First Steps

I open my eyes and...

I see a very familiar sight, a completely ordinary forest with ordinary trees, and ordinary grass and all that. The trees tower over my lame form, swaying comfortably as the sun sent rays of warm light through the canopy. I could hear the serene choir of chirps and coos, and the scuttering percussion of whatever crawled in the underbrush.

All accounted for, completely and utterly normal. 

But for me, who had been stuck in the endless expanse of death?

A sight for sore eyes.

Looking at all... this, and whatever had transpired to get me here, I felt a sense of foreboding... but,

I felt that it was all gonna be okay.

Why? There was someone looking after me, and this time, I'm not alone. Maybe, I never was, but for an annoying and impertinent human like me...

Curiosity killed the cat, and satisfaction brought it back. It's really interesting how much we rely on our sight, depending on it so desperately that we can't even believe some things exist because they don't appear in front of our eyes.

I feel so complete.

I could stew in this thought for years, I knew. Forever living my life without fear, knowing that there was more even after my soul departs. Comfortable, complacent even.

I cant, I also knew.

I must complete the mission. 

And so, with heavy feet and arms like lead I get up slowly.

One hand, another arm, one leg, two legs...

"Phew..." Success!

I look around and,

I got nothing.

I look down and, 

I got nothing.

"This is my body."

I knew that already, but that wasn't what I was looking for. I was looking for my clothes.

- - - - -

"Rustle! Rustle!"

I flinch slightly as I see a squirrel scurry up a tree.

"I should have asked for employee benefits, man this blows." I whisper to myself as I survey my surroundings. 

I've already been stuck in this forest for three days. This is not going well.

The wind blows —I assume, rather encouragingly— past my body, as it playfully rustled the leaves and the bushes shied away in my wake. I had been shamefully trudging around, presumably to absolutely nowhere. 

The best part about getting nowhere is that it doesn't matter where you are, you will always be no better than being right back where you started.

I've barely any food, and the only reason I haven't died yet is because I've been following a river downstream. It was freshwater, just my luck. I figured that since many civilizations were birthed near rivers, at some point I'd come across some kind of settlement... and that if I really was down on my luck, I'd at least find the ocean for what that's worth.

Speaking of rivers, I look down along the riverbank and steadily tilted my neck along my not so familiar body. 

"Who are you?"

I say as I look at the child in the reflection. I had unruly hair, black as midnight rushing down up to my shoulders. My complexion was pale like a corpse, possibly because I was halfway to being invited to the never-ending party of the dead, and my physique was just... sad.

I was like a stick, in the wind. Short and scrawny, even being made of dirt and mud like Adam is better than this. He looks so effeminate as well, what's with this kid?

That's not the worst part though, far from it. My eyes, they were white. I don't mean the eye color either. Heavens, I don't even have pupils anymore. All I could see was a pair of white sclera staring creepily at me, I assume this is what Metatron was talking about. In conclusion?

Me, I guess.

Beggars can't be choosers, I was literally plucked from death and reborn in a completely new world with a fresh start. I'm surprised I was even considered for this role in the first place.

How was I feeling?

Starved, mostly.

What can I do?

Walk, and keep walking. My feet hurt, but the sun is setting soon, and I don't wanna hide in a hole in the dirt again. This past few days alone, I had managed to give my new body several callouses, scrapes and scratches.

I have nothing. I am also not in any way a survival expert, but I make do. On the first day I was practically scrambling around trying to get a lay of the land, yet as I am admittedly an idiot, I did not find anything I could make immediate use of.

However, I had managed to fashion myself a crude spear by grinding its uneven end on a small boulder.

I was armed, except I was not armed with the knowledge to use it. Strike and stab, I can. The knowledge to know when to exploit an opening or even spot one in the first place, as well as to know when to back off? 

Zero, zip, zilch, nada.

I don't even have the courage to kill an animal, let alone a man.

Woah! Let's not depreciate ourselves anymore than necessary, yeah?

The view is nice though, even as I tread miserably along wet rocks on bare feet, the mere fact that I am here, present, alive, to feel this pain and endure this trial. To feel the soil under my soles, to hear nature's songs and the vigorous rushing of water...

You never know what you have until it's gone, truly.

Blessing.

"Splash! Swish!" I look to left, spotting a small shadow in the water.

A brown fish, swimming upstream opposite from where I came from. I look to the fish, and then to my hand holding my spear.

I crouch, slowly approaching the creature from behind, trying not to disturb the water any more than its current already did. This is my chance, my primal instincts roar, and my body cries its pleas.

I must hunt!

 After settling myself I steadily lower the spear, looking for a chance. There!

"Phew... Heup!" 

I thrust the crude spear forward, aiming for its main body. I felt the preoccupied fish thrash wildly as it realized what was happening, but as I had aimed for its center, I was able to secure a hit.

Within a split second, I tense my frail muscles as I try and ram the thing into a wide stone in the riverbed, allowing the spear to easily puncture and impale my prey.

"Victory!" I announce, to the victory come the spoils!

And I calm down from my reverie, I notice that I missed a very important detail. 

"How do I make a fire?"