As a person, I was ordinary. I did not have any grandiose goals from my early childhood. I had a dream but it did not stick with me. I let go of illogical dreams and spent my days normally.
I had a few friends. Even the thought of having friends gave me the chills. But I had some. We were together from our childhood and we became almost inseparable. They were like me.
We were alike so we stuck together. My parents never really asked me to achieve greatness. They just told me to be a good person.
I became just that. A good person till the very end. My friends were similar. We all went to the same school so from our childhood till our graduation from high school, we were together.
When I think of those days, it always makes my heart flutter. It has been so long that I don't have a number.
I did not keep count of the years passing by. My normal life, my ordinary days and my friends, everything changed.
I remember what happened on that fateful day vividly. It was unforgettable.
I remember seeing the broadcast of my friend's execution.
He was being executed for blasphemy against god. He had a maniacal grin on his face and till the very end no scratch that. He had a maniacal grin even when his head was rolling on the ground.
I sat in front of the screen, speechless and confused. I had no idea what he was doing. So this blew my mind.
I later found out that my other friend was married after being accused of molestation and domestic abuse.
My mind went numb. Why did my friend became a blasphemer? I tried to find out and what came out was confusing to say to say the least.
From our childhood, we were together. Our tastes, hobbies and abilities were similar. But one of my friends, the one who died, had a crush.
A girl from our class caught his eye. We were 12. A childhood love that was bound to fail. He knew that and I even told him. I warned him of his failure.
He at first heeded my warning but over time, he just kept falling and falling. He couldn't get that girl out of his head.
He would try to talk to her. Do things for her. He was considerate enough to not be overbearing and when she told him to stop, he would stop for about a week and start again.
But that girl had a horrible personality. She would openly insult him and ridicule him. I once confronted her about this.
I work discreetly. So I left a note for her on her table and waited for her at the designated spot.
I did not expect her to come but she did. And alone at that. I was surprised but then again, I was preparing my words.
"You probably know why I called you here. But I will say it clearly. If you are not interested in him, just reject him. Do not leave him hanging and use him as a gopher."
She stood there, silent. Her eyes were wavering and soon tears started falling.
Then she went on a rant while crying. The meaning I understood was that she doesn't want to act like that. She also likes him but she starts acting all weird in front of him.
I just left the spot after she calmed down a bit. From then on, she started acting a bit more normally.
They kept acting like that all the way to university and he finally said the magical words.
The magical words which were a direct declaration of his love for her were uttered by him in front of a whole crowd.
I was not there to observe it happen so I heard this from someone else.
It seems that he was shot down brutally. That rejection totally broke him. His years of hardwork and devotion were unrewarding and he was disparaged in front of a crowd.
He finally snapped but not in a good way. He became insane and started a cult which opposed the god. It's a huge leap in logic and I can't figure out the connection.
Soon a different news came to me. That girl also killed herself. It seems that after losing him, she had lost her mind as well.
Things were going south. Nothing was right. My life did not change much. I still lived my normal life.
My parents passed away and I grew older. Then that fateful event happened.
It was sudden and totally impossible to even imagine.
The religious texts had foretold that event. But no one took it seriously. It happened just like what was written.
The earth was turned upside down. Towering tsunamis crashed on land. Mountains and hills were washed away.
Cities were devastated. It did not stop there. Asteroids kept falling like hails. After water, fire burnt the land.
Humanity was being wiped out. The people who rejected the existence of a god started praying for salvation. They wanted for a savior to appear and protect them.
I just watched it all unfold. I wondered why I was even alive because only a few thousand humans were left on the entire planet.
For forty days and forty nights, it rained fire and ice. The solar system itself was going haywire.
The end was near. I could feel it. Following all the monologuing, I started planning for my death.
Supplies were running out and I was old. I was nothing but a deadweight holding everyone back.
So, I left my supplies at the shelter and disappeared.
What a time to be alive! The apocalypse is happening right before my very eyes. I am one of the chosen few to witness the end of our world.
I kept thinking along those lines and I slipped. My foot slipped and I fell off a cliff. It's a river of magma down there so I would probably burn to death.
If I have to sum up my life, I will say it was disappointing. My life, a life full of emptiness and regret, is coming to end.
My heart was heavy due to my regret and I never did believe in any god. To me, the god or gods whatever they, they are nothing more than supernatural beings.
They are by no means merciful as religions make them to be.
I close my eyes and brace for the hot magma. I thought, is time flowing slowly or did I misjudge the depth?
I opened my eyes to find myself in a different place. Before me sits my friend who was executed.
So I am dead. Funny, I didn't feel anything.
He revealed to me what has happened and the cause for the apocalypse. The reason was so mundane that I actually wished for something.
My heartfelt wish, powered by my strong regret came true and I got a special ability which would later be useful.
By the way, I still think I am the sanest of the bunch. Leading my recluse life, I was at peace. But the world is going haywire once again. All of this because Constant wants to teach me something.
Fine, I will play his little game and make an entrance. An introverts life isn't easy either.