1 Bad outcomes
It was a Christmas night for everyone, but for me it was just like another ordinary night. Hitting the gym like I always do. The holidays don't change my routine - if anything, working out gives me a break from the family time that feels so forced to me.
I headed straight for the squat rack, ready to break through the PR I'd been stuck at for weeks. I was so frustrated with that 405-pound PR weight - I could bang out eight reps with no problem with that weight, but just couldn't seem to add more weights to those reps.
But not today! Today, I am adamant about pushing myself to the limit! Consequences be damned!
I slid the 45-pound plates on each end of the barbell, psyched up for this long overdue PR. Didn't even warm up - rookie mistake, I know, but I was too amped up to care.
I wrapped my hands around the cold steel bar, positioned myself under it, stabilized my core and started my descent.
The second I felt that massive weight bearing down, I knew I was in trouble! My legs just weren't ready!
I grit my teeth and pushed with all my might, but the weight barely budged. My legs started shaking uncontrollably as I fought to push.
"C'mon, you got this!" I growled to myself. But I didn't have the weight under control as I had believed I would. Not even close.
My knees buckled when I was close to pushing myself towards the squat rack. I failed, and as a consequence, gravity quickly pulled my face to the ground.
Landing on my forehead, I felt the barbell slamming into the back of my head. I was still alive, fortunately, although a bit dizzy and in a lot of strange pain.
Alas, just when I was about to get out of my embarrassing position, my ears caught the sound of something uncomfortable. I realised with dawning horror that I had not secured the squat rack properly in my haste.
"No, no, no!" I gasped.
The squat rack crashed down on top of the barbell, adding more pressure to the hundreds of pounds on the back of my head.
This was it! This was how I was going to die - alone on Christmas night in a deserted gym, killed by my arrogance and stupidity!
What a pathetic way to go!
So that's how it ended. My sad life.
Or so I thought as my consciousness was draining away.
To my immense surprise, I suddenly found the pain had disappeared and found myself opening my eyes. I was no longer pinned under the barbell or squat rack! In fact, I wasn't in the gym at all. Everything around me was somewhat dark.
Confused, I looked down and around me, squinting my eyes as I tried my best to get at least something in my line of sight.
I barely saw a thing. A slight white blur maybe, was all that my eyes could notice whenever I tried to feel around me with my hands.
I quickly realised that the white blurs were my arms and hands. The white colour moved whenever I moved my arms, so it was obvious to me.
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realised that my hands looked like that of a child, no older than ten years old. Those were not my common hands… Seeing that I was standing too, with a height that clarified that my head was not as far from the ground as it used to be, I became aware that it wasn't just my arms, but my whole body that had changed into that of a child.
Just what in the world is going on?
While looking around, I realised I was in some kind of cave too!
What happened after I had failed my PR?! How did I get here?! And most importantly, even if I was saved in the gym, how could my body become like this?! A midget?!
My mind raced as I tried to make sense of it all. There was no pain, no injury scar on the body. I thought hard for a long time.
In the end, the only explanation I could come up with was that I had somehow been reincarnated. But reincarnation wasn't real...was it? Could I really have been given a second chance at life after my stupidity had gotten me killed?!
The cave that I was in seemed to be very spacious, and somewhere very deep underground. There was no source of light at all. I stood up, carefully feeling around me as I aimed to find a way out of wherever I was. I had to find a source of food and water at least. Because if I didn't, the fact that I had reincarnated would be in vain.
As I scurried around, I saw light from a distance all so suddenly. Perhaps because of the darkness, my hearing had increased, and I could hear the footsteps of a group of people coming my way clearly.
Having reincarnated in a foreign world, I did not want to take risks. Having learned my lesson from death, I made an oath to myself to be calculative and careful in the future.
Being careful, the safest approach would be to avoid the light and hide somewhere. Somewhere where I wouldn't be found, but from where I could hear and see them.
I felt along the cave wall, inching away from the approaching glow as my fingers traced the rough, jagged rock. The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by voices speaking in a language I didn't recognize. I needed to find a crevice or alcove to conceal myself in, and do it quickly!
My pulse in my chest was pounding hard and fast as I shuffled faster, one hand extended in front of me, the other gliding along the wall. The chill of the cave seeped through my clothes, raising goosebumps on my skin.
A few metres ahead, the wall took a sharp turn inward. I slid around the corner, pressing my back against the rock as the voices now echoing down the tunnel.
Holding my breath, I edged sideways into a narrow gap in the wall, just big enough to contain my body if I drew my limbs in tight. I squeezed inside and pulled my knees to my chest, making myself as small as possible.
The glow of the light brightened, flickering off the cave walls - torchlight. Shadows danced, growing larger. I peered through a slit in the rock, my muscles taut.
Four figures emerged into view, heavily built men holding burning torches aloft. Their faces were broad and bearded, and their clothing was simple leather tunics, trousers and boots. Swords hung from their thick belts. Bandits or brigands of some sort.
As if they felt my scrutiny, they paused in the middle of the tunnel, conversing in gruff tones, glancing around warily.
I studied them from my hiding spot, keeping utterly still. Their language was harsh, and guttural - definitely foreign to me. My mind raced, analysing the situation. Where was I, and who were these men?
I needed more information before revealing myself if I did at all. For now, stealth was my ally!
When the men went back to where they had come from, I breathed silently without making any noise that could give me away. But I could not leave my hiding spot yet - they might double back. I would have to be patient, wait them out, and gather what details I could about my surroundings.
I strained my ears as their voices faded, catching a few coarse laughs. The glow dimmed, leaving me in darkness.
I leaned my head back against the rock. My reincarnation had certainly taken me somewhere strange and perilous. But I could not let fear rule me.
My second chance at life required courage, cunning and care. When the time is right, I will emerge and discover the new world I have been reborn into. But for now, I remained hidden, a silent observer, my mind churning with questions. I will find the answers I sought, I swore to myself. I had to. My life depended on it!
