Prologue

Empty.

Death was an occurrence in life where nobody could evade. It marked the end of the road, and nothing was known of what was to come after.

And death was both so simple and so complex.

It was absolute and clear, a perfect, clean cut. Something where there was no other choice. It could be delayed but nothing changed its existence.

On the other side, death meant that everything that a person had done, their social relations, knowledge, items, money, and even trivial things such as touching a wooden fence would be for nothing. All of their experiences and impacts, for just thing thing called death to take it away.

But it felt hollow.

I worked hard, and got the grades I wanted. I worked hard, and was able to play an instrument to what I would consider "acceptable". I worked hard, and became a "likeable" person. I worked hard, and...

I felt so tired.

Everything came crushing towards me in a moment.

In that split second, if I had thought differently, would things have been different?

Eventually, I forgot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I took a step forward, then another.

The light shone more and more, brighter the closer I got to it.

It had appeared one day, no grand opening, but just a small *pop, like a balloon being stung by a needle, but much softer in volume.

And I was drawn to the light.

It was warm, it was illuminating, it was something that felt like...

Life.

Stepping up, I grasped the light. I wanted it. And I would have it.