"Felix! FELIX!"
I slowly opened my eyes. Blurry images floated before me. I rubbed my face with my hands, and the picture snapped into focus: my homeroom teacher was standing right there, looking down at me with displeasure.
"Felix, this happens in every single class. You sleep and sleep," he scolded. "Exams are still a long way off, so don't expect me to believe you were up late studying."
I stood up slowly.
"I'm sorry, sir..." I paused, my brain scrambling for an excuse I hadn't already used. But my mind was a total blank. Coming up with nothing, I continued, "It won't happen again. It's my fault, sir."
I swallowed the lump in my throat and bowed slowly.
"Oh?" The teacher looked surprised. "No excuse this time? Alright, I'll let it slide. But only if you tell me honestly what you're doing at night instead of sleeping."
I don't think the teacher would forgive me if I told him I was farming rating points against idiots online to earn money for skins... I thought.
"Sir, Felix and I were working on..." suddenly, the guy at the desk next to me stood up, "...preparing posters for the upcoming festival!"
The teacher looked at the other student, then cast a scrutinizing glance back at me. "Is that true, Felix?"
Why did he have to save me? I specifically said I wouldn't help him with the posters!
But if I said "no," I'd get an earful from my grandmother about my bad behavior grades. If I said "yes"... I'd be stuck dealing with those stupid drawings.
Fine. I promised Dad I'd finish school with honors. That means playing the game.
"Yes, that's true, sir..." I said, my voice slightly unsure.
"Alright. But try not to sleep in class from now on. Your partner isn't sleeping, is he?"
The teacher turned and walked toward the blackboard. The guy sat back down, grinning, and gave me a thumbs-up.
Dammit. Now I have to help him...
I had told him I was bad at drawing. That was just an excuse—I actually draw quite well—but there is a small catch.
I am extremely unlucky.
Since childhood, I could be walking down the street and slip on a banana peel like I was in some stupid cartoon. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. I wouldn't just slip and fall; I'd accidentally push an old lady straight under the wheels of a fuel truck whose driver had fallen asleep at the wheel with his foot on the gas.
Some brave young guy would rush to save the grandmother. He'd jump in the way, the driver would wake up just in time and try to brake, but it would be too late. He'd swerve to avoid them, lose control, and the truck would crash straight into the nearest building.
And that building would turn out to be an orphanage. Upon impact, the fuel truck would explode, taking everything with it! Goodbye, kids. Goodbye, brave hero.
Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but I really am unlucky. I think you'll see that for yourself soon enough.
The bell rang loudly, and the room instantly filled with noise. Kids started chatting and packing their bags.
My "savior" walked up to me.
"Listen, maybe you'll change your mind and help me with the drawings? I know you can draw. We went to middle school together, remember?" the guy said with a smile.
I looked him up and down carefully, but I didn't recognize him at all.
"I don't recall going to school with you. My class didn't have any..." I looked him over again, "...'unique personalities' like you."
Why did I call him a "unique personality"? Let me explain. He had a ridiculous haircut, pierced lips and eyebrows, stupid jewelry, and combat boots. He was dressed like some kind of rocker. How did they even let him into the school?
"Ah, right, I've changed a bit! It's me, Leo!" He struck a goofy pose.
"Ah... right. There was a Leonard who studied with me, but he had a stutter and was always silent."
"You can't be the same person..." I declared with distrust.
You might ask me: "But he called you for help earlier, how could you not recognize a former classmate? Do you even know who you go to school with?"
The answer is simple: I don't pay attention to school at all. I just try to catch up on sleep and avoid leaving the classroom unnecessarily—with my luck, moving around can be quite painful.
"You won't believe it, but I met this great person and realized: you only live once, so you have to live it to the fullest!" Leo said enthusiastically. "So I don't care what people think. I'm going to live and look the way I want. I'm not shy about my inner self anymore. So, will you help me?"
Sounds cliché. Did this weirdo meet a Kamina cosplayer from Gurren Lagann or something?
"Fine. You bailed me out, so I'll help you. But only for one evening," I said with a slight smile, gathering my things.
"Awesome! Meet me at my place. I'll text you the address."
"Just be careful when you walk through the forest," he added, before walking away quickly.
It had been a long time since I hung out at someone's house. The last time was in my distant childhood. I don't even remember the name of the kid, just that he was visiting relatives with his parents.
Throwing my backpack over my shoulder, I left the classroom and walked down the busy corridor. Everyone was busy with their own business: rushing to class, chatting sweetly, or, like me, trying to get out of school as fast as possible.
Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath me. I flew down the stairs. Bright flashes exploded before my eyes.
I opened my eyes. Damn, I'm so clumsy... Or is this my bad luck activating for the first time today?
Someone reached a hand out to me.
"Are you okay?" a pleasant, gentle, and concerned voice reached my ears.
I squinted and saw her: it was sweet Asahina! I immediately took her hand and stood up.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" I said with a smile, scratching the back of my head slightly.
"But you hit yourself so hard! You need to go to the nurse right now," Asahina insisted.
"I told you, it's fine. Don't worry about a fool like me. See? Full of energy!" I rotated my arm, but immediately felt a sharp pain. I doubled over slightly but forced a smile onto my face.
"You idiot... I hope this doesn't stop you from coming over to help Leo," Asahina said, punching me lightly on the shoulder.
"What? How do you know I'm helping him?" I was surprised.
"Because I'm helping Leo too. So I hope you come," she replied.
I wanted to say that I would have agreed instantly if I had known she would be there, but I didn't have time—the bell rang.
"Okay, I'm off. See you tonight!" With that, Asahina ran up the stairs.
Sigh. Asahina, my childhood friend... If it weren't for her, I never would have started drawing.
Maybe I should walk to that idiot's house with her? No, that won't work; she has classes until late evening. She'll probably go straight to his place afterward. And I really don't want to walk all that way alone...
I stopped. Wait. Leo has been preparing festival posters for two days. Does that mean he's been alone with Asahina in his house?
Just the two of them... What are they doing in there?
I immediately imagined a rather spicy scene involving Leo and Asahina.
AAAAH! No!!! Why am I even thinking about that?! I shook my head, trying to dislodge the stupid thoughts, and kept walking. No, Asahina wouldn't let that fool touch her. And him... He used to be a terrible bore who never spoke to anyone, just mumbled and read his stupid books.
How did he change so much?
"Screw it!"
Suddenly, I felt a hand press against my chest, and the loud roar of passing cars blasted my ears.
"You again, kid! Are you blind or something?" a breathless police officer yelled at me.
Motherf— I was thinking so hard I stopped paying attention to the world. Did I enter a 'thought stream'?
"Be careful, kid. Next time I might not be around," the officer said, patting me lightly on the shoulder.
I bowed slightly. "Thank you so much, officer!"
"Stand up straight, son, no need to bow. Just doing my job." The officer waved his hand and walked away.
I adjusted the bag on my shoulder and headed on. I didn't have far to go; the school was quite close to home. Just like everything in this town... I live on a small island surrounded by the sea.
I hope one day I can get out of this hole.
I opened the front door and announced myself: "Grandma, Grandpa, I'm home!"
But no one answered. That was strange; usually, my grandparents come out to greet me as soon as they hear me.
I carefully took off my shoes and walked further into the house. It turned out the old folks were praying at my father's altar.
"Feli, sit with us," Grandma said quietly, patting the floor next to her. I immediately sat down.
"Five years... Five long years you haven't been home, son," Grandma said with sadness in her eyes, looking at the portrait of my father standing in the center of the altar.
My father died five years ago. He was a traveler; he couldn't live without adventure. Every six months, he worked on a fishing vessel somewhere deep in the Pacific Ocean, and then spent almost all his earnings on expeditions.
He even wanted to take me with him, but he didn't have time...
He and a group of close friends took an unexplored route to the summit of Everest, but a severe blizzard struck. Everyone survived except my father... Initially, he was the only one unharmed, but he decided to play the hero. He went back to save his comrades, completely forgetting about himself. In the end, he pulled everyone out, but he remained forever deep in the cold snows of Tibet.
I teared up a little remembering it.
"I raised the best of men out of you, son!" declared my grandfather, pouring himself a shot of some alcohol and draining it in one gulp.
"I miss you, Dad," I whispered under my breath, and a tear rolled down my cheek.
Father always said that tears are good, but a smile is even better. That's why he wanted me to smile, not cry, when he was gone. He said that right before that trip to Tibet...
What a fool. A slight smile appeared on my face.
I stood up slowly. "I'll be in my room, Grandma."
Grandma got up from the floor and went to the stove. "Grandson, you just got in. Sit at the table and have a snack."
She poured a bowl of fragrant noodle soup. I couldn't refuse such an appetizing dish—after all, I hadn't eaten during the break at school—so I nodded silently and sat at the table. Grandpa remained sitting at Father's altar.
I brought the spoon to my mouth, and my eyes lit up. A heavenly taste spread through my mouth. One spoonful after another, and the soup disappeared in the blink of an eye. I got up from the table.
"Thank you so much, Grandma!"
"Maybe some seconds, grandson? Look how skinny you are!" she tried to stop me.
I smiled. "Thanks, but no, Grandma. I have to go to a classmate's house today to work on festival posters. So, while I have time, I'm going to lie down in my room."
Grandma looked surprised. "Wow, you're leaving the house to work on a school project? Haven't seen that in a long time... Well, alright, go ahead." She smiled.
I went into my room and immediately landed on the bed, soft as a cloud.
How I missed you, bed! So soft and cool...
I took out my phone. There were a couple of messages from Leo: he wrote that I should be at his place by 7:00 PM and sent his geolocation.
What time is it now?
I looked at the screen: 5:30 PM. So I have a little time. Maybe I can even play a game? Though unlikely... One match can drag on for a couple of hours, and I don't want to say goodbye to my MMR.
I slowly closed my eyes...
I summoned the console and shouted: "PHOENIX STRIKE!"
A powerful fireball flew toward the dragon, knocking off tens of thousands of HP.
"Stupid dragon, I'm maxed out at level 99! You'll never defeat me in this life!"
The dragon unleashed a powerful jet of fire from its maw. The earth shook. Strong vibrations and the sound of a phone ringing filled the entire arena. Suddenly, everything began to fade...
I opened my eyes. Damn it, did I fall asleep?! I grabbed my phone. Unknown number. I answered.
"Hey, Felix, where are you? We've been waiting for an hour!" a male voice came from the receiver, and a girl's voice could be heard in the background. "Is everything okay? Does your arm hurt so much you can't come?"
Aw, hell... I overslept. Should I just tell them?
"Guys, I accidentally fell asleep. I'm coming right now!"
The voices on the phone laughed. "Just hurry up, we have a lot of work here. By the way, since you're late, you'll have to work with us for more than just one day!" Leo said.
I smiled. "Fine, you win. I'll be there soon."
Hanging up, I got out of bed and quickly changed from my school uniform into looser clothes.
"Grandma, Grandpa, I'm leaving!" I shouted, standing at the door leading to the exit.
Grandma waved her hand; Grandpa was asleep on the sofa in front of the TV.
I left the house and headed toward the forest, which was on the other side of town.
A beautiful view of the embankment and the sea, with the orange sun setting on the water's surface, accompanied me. A mesmerizing landscape. It's worth living on this island just for this... Pity the downsides of living here outweigh it.
Suddenly, a hand pressed against my chest, blocking my path, and a powerful rush of air from a speeding car hit me in the face.
"You again, kid!" the officer said, smiling.
Damn... That's the second time today he's saved me.
"You've saved me twice today, officer! Thank you so much!" I said, this time without bowing.
"Don't mention it, kid, it's my duty. Although my shift is coming to an end. Alright, see ya, kiddo, and good luck!" The officer turned and raised a hand, waving goodbye.
I began to climb the steep slope. The trees blocked the weak light from the setting sun, and a pleasant pine scent filled my nose. For some reason, the ground here was slightly wet, even though it hadn't rained in a long time.
I took out my phone to check if I was going in the right direction. Noticing a shortcut on the map leading to Leo's house, I decided to turn onto it.
That was probably the biggest mistake of my life. It was almost pitch black, and there were ditches everywhere... But whatever, I'd get to Leo's faster.
A SHARP, SEARING PAIN, LIKE BOILING WATER, EXPLODED IN MY RIGHT LEG.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I SCREAMED AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS.
I LOOKED DOWN: A BEAR TRAP WAS CLAMPED AROUND MY LEG LIKE A VISE. DARKNESS FILLED MY EYES...
I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was blurry. A vile, musty smell clogged my nostrils.
I tried to open my mouth but realized there was already something in it—a gag stretched my jaw to the limit. I could only cry.
The silhouette of a burly man stood nearby. He was sharpening something that looked like a saw.
I started thrashing with all my might, but my hands were deadlocked by metal chains. Every movement caused pain in my wrists. Suddenly, the pain in my leg flared up again, even sharper. All I could do was moo.
The man noticed I was awake and stopped sharpening the tool. He walked over and pressed the blade against my arm.
I pressed myself against the back of the chair, trying to move away even a millimeter to break this nightmare contact, but there was nowhere to move—the chair was right against the wall.
The saw touched my skin and began to slowly bite into the flesh.
MY EYES FILLED WITH BLOOD AND TEARS. THE HELLISH BURNING PAIN IN MY ARM INTENSIFIED.
I MOOED LOUDLY AND PRAYED TO EVERY GOD I KNEW FOR HELP, BUT APPARENTLY, TODAY THEY HAD ALL TURNED THEIR BACKS ON ME.
I WAS SLOWLY LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT THE MAN HELD SOMETHING UNDER MY NOSE WITH A SMELL AS ACRID AS AMMONIA.
THIS CONTINUED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS UNTIL I FINALLY BLACKED OUT...
I struggled to peel my eyelids apart. Everything before my eyes was red. My other eye was swollen shut and wouldn't open at all.
I realized I was lying on the ground and wheezed heavily. I couldn't move a single limb.
Suddenly—darkness.
Light... A bright light somewhere far away, beyond the horizon. So close, yet so far.
Something was whispering to me... A sweet female voice continued to whisper words in an unknown language. I didn't understand a thing she was saying, but it soothed me so much...
Mom... I've never seen you, never heard your voice. Do you even exist in this world?
I snapped my eyes open. I was inside something tight, resembling a metal coffin with glass on the front. Through it, I could see a dimly lit room. I very slowly raised my head and saw something resembling a tube connected to this coffin.
Is this Purgatory? So, where did I end up—Hell or Heaven?
AAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAA AAA AAAAAAA
Fire filled the entire space, but in a split second, it was over.
What the hell was that???
I felt like I was burning alive!