1 Where to begin and end

I awoke. Today was just another ordinary day but I felt like something was going to happen. I brushed that feeling over. What was gonna happen? Me getting hit by a truck on the way to the bank? nonsense. that would be stupid. like that was ever gonna happen. I was more likely to die from an accidental shot than a truck.

I quickly got ready and brushed my teeth. I looked into the mirror to see the same old face I see every day although if I saw a new one everyday I believe I wouldn't be sane. I was half African half Asian. My mother was African she was a doctor as well as my father who was also a doctor. My father was from Korea and my mother Nigeria.

My mother though was a heavy smoker which kinda contradicted her occupation which I and my father often joked about until her death. They couldn't save her. We always friend to stop her but she would always say one more which we allowed until that one stacked into a mountain.

I and my father split away we couldn't handle the sudden loss of her but with our pride, we did not want to show weakness especially in front of everyone in our extended family.

year's passed and we still couldn't have the courage to see her grave. we felt as if it also our fault for not stopping her when we could. my dad passed away still not seeing her.

My father eventually died due to overworking and pills to keep himself at work. He thought that by helping other he would finally forgive himself by helping others. He died 2 years later.

Today was the day I was going to let it all out and walk away. Unlike my father, I will face my mother before I die. I wish he could've visited her at least once.

When I got outside the house it felt odd. It felt like something was telling me to stay in but I kept moving. Anxiety wasn't going to hold me back this time.

I walked to the bus slowly it felt like something was being pressed onto me pulling me back. But I kept moving knowing that if I didn't get this off my chest I would be taking it to my grave.

When I waited for the bus it felt like decades. it felt like time slowed down itself. What seemed like years finally stopped when the bus arrived. 20minutes passed and I'm finally here. Rainwood cemetery. where the dead goes to rest.

What a joke. I stepped my way to her. my legs feeling like they were being dug into the ground as I struggled my way up to her grave. when I finally arrived at her grave I started their glaring at her picture for a moment before crying.

It is known that a man never cries but for this instance and only this moment did I cry. I cried like the son I was when she was still alive like the son she should have proud of.

I was 16 when she passed.

I studied being a doctor as well as engineering even achieving a PhD on each subject. I studied my heart and brain out for her. hoping that where ever she is she can say that she was proud of her son.

when I finally stopped weeping I finally let go of 30 years worth of regret and depression. I felt free and anew. I can finally say I've grown up. I heard my stomach rumbling and laughed.

"Looks like dad was right I did always have your appetite. I tell you what why don't I go down to that fried chicken as well as fried rice shop that you always love and we can catch up on all the times we missed" I smiled

not waiting for an answer I left to get that chicken and rice she always spoke highly of.

when I got there the store was actually gone. that feeling of regret started pouring in again. it closed 30 years ago stood a health rehabilitation how ironic.

I chuckled to myself be living such a store would survive such a long time. I looked to my right to see an atm machine across the street and crossed to get some cash. I was pretty low on actual cash.

This is probably when someone would get isekaid but nothing happened. no random truck. no nothing. I put my card in and I died.

I was shot to death, but let's rewind a bit. A random guy tried to rob me of my money. I wasn't stupid I was a successful doctor, not a desperate hooligan. So I gave him the money.

He seemed off. he kept twitching. he obviously wasn't sober definitely drugged. that was my last thought when I died. it felt unreal when I woke up.

everything was pitch black. darkness reached every corner and every cranny when I looked. it felt lonely here.

That's when he appeared. he was something else. he stood there staring at me. it looked like me but it wasn't.

"Greetings young one it seems you have awakened you are in the afterlife it seems your life ended quite abruptly it seems there was a glitch in the system and you are granted a second life" it spoke

<Glitch in the system what type of nonsense is this. is this the legendary cliche that those weebs speak off>

Although I read and watched anime before I was more of a comic book/ movie type person enjoyed Dragon Ball Z and sword art online which was the best anime in history that was it. ( Yeah I know I'm triggering a lot of people with that last one but you know im joking it ain't that bad as people say it's just too bland)

"Yes, it is as y-" before the entity could finish everything went dark then came warmth.

I felt tingly a sensation unknown yet known to me. when I woke up I looked down to see myself when I was 24.

Bulky yet not too bulky. my hair was the same buzz cut. my skin colour remaining the same, brown. I was quite the avid bodybuilder to keep myself healthy not wanting to die. Fear was a powerful thing and seeing my dad die due to pills and my mother cigarettes caused me to train harder during the few years after their death.

I looked around the area to see myself in a cave. Its was obviously a cave as it had stone surfaces everywhere with stone spikes protruding from the roof.

Making my way outside I looked out to see trees everywhere. I must be in a jungle. Lots of question escaped my mind but the biggest one I was thinking was.

"Where the hell am I?!?!?!?"