Leaving Earth
"I knew it! I fucking knew it!" Kami's voice trembled with a mixture of rage and heartbreak. The realization of his girlfriend's betrayal hit him like a ton of bricks. "This bitch was really having an affair behind my back!" His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, struggling to comprehend why she would choose someone like Kenny over him.
"Why does it have to be with this horse-looking bastard Kenny? Just because his other aspects resemble a fucking horse too?" Kami's voice cracked as tears streamed down his face. The pain of the betrayal cut deep, and his imagination ran wild, tormenting him with vivid images of Kenny and his alleged horse-like features. Kami Tyler, an average-looking high school boy, found himself drowning in a sea of emotional turmoil after being unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend. Insecurities gnawed at him, particularly his perceived inadequacy in a certain area.
Consumed by desperation, he fell victim to the allure of pills that were shamelessly promoted through spam ads on various illegal sites, promising to magically enhance his manhood and surpass Kenny's supposedly impressive endowment. Little did he know that these pills would bring about unintended consequences. As he took the pills 2 weeks ago, hoping for a miracle transformation, his body reacted but in ways he never anticipated: Acne erupted across his face, transforming his once-average complexion into a minefield of angry, red blemishes that resembled a ripe raspberry bush.
This unfortunate side effect only served to reinforce his girlfriend's decision to leave him for Kenny, who exuded confidence and appeared more physically appealing. Lost in a fog of self-pity, Kami aimlessly meandered down a quiet side street, oblivious to the lurking danger that had claimed the lives of countless young men before him. Unbeknownst to him, concealed behind a towering billboard, lay the source of these mysterious deaths. Struggling to zip up his jammed cardigan, Kami's attention faltered for a brief moment. It was precisely at this moment that the figure hiding in the shadows seized the opportunity to strike. With a sudden burst of speed, it pounced on Kami, catching him off guard.
Floodlights illuminated the alley, momentarily blinding him and causing him to lose his footing. Kami's body crashed to the ground, pain shooting through his back as he landed hard on his ass. Dazed and disoriented, Kami gradually regained his senses, his eyes adjusting to the blinding lights.And there it stood before him—the devilish figure that had ambushed him. A surge of recognition coursed through his veins. Kami was no ordinary high school boy, because of his newly rockbottom-looks, he spent the last week alone in his room, avoiding social contacts. Kami read dozens of novels, mangas. He became intimately familiar with the tropes and archetypes of anime and manga.
And the entity that loomed in front of him was none other than the infamous "Truck-kun." A surge of determination mixed with adrenaline coursed through Kami's veins. He knew he had to confront this formidable adversary head-on. In a twist of fate, the unfolding scene resembled a poorly produced Wild West showdown, where two foes stood face-to-face, waiting for one to make a fatal mistake. However, fate seemed determined to thwart Kami at every turn. Just as he prepared to face off against the malevolent truck-kun, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the alley, carrying a flimsy plastic bag directly into Kami's face. Caught off guard and momentarily blinded, Kami's hands flailed in the air, desperately attempting to remove the obstructing bag from his acne-ridden visage.
Unbeknownst to Kami, the rumbling of the approaching truck grew louder and louder, its headlights piercing through the darkness. Panic flooded his thoughts as he realized the impending danger hurtling toward him. In that split second, time seemed to stand still, and a sinking feeling gripped Kami's heart. With the desperate expletive hanging on his lips, "Fuuuuuuck—!!!!," the world around him descended into a murky abyss. In the blink of an eye, darkness swallowed Kami whole as the inevitable collision with the truck sent him spiraling into unconsciousness.
As Kami's consciousness flickered back to life, he found himself in a surreal and ethereal landscape—a vast, expansive white room stretching endlessly in all directions. The blinding brightness that surrounded him seemed to wash away all traces of pain and darkness, leaving him feeling weightless and untethered. Confusion gripped Kami as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. How had he ended up in this enigmatic space? Was he still in the realm of dreams or had he crossed over into a different dimension altogether? Looking around, he realized that he was completely alone in this vast expanse. There were no walls, no boundaries, only the pristine whiteness that stretched out before him. The silence was both comforting and disconcerting, its stillness adding to the surreal ambiance of the place. As Kami ventured forward, each step he took seemed to create ripples on the invisible floor beneath him. He marveled at the sensation, a strange mixture of elation and trepidation.
The emptiness of the room gave him a newfound sense of freedom—a blank canvas upon which he could rewrite his story. Lost in his thoughts, Kami pondered the significance of this otherworldly realm. Perhaps it was a manifestation of his subconscious, a sanctuary where he could confront the inner demons that had haunted him for far too long. Or maybe it were a the last seconds of his life and the world slowed down around him, preparing him for the afterlife.
As he continued his exploration, Kami stumbled upon small fragments scattered throughout the white expanse. Each fragment contained a memory, a moment in his life that had shaped him—both the triumphs and the failures, the joys and the heartaches. Some memories were vibrant and filled with laughter, while others were tinged with regret and sorrow.
Suddenly, he felt a subtle shift in the air, a faint tremor that reverberated through the emptiness. Startled, Kami glanced around, his eyes searching for the source of the disturbance. There, just a few feet away, a small fragment began to glow with a soft, ethereal light. It trembled, as if awakening from a long slumber. Kami moved closer, curiosity and apprehension mingling in his chest. The fragment quivered more intensely now, and as he reached out to touch it, a jolt of energy surged through him. The fragment lifted off the ground, hovering in mid-air. It wasn't alone; other fragments scattered throughout the white void began to stir, each one vibrating with a growing intensity.
He watched in amazement as the fragments rose, their movements synchronized by an unseen force. The air around him hummed with a strange, potent energy, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. The fragments danced and spun, their paths intertwining in an intricate ballet of light.
Memories flooded back with each fragment's movement—a childhood laugh, a fleeting moment of joy, a sorrowful farewell. Kami's heart ached with the bittersweet rush of emotions, each fragment a tangible piece of his existence, now brought to life in this surreal realm.
The movements of the fragments grew faster, more urgent, converging towards a single point. The light intensified, blinding in its brilliance. Kami shielded his eyes, feeling the pulsating energy reaching the maximum. The fragments collided in a burst of radiant light, merging into a single, cohesive form. As the light faded, Kami lowered his hand, revealing a magnificent, celestial mirror floating before him. The mirror's surface was smooth and reflective, yet it held a depth that seemed to draw him in. He saw his reflection, but it was more than just his image. It was a tapestry of his life, past, present, and future interwoven in a seamless narrative: It was a rasperry bush.
Kami: " ( 0.0 ) "
Trembling, Kami reached out, his fingers grazing the surface of the mirror. It pulsed with a warm, inviting glow, filling him with a profound sense of peace.
*CRACK! ... SHATTER! ... Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle...*
The mirror exploded into a thousand shimmering shards, fragments scattering in a dazzling eruption of light and sound. Kami's rage echoed in the void, his breath heavy and uneven as the pieces fell away.
He pulled his fist from the wreckage, bloodied and trembling, shards of glass embedded in his skin. With a guttural roar, he flung his arm, sending the broken pieces flying in all directions. His anger unchecked, he kicked at the scattered fragments, sending them skittering across the endless white expanse.
"Where am I?" he screamed, his voice raw with desperation and fury. "Who's doing this to me? Who's been messing with me all this time?"
His voice reverberated through the void, but there was no answer, only the hollow echo of his own torment. Kami stood there, chest heaving, surrounded by the remnants of the celestial mirror, feeling more lost and enraged than ever before.
Finally, Kami couldn't hold back all his built up emotions and screamed as loudly as possible
"Where the fuck am I??!!!"
"Not on Earth" a beautiful female voice answered