1 Chapter 1

I died. I remember that much. If I had survived that situation, then even I would have been surprised. I remember it as clear as day. My sister asked me for help as she went shopping for clothes for her children. I was just there to watch her middle child. My nephew was two going on three in September and, as such, he still had the energy of a child. My sister had the youngest in the cart while the nine year old walked alongside her mother. 'She would be ten in a few weeks, I should probably start planning her gift now,' I thought to myself as we exited the store. But what could I get a ten your old girl in this day and age that she would appreciate?

As I pondered my choice, my nephew, who was quietly entranced by the ball I bought him, squeezing it and watching it bubble on one side, just to let go and repeat. He marveled at the strange object, never tiring from his squeezing. We had just crossed the street before he squeezed the ball a little too hard, causing it to launch from his little fingers. I felt him pull out of my hand, chasing after the ball that rolled back into the street. As I turned, I panicked, seeing the car speeding towards him as he reached for his ball. Before I could think or say anything, I reacted. Rushing to him, I scooped him into my arms, Placing one hand against the back of his neck, the other wrapped around his body to keep him tucked into my body as I jumped. Just in time too, as the car sped into me back first with a loud crash. The sound was sickening but my pain was not over yet. The force of the car striking me launched me forward onto the road. I couldn't let him hit the ground and I couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't skin something if I rolled. I held him close as I turned my back to the ground and slid across the gravel. The pain was excruciating but as I slowed down, so too did the pain, which wasn't a good sign.

I heard a scream but not much else. My head was killing me, there was a ringing in my ear, and I felt numb. My blurry vision slowly started to clear up just enough to see the crowd of people surrounding me. There was even some girl saying something while she kneeled next to me. Honestly, I didn't even notice people getting near me plus, this girl was quite pretty. She grabbed my arm and tapped it softly. That's when I realized that I hadn't let go of my nephew yet. I had him held tightly in my grip, not letting go at all but, his uninjured if not full of tears face caused my arms to slacken enough that someone came over to grab him. Oh, I forgot my brother was supposed to be in the car but he's here now. Tears were also streaming down his face. Looking over, I smiled.

"Bro, you're crying like a bitch." I said, causing a laugh to bubble up alongside something else. Laughter turned to intense coughing as blood spewed from my mouth. I tried to wipe it away but I couldn't move my arms. I couldn't even feel them. Same for my legs and the rest of my body as a matter of fact. It was like I knew that they were there but, no amount of energy I put into my limbs changed anything. Luckily, I started to hear things again. My sister was screaming, I couldn't tell what but her voice hurt. My nieces and nephew were also crying, trying to get to me but, some people were blocking them. Officers. I don't even remember them getting here. My mind must be a mess. The cute girl wasn't here anymore either which is a shame. I'd like to have asked her out. Paramedics were near me now. I seem to be going in and out of consciousness without realising it. It's like someone keeps pressing the skip button on the world, one minute I'm lying on the rode, the next I'm riding in an ambulance. Hey that girl from earlier is back.

"I need you to stay awake. Can you hear me?" She asked. Her voice was heavenly and her peach skin contrasted well with her brown hair. Her sky blue eyes seemed to reflect the world and more. I couldn't help but smile goofily. The pain was long since gone but everything was trippy.

"How can I sleep with a beauty like you here?" I said and almost immediately wanted to gag. That was so cheesy I wanted to kick my own ass. Luckily the girl giggled at me, her eyes holding amusement. There was another person in the ambulance, some guy looking at me confusedly but, this girl laughed at such a cheesy joke so he doesn't even enter my thoughts. The power of boners is strong in this one.

"You might just do. Would you like to go somewhere with me?" She asked and I could feel my heart beat loudly. Wow, I must really have it bad to imagine my heart beating like that.

"Oh most definitely!" I said and she gave me the most brilliant of smiles before placing her hand on my chest. My heart thumped loudly once again and again, slower each time it happened. Shit. I'm dying. I couldn't even bring myself to feel surprised anymore. I guess that pretty lady was Death or something which, if she is, then I understand why comic book Thanos did it. Jokes aside, I have to say that, I'm scared. Like I believe in God but I didn't expect to die yet! I'm twenty-three for God's sake! There were so many things I wanted to do but now, I can't. I feel so sad! So frustrated! So ANGRY!.... So scared. As the world seemed to disappear, I saw my friends that I'll never get to hang out with again. I saw my Mom and Dad who I'll never get to joke around with again. I saw my brothers and sisters who I'll never be able to argue with again. I saw my nieces and nephews who I'll never make the best gamers the world has ever seen. I'll never fall in love. I'll never have kids of my own that I get to be proud of. I'll never see my kids get married, have children of their own and build their own families that I'll worry over. I felt like crying but my bad was failing me. All I could think was why? Why me? What did I do to deserve having my life cut so short? All over a little toy and a slip of attention. But at least my nephew survived. He'll have the life I wanted for myself if he does it right. As I died, I said the last words I wanted for him to hear.

"Tell my nephew that I said to always use incognito." Then the world went black.