The Genesis Game

Chapter 2: The Forever Death

andrewokelley.com

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A double knock on the door to his room woke Michael up, a knock that he recognized as his mom's. "Michael honey, you need to get up and get ready. You overslept again. If you don't hurry, you'll miss the bus again and I can't give you a ride to campus."

Michael rolled over and looked at the alarm, 9:21, still plenty of time. "It's fine mom, I can get ready in real quick and you can drop me off."

The door opened slightly, and she responded. "I can't today. I had to call your Aunt Jodie to take Abby to school. The car isn't working right, and I need to try to get it into the shop before my shift starts. I left some eggs on the stove for you and some soup in the crock pot to heat up later for you and your sister. I've got to work late tonight, don't let your sister stay up too late."

"Alright, got it. Thanks mom." Michael answered as he stretched out and wiped the sleep from his eyes and quickly got out of the bed as he started to scramble to grab pieces of clothing on his way towards the bathroom for a quick shower that was little more than a quick rinse off.

Not 5 minutes later, Michael emerged fully dressed from a steam filled bathroom. His long black hair wet from the shower and his clothing damp from moisture. In his hurry, he'd hardly bothered to try and dry himself off on his way out.

The time on the alarm clock on his night stand read 9:28. "Alright, so looks like I've seven minutes to catch the bus." It'll be a close one, he thought as he put his shoes on and ran out of the house, thankful that his mom had woken him up on her way out, but wishing it had been just a few minutes earlier so he could actually eat.

Michael practically bounded out of the house. He jumped off the front porch and ran straight through the gate of the fence, slamming it shut behind him, not bothering to take the time to gently close it. He winced when he saw the latch didn't take, but didn't have to time to fix it.

I'm going to be late, Michael thought as he forced himself to stride out his legs and extend his steps as far as he good. He knew he had no time at all to spare to reach the bus stop.

Even then as sweat began to pour down his neck and his legs started to strain, it wasn't even. With a sign of frustration Michael saw the back lights of the bus shine for a moment before taking off, leaving him in its wake as a flurry of snow began to fall.

Rapidly everything disappeared until only Michael remained, somehow safe from the encroaching darkness in a small ring of light on the snow covered road. He looked around, feeling a strange sense of calmness, finding a measure of comfort in the suddenly dark world.

From out of the darkness, a man well dressed man in a black suit spoke to him. "This was not the brightest future I've seen taken away by a young death, but not the worst either by far."

"Not the brightest future I've seen taken away by a young death, but not the worst either." The man's voice was calm and friendly with an almost grandfatherly tone to it. "But it doesn't have to end here. You can have another shot you know."

Michael looked at him in confusion, not understanding what was going on. "What do you mean? I just missed the bus, it's not like it's a death sentence."

The man looked at him oddly with an expression of regret that made Michael's blood turn cold, a look that Michael knew meant bad news. It was the same kind of look his mother had when she told him his dad had passed away from a heart attack at the plant.

"My dear boy, you're already dead, or close to it. This street is an illusion of your dying mind, a goodbye flash if you will of something that could have been. Your body lays crushed beneath a tree and even now your body grows cold, its why it started to snow here."

Michael looked down at his hands and for a brief moment saw a flash of blood and a pain in his c.h.e.s.t. "So, I'm dying then. What's next are you death? An angel? The devil? I tried to live a good life you know."

The man laughed for a moment as he smiled and extended a hand. "I don't care about any of that. I'm Mr. Light by the way, and you my young friend have suffered a most terrible fate. You're dead, at least you will be in a second. What I offer you is a chance, a way to live again in that infinite space that exists between death and dying. Pandemonium."

The impossible words didn't really register with Michael until the space around him and Mr. Light began to shrivel up and disappear. Mr. Light pressed him, a tone of urgency to his voice. "What do you say? Is this the end of your story? Or do you want to live? Do you want a chance to see your sister again? To ensure she doesn't grow up alone in this world."

Whatever doubts Michael might have had were gone immediately at the mention of his sister and without hesitation, he stuck out his hand to take the deal. "What is it that you want from me?"

Mr. Light laughed and ignored the question, "Next stop, Pandemonium. The realm of monsters, demons, and the newly dead. Do your best to stay alive. If you die here it's the forever death."