Chapter 1

Two Days Earlier

"Grandma...," Felice sighed into the phone.

"Don't 'Grandma' me, I'm just asking, are you sure you want to go?" his grandmother inquired once again.

Rolling his eyes, he ran a hand through his brown locks. "Yes, I'm sure. The ticket is already bought, my room is booked, and I leave in 5 hours."

"You know you can still get a refund," his grandmother suggested. "You can reschedule it. And when I have some time off we can go together. How does that sound?"

"Grandma, I understand your concerns, but I will be fine," Felice promised.

She sighed. "You can't guarantee that. Don't you remember why you're at the hospital in the first place?"

Felice cringed as he recalled the accident that left him with a broken leg. It started when a gust of wind sent a piece of paper right smack into his face.

While attempting to clear his vision, he hit a snag – a small, unsuspecting pebble underfoot. That tiny obstacle sent him off balance, initiating an almost choreographed descent down a conveniently located stairwell.

The whole absurd sequence played out like a scene from a cartoon, a string of events so implausible it would be dismissed as unbelievable by most. Yet, for Felice, it was just another day in his not-so-charmed life.

"You're right," Felice conceded, recalling the mishap vividly. "But this is something I've wanted to do since childhood. After I join the research team, I won't have the time."

"Did you, at least, bring the precaution bag I packed for you?" she inquired.

Aware that she had reluctantly accepted his decision, Felice smiled. "Yeah, it's in the car."

"Good. Make sure to carry it everywhere you go, just in case," she instructed him.

"Don't worry, I will," he reassured her. As he prepared to say more, a nurse called his name, interrupting the conversation. "Grandma, I've got to go. I'm being called."

"Alright, make sure to call me when you're at the airport," she requested. "I love you."

"I love you too," he responded before ending the call.

Rising from his seat, he ambled toward the nurse. As she led him to a room, thoughts swirled in his mind about his grandma's tendency to worry.

Understandable, especially given his affliction. Not the once-broken leg, but the root cause – his perpetual bad luck. It had been a constant companion, an unwanted limb in his life. The reason he had to wear a helmet until 8th grade, a source of deep resentment. Why, he wondered, was he burdened with this metaphysical handicap from birth?

His grandma insisted it was a curse, but he dismissed that notion. Instead, he preferred to think of himself as the punchline to some cosmic joke.

'It would be wild if that was true,' he smirked just as the door to his room swung open, and the doctor entered.

"Hello there, Mr. Rivers," the doctor smiled. "I see it's time to take off your cast."

"Yup, I can't wait," Felice replied.

~

Stepping out of the hospital, Felice couldn't help but flash a wide grin. He had finally gotten rid of that pesky cast—no more dealing with the itchiness and the funky smell. Freedom felt good.

Felice skipped down the steps, enjoying the newfound lightness. His smile shone brighter than the sun overhead. Heading to his car, he caught the tantalizing scent of delicious food, instantly whetting his appetite.

He decided right there and then to stop at Queen Burger before heading to the airport. Their famous bacon burger and fries sounded heavenly to him. Felice's stomach agreed with a hearty grumble.

Quickening his pace, thoughts of his upcoming trip to Ireland filled his mind. There were so many things he needed to do once he got there. He had to visit relatives on his father's side, or at least what was left of them. He also planned to sightsee and taste different foods. There was so much to look forward to.

Felice's excitement bubbled up uncontrollably; he just knew this trip would be amazing. Little did he realize, he had spoken too soon. Lost in his thoughts, he paid no heed to the panicked screams urgently warning him to move. Meanwhile, a runaway ambulance hurtled directly toward him, out of control.

The blaring sirens of the oncoming ambulance intensified, their urgent wail piercing the air. The shrill sound cut through Felice's senses, sending shivers down his spine. It was only in those heart-stopping moments that he realized the vehicle was hurtling directly toward him.

Panic seized him. But an invisible force seemed to hold him in place. It rendered him unable to move even an inch to evade the impending collision.

Without warning, the wailing ambulance plowed straight into him at full speed, transforming his body into a ragdoll. He was flung through the air before crashing into a nearby ditch with a loud painful thud. The world dimmed as he lay there, bloody and broken. As his eyes fluttered closed one last time, a regretful thought lingered, 'I knew today was going too well. Should've paid more attention.'

~

As the medical team worked frantically to revive Felice, a being appeared out of thin air invisible to its surroundings. Its translucent form radiated a bright white light, but something was unsettling about its presence. 

With deliberate movements, it hovered over Felice's lifeless body and examined it intently. Suddenly, a sharp beep resounded through the air.

The entity's gaze focused on a specific spot on Felice's chest and a beam of light shot out, pulling something out from within him - a small, pulsating black orb with incomprehensible markings. The object seemed to pulse with mysterious energy.

The orb, now revealed as Felice's very essence, shone with an otherworldly brilliance. Its surface, a glossy black canvas, held mysterious and intricate markings that seemed to dance in the ethereal light. The markings were cryptic and ancient, telling a story of a life shaped by both misfortune and resilience.

The orb hovered in front of the being. It exuded an aura of energy, pulsating with the reverberations of Felice's experiences. The faint whispers of laughter, the remnants of challenges faced, and the quiet moments of joy were all encapsulated within its dark, strange surface.

The being observed the orb's rotation with otherworldly calmness as if deciphering Felice's very existence. Each turn unveiled a fresh layer of the narrative, presenting a visual symphony of a life well-lived despite its myriad twists and turns.

Finally, the being opened its mouth, revealing a dark void that appeared to swallow all light and consumed the orb in a single, ominous gulp.

[System 666:] A new participant has been found!] The being declared. Its words resonate as if communicating with entities beyond the perceivable dimensions.

Author Says: Did you know dead bodies can become covered in a substance that looks like soap? It's a byproduct of decomposition that happens as the fat in a body decays under wet, anaerobic (lacking in oxygen) conditions. I found that intriguing.