I had read my fair share of transmigration novels, but I was about 30 seconds away from mine being titled, "So I Transmigrated To The 1980s With A Cock In My Mouth". Not cool god. Not cool. Still, as I jumped back into the center aisle of the bus yelling, "AH...Who...WHAT THE FUCK?" I had a sneaking, almost instinctive, feeling that this was all my fault somehow.
How did I know it was the 80s? The same way I knew it was almost pitch black on the school bus even though I could see every detail perfectly. I just did. I had lived through the 80s once before. I'm sure of that. I recognized the haircuts (god help us). The art style on the trapper keeper across the aisle. Ten seats forward, a blonde girl in an Oklahoma State University Marching Band sweater spun around at my yell and for an instant, and in tiny font in a lower left corner of the unfamiliar magazine, I read April 1981.
I am officially freaking out. Too much information is fire hosing into my brain all at once. Along with the sights, the smells and sounds were crushing me. The roar of the engine, the pounding of the heart of the poor bastard whose pants my hand was just down, reek of old turkey from a crumpled-up paper bag rolling under the seats. I can practically taste every stain on the filthy fucking bus floor.
A truly epic dry heave started working its way up my body. I am about to douse the wide-eyed boy using a penlight to read "Psychology 101: A journey to the mind" in vomit. Chapter 3, Page 43, "Understanding Panic Attacks: Panic attacks are intense episodes of fear that trigger severe physical and emotional responses, often occurring unexpectedly and without a clear cause."
"Ha."
I cover my mouth and can smell a mélange of metallic oils and cheap concession stand nacho cheese on my fingers. At least I didn't smell the dick hand I guess, but regardless here comes the puke.
*Ding*
Cracking loud and sounding computer generated. I am getting some stares, but no one acknowledges the noise or the electric orange screen that pops into existence in front of me. I spin around and the screen moves with me.
*First Quest: You and all of your bandmates will die in a horrific traffic accident in 1:00 minute. Remain alive to finish quest. Completion unlocks system features*
*0:59 Seconds*
*0:58 Seconds*
I blink at the screen. I am watching the time count down. I blink faster. This is also my fault, but I also feel that this is real. Really happening and really bad. My body chooses flight.
"God fuc..Mary..Buddha! Stop the bus!" I run to the front of the bus, and along the way a pretty, smirking brunette sticks her foot out to trip me. In the dark, it would be a vicious move, but I hop over it and continue to the bus driver. I arrive. 67mph. Smell of liquor on her breath. Her window is down and I smell crisp cold fall air and exhaust fumes.
"Pull the fuck over! Now!" I shake her shoulder. Probably harder than I should considering she is driving. "Now, motherfucker!"
On reflex, she slammed on the brakes and fishtailed to the side of the road. We grind to a halt, and I fumble at the lever that opens the bus door. Running out from the bus I stumble past the shoulder and gravel siding of the road. Down the grassy ditch, and up the other side. I put plenty of space between me and the bus before I finally hurl my guts out in the frosty grass. Voices of fear and complaint were rising from the bus, and the bus driver angrily stomped down the stairs and hung out of the open door.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You nearly killed us you little idiot!" Her scared yelling and sputtering continued, but I ignored it as bus windows came down and angry, scared, and curious faces peered out at me illuminated by the passing headlights.
*0:03 Seconds*
Oh hell, I forgot to tell everyone to get off the bus. The screen wasn't specific about how the accident happens. Are they all about to die? My thoughts whirled with guilt, but to be honest...I was mostly happy I wasn't going to die. I raised my hand towards the bus. A silent acknowledgement of apology in case they were about to get crushed or whatever. No time for much else.
*Mission Success*
At that moment, a thunderous explosion shook the ground. The front window of the bus cracked from the pressure wave. From ahead of us, a billowing fireball spread across the road. In the firelight, I could see a tanker truck flipped on its side and other vehicles caught up in the spreading pool of flammable liquid. The bright light nearly knocked me over, and I throw an arm over my eyes. Screams begin to rise from the flaming cars and scrape the inside of my head. I turned my back and covered my ears instead. Too much. Too much everything. I toppled over on my side and curled up. The orange screen was the only thing I could see.
*Reward 1: All available Second Life memory recall and full Body/Spirit/Soul alignment.*
*Reward 2: Spatial utility power unlock.*
*Reward 3: Class selection. Time limit 30:00 minutes. Please choose from list...*
At that time, added onto my sensory overload, something painful begins to happen to my brain, and also to other parts of myself I had never known were an actual thing. It felt like my whole existence was being tumble dried while the devil Slap Chopped my brain. The last thing I remember seeing before I pass out is a long scrolling list of class choices that included things like Shadow Assassin, Void Mage, Blood Drinker, Master Thief, and Elite Cultist.
"They don't make sense. Like, the whole vibe is off. This is my fault too." Everything goes dark.