.

  So, I’ll just wait… and wait…

  And wait…

  And wait…

  Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, waiting, wait, waiting. Surely, I should’ve started to lose my mind by now, but it feels as if there is something physically stopping me from devolving or getting too anxious.

  How long has it been? Surely a few days, right? Maybe more? I really couldn’t tell.

  Whatever, I’ll just wait and wait until-

  “I’m back!” The meek God returned, looking rather proud and satisfied.

  The room returned to the cabin and I tripped and toppled the tower of books in front of me.

  “I’m so sorry!” the god cried out again.

  “It’s fine... what did you do?” I asked already feeling the anxiety rush back. Bubbling in my veins, consuming everything in its path.

  “I made a deal, a really good one!” The god suddenly exclaimed.

  “I made a deal with an F rank goddess, she said she would accept one human. And let you live in a different world!” They proudly exclaimed, puffing up their chest as they stand proudly for once.

  “Another world? Seriously? What is it like?” suddenly the anxiety is replaced by excitement, my body feeling light enough to fly into the air.

  Another world, like one of the countless books I’ve read. What’s next will it have, an RPG mechanic?

  “Yes, it will! I looked at some of the books you’ve read and looked for a similar world to put you in.” The god looks so proud they almost seem like a different person.

  I finally notice they are in fact taller than me. I guess it makes sense, I’m not the tallest guy around. So literally God being taller than me is not a surprise.

  Finally, things are headed in a direction I can accept, it’s a shame I can’t go back home. But let’s be honest here, life on earth isn’t the most fulfilling thing anyways.

  Again, the god deflates like a balloon. Their shoulders slouching and they sink back into the bean bag.

  Oh yeah, they can read my mind. Can’t they?

  “I didn’t mean anything by it, really! I, just… you know want some action and adventure in my life. And… and… It’s not like earth is that horrible of a place.”

  “You don’t have to fake it, I know you didn’t have the best life back there. And there are so many people suffering worse fates than you even… I just wish I could do something about it…”

  Huh? Hmmm… a brilliant idea pops inside my head. What if I get powerful over in the other world and then come back and fix things? How would I do that? No idea, but it’s something to work towards.

  “How long would it take to bring me back? If you felt like it?” I asked despite knowing they could probably already see the brilliant plan.

  “No… that won’t work. I appreciate the thought… but I can’t get you back after this. I’m going to miss you but you’ll forever leave my grasp.” They have such a melancholic in their face, their eyes say so much I’m not even sure how to describe them.

  Aren’t I just one of hundreds of billions, why am I so important.

  “You’re all so important. I made all of you to live happy lives, but… but… look at the world! I messed it all up! And I couldn’t even save one person; I fell so far. I – I”

  “Do you talk to everyone after they die?” I ask, not caring I’m literally interrupting a god.

  “Yeah… it’s the least I can do.”

  “And how do most people react?” I question, already guessing the answer.

  “Most people start respectful, but they all ask the same questions… and I answer honestly… and they all get angry and look down on me, saying they could’ve done it better.” They can barely finish the sentence as their eyes mist up again.

  “Even if they’re right, I’m glad you’re God. I’m sure you knew I was never religious, not anymore… but I’m so glad you were trying to do good. It’s a shame I had to die to find out.” I laugh slightly.

  “What’s your name? I’ll try to spread it in the new world.”

  Maybe if I spread your name then-

  “Absolutely not, this goddess helped me out of the goodness of her heart. I will not betray her like that.” They said resolutely, surprising me.

  “Although I appreciate the thought, my name is ?? ? ? ?? ??, I know you won’t be able to understand, but thank you.”

  “Can I ask for one thing?” I request. Hoping they will hear me out.

  “What? I cannot do much, but I’ll do what I can”

  “Can you also send the guy I pushed? I don’t want to feel guilty in my next life too”

  "Of course I can, but they will not be receiving the same advantages you will have. Will that work?"

  “Yeah, that will work. Thank you, seriously.”

  “Okay I’ll start the transfer...”

  I would regret asking for that favor with every fiber of my being.