Chapter 1 Entering a new life

When I woke up, White was the first thing I saw. At first, I didn't know what exactly was going on; the only thing I remembered was sleeping in my bedroom. It was a strange sensation. I didn't know what exactly to do, so the only thing I thought of was to walk around in this empty void of chalky white. As I walked around, my Footsteps got louder and louder. As they echoed, the sound got heavier. My mind starts to think about things: where am I? Why is it so white? Can't find this exit? Was I kidnapped? Those were my thoughts at that moment. And the more I thought of it, the more I saw—none.

"What's going on? Where am I?" I said, frightened. "This doesn't look like home." Hmmm, it's taking too much time to find a way out of here. It felt like I'd been on an endless stint. How many hours have it been? I'm famished. Suddenly, as I roamed a bit more, a door was behind me—a well-designed, ornamented gate. And inside a garden A vast garden that went as far as my eyes could see. Maybe it was. There was a stream that curled as if it were part of an amusement park. There were animals, different varieties—carnivorous too, planti-orvius. A clump surrounds me. Beautifully garnished on my feet as I stand with wide eyes in awe. The ray of sunshine hit my front. What is this? It looks like a garden of some sort. There are no people, only animals. Am I the only one here? I'll walk for a while. The fauna is amazingly vast: Lions, crocodiles, birds, fish, insects, and more. The only exception is that no humans were around. Why? It's just me. And as for the flowers, it was as if the rainbow colors were droplets of paint falling from the sky. Abruptly, I heard some rustling. And a baritone voice. Somewhat deep. It called to me, saying, "Welcome." He was a man covered in a white robe, with long hair on his face and a beard as white as snow. He was huge. I didn't say anything; he asked me, "Are you okay?" I answered kind of, "Huh!" "Umm, oh, err, I think so? I mumbled.

"Are you certain?" the strange man asked. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Well, not precisely; where am I? It is not Japan, nor is my room.

Looks like the Caribbean islands. So, I thought. I turned around in his sight and asked him where I was and if he was the one who kidnapped me. He smirked and began to laugh. It was bombastic laughter. As you can hear, it is all over, as if his voice were connected to an amplifier. "Wah-wah-ha-ha-ha!" That laughter could break the sound barrier. I had to cover my ears with the Palms of my hands. His voice was so vociferous. Is he even going to stop? I can feel my eardrums bursting. He stopped chuckling and said, "Come with me, lest we have a chat, chap." This older man—who was he? He's very tall for his age. He was roughly 213.36 centimeters per square inch. I told him I was in bed taking a nap. Then, I woke up in a massive hall with white pillars, and everything, including the enclosure, was also white. I had to walk for hours until I found an exit. The exit was dark at first, but then I kept going until I saw the light. I felt the pasture on my feet and in front of this gate. "Aahh, that's the entrance to my home." He spoke. His home, he says. Who has a gateway in the middle of a wood? It wasn't normal; who has a residence in the middle of a forest? "Do you want to come to my place? I'll explain the rest inside. "His attitude was optimistic.

Politely, I said to him, Sure, if there's no problem." He smiled and mumbled, "Not a problem at all." Still, I was on guard. Come on. You wake up in a place where you have no idea where or how you got there, and you find a strange man in a robe asking you to come to his home. Yeah, I would be apprehensive. But there was no other soul in sight; it seemed I had no other choice. I wanted to know and get explanations. As we reached the gate, the tall man pushed the massive gate quickly. We walked inside. I saw more plant life as we wandered on. "Oh, my bad. Where are my manners? I did not introduce myself. My name is Kagawa Jiyu. I'm 19—a college student. My goal is to be a history educator." I went on and on with my life, like how I assisted at a small Elementary School and helped the teacher as an assistant.

Why was I telling him this? He looked at me with interest. Hours passed, and on our way to this strange man's home, I was getting hungry. I'd need something to eat. I hoped he had food in his house. How long will it take to get there? My stomach is yelling at me, saying,

Feed me! I need food! I asked the man how long it would take. And he said, Just a few more minutes. In the meantime, I glanced at my surroundings. I was skimming around to pass the time. And to forget my hunger. Accordingly, it took a long time to get to our destination. I started to get exhausted. I needed Some water. My mouth was dry. "Just a bit more; we need to climb those stairs." He called out I lifted my head slowly because I saw how long the end was. At that point, I told myself I would die if I took another step. We climbed as if we were climbing the Niesen Mountains. I was depleted. I was about to fall. My knees were about to break. I was ventilating when we were almost to the last step. I was sweating and dripping all over. Fortunately, I hear him saying, "We are here." He spoke. "Finally, I can go in." As I was about to say, go inside. I drop to the floor and close my eyes. Yet again, I slept. I didn't know how long I was out, but when I woke, I was in a bed again, a bit bigger and broader. On one side, there was food: purple grapes, cheese, and bread inside a bowl, and on the other, cauliflower soup. It had a bit of a cheesy texture with a thickness—a smattering of spices to kick it. The hot peppers, too, were zesty and warm as they cooked. The vapor of the food made my mouth water.

"Finally! Food!" I explained with a cheery expression. So, I began to stuff my face, and tears of happiness plunged. As I finished eating, I heard the same baritone voice. It was that older man who walked up the stairs with me. Did he…?

"Good, you're awake."

"Huh?"

Yet again, I was confused, again in a room where I had no idea how I'd gotten there. But at this time, I think I know how. I appreciated that old man; I asked him, "Did you bring me here?" "Yes." With no hesitation, he resolved my question. "Well, thank you." I bowed to him to apologize for my rudeness and thank him for saving me. "Please raise your head. There is no need for apologies; I did what I had to do." He advised me. I tried to sit down and slide my posterior from the bed slowly. "Grr, phew." I was relieved as I sucked in my breath.

I couldn't get this cap off. I was still in an unknown place; this wasn't the time to relax; I had to get information about where I was and how I got into a place that wasn't Japan. I wanted to ask this older gentleman where "here" was. But first, my stomach needed sustenance, so I ate. Commencing with the fruit, I had a couple of grapes with cheese cubes to have a sweet and salty combo in my mouth. Then, the cauliflower soup gave it this silky texture, and the vegetable broth made it glisten. The creamy substance made it seem as if it were a bit buttery, but there was also a hint of cheese to make it stick together. Finally, wash it all down with water. And as I was done eating, I looked at the older man with no reluctance. I asked him, "Where am I?" with a fast-paced tone. "Well…."He paused to answer my question this time. Why now? It was Weird now that a few moments before when I asked if he had helped me, he responded, but now He just Wavered. What's with that? That makes no sense. I tried to ask him again, "Where are we? I don't understand. What's with the silence!?" I yelled at him as a strand of tears went down my face. As I looked at his face, I noticed that he had a bit of disappointment and regret.

I pleaded with him. I just wanted to know why he was so melancholy. What was so wrong that he didn't want me to know? The silent attitude made me suspicious. Suddenly, his mouth opened. A sigh. But not of relief. He bowed his head as he grabbed his robe and wrinkled it. "I'm... Sorry." He said. With a low voice. Again, what was so damaging for him to say "I'm sorry" like that?

"The truth is, you are dead." He whispered. I couldn't believe what he was saying: "D-dead?" He was joking, right? That has to be it.

Dead? Me? Was this a gag because I'm not in the mood? Why say that I was dead? I can't be deceased; I haven't finished university.

I just started an internship at a school. Then it hit me, now that I remembered—the shooting. A strange man came in; crazy, he looked not fine at all. He looked as if his cerebral awareness was out of whack. We heard the speakers broadcast.

"Please stay calm; for protection, close all doors. An assailant has entered the school premises. We need all teachers to help the students remain calm and get them to a safe location."As they did that, the teacher began counting the students. Twenty-nine were counted.

One was missing. "Chika is not here." One of the kids yelled out loud. Oh no! This is bad. This is not good. I could see the teacher's anxieties head-on. I had to do something to subdue her worries. I got close to the teacher and began to whisper something into her ear: "Ma'am Sasaki." She turned around and looked at me, and I could see her eyes dripping with tears. Was she bringing them back? I have to find Chika. She's a kid, and she's still too young to experience this as a kindergartener.

"I'll go."

"Huh, what?"

"Go? Go where?"

"To find Chika, what else?"

I began walking to the door when suddenly Sasaki pulled me aside and asked, "Are you crazy? You can't take off out there; you'll be shot." Giving me a dreaded look. I knew she was right, but there was a child in peril. I just couldn't let that slide. "I'm sorry." I got out and went through the back exit. I ran all over just to find one child. Whispering under my breath, I called 'Chika' for her to hear me. I hope the assailant doesn't find her first.

I could hear the gunshots going "pew" in rapid motion. Screaming wasn't far from my thoughts. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice: "Help me!" It was Chika crying. "Keep your trap shut! Or do you want a bullet to blow your head away?" I overheard as I spied on this disturbing conversation. My hands were shaking, and the perspiration began to pluck from my forehead. I needed to do something.

"Then what happened?"

he asked What happen'd...? "I..."

Why is he asking me that? Doesn't he know? I'd just run to save the girl. Pushed the killer to the ground. Told the child to run and...

It was me, alone with the killer and the gun.

We struggled to determine who would obtain the weapon'. And who will survive in the end? "And what was the outcome?" he said to me with a look of curiosity. If you'd called that. I was fighting against 185, to my 172.72 centimeters of height.

We fought. Slamming, punching, and throwing each other on the ground Risking our lives to survive. It was foolish of me, but I was already gotten myself into this predicament that, walking away was useless now. He tried to slug me but I swerved his attack. From outside, we heard the police speak, "This is the police, come out with your hands behind your head. If you resist in any way we will shoot." They spoke out. It was tough to listen to at first but at that time I was engaging myself in a quarrel. Not the best moment at that time. Abruptly, something transpired. He took out a blade: a six centimeters Swiss knife; with a handle of black pigment but the cutter was rusted. Maybe it could've cut but not that much. He charged at me at maximum speed— eyes wide open— forthcoming what came next.

He jumped me as he was holding the knife. He swipe me and put me pinned on the ground. He moved his hand forward, then, I grabbed his wrist and gave pressure forward. Grr, this… hard. Come on I can do this. I need to survive and get out of here. I have to follow Chika and find out if she's alright. I'd introspected at that point. Then I twisted his arm as I reversed the pin for me to him. The dagger that was facing me, changed. Now I was driving it at him.

Teachers and students got out to safety, and I was the only one left. The officers ran thwarted at us and both of us were separated. They saw us struggling. But luckily no one at that moment died; yet. The assailant was arrested and they wanted to hear my part of the story. I told them what happened that I was looking for one of the students and that I found them I put myself in danger knowing the fact that one of the students would have died if I didn't do something. I knew it was outrageous, but it was a child.

"Wh-what are you—"

"Let me go. You can't do this."

What was that? Someone was arguing. It was the assailant putting a commotion as some officers tried to restrain him. "Zap!" The sound of electrical shock was put on him. And he screamed, "Aaaaaaaaahh!"

They took him away as we waited for the parents to come too, and pick up their children. The school had close for two weeks. Chika's parents came to say thank you for saving their daughter They were so appreciative that they didn't have to do that. "professor." I turned around and it was Chika. She looked shaky—wanted to say something but she started to weep. She wanted to say thank you but she was gripping her shirt. I could see the struggle. So "I said, don't worry." putting one more important that you're fine." Said it as bent on one knee, and put a hand on her head as I ruffled her hair gently.

We said our goodbyes. They left 'because it was it was getting late. 2:30 pm. "Jiyu-kun!" I heard a voice. It was Sasaki.

"Huh? What?" obscured I felt when she came over. She asked me if I was ok. I told her yes. ( I lied.) Luckily I survived the altercation; if not well, I'd… I did perish anyway. "That's good to hear," Sasaki murmured.

"Sorry to disturb your conversation but I need these papers signed if it is no trouble." Said one of the E. M. T's.

"Oh, of course," I said. The felt something.

"Ouch!" I couldn't move my left arm correctly. It seemed that I damaged the nerves. This is alarming. I might require surgery. I give a face of anguish trying to try to move my hand to be able to grab a single pen to write down the documents. In short, I couldn't do anything about it. The pain would be worst if I push myself.

"I'll help you." An individual spoke. And it was Sasaki-chan. She wanted to assist me with my paperwork but was it okay for her to do that? Ah, yeah, I can't write right now. I looked at her and said,