Ch 2. The what?

"What do you mean by future?"

Hiro: " Just that. We are 20000 years after the disaster. You remember right? The moment you died."

"Yeah? I guess I do."

Such bad timing that was.

Hiro: "Well, this is what happened to all of us. We just woke up here one day. In the end, we had no choice but to keep on living so here we are"

I know damn well aimlessly going on like this can't be the only choice. There has to be more to life than this.

That's a lot coming from me though. I pretend to believe this, yet all I have done those past few days was survive for no reason. Or maybe this has been the case for the past few years? When was the last time I even felt alive in the first place?

Wait, “All of us”? What? I mean I guess everyone dies at one point. Nothing adds up, but I feel like taking all the information in would take way too much time in this heat. Let’s just get the basics.

"So, where did we get transported?"

Hiro: "The exact place where you died"

I died smack in the middle of Tokyo though. But I guess things do change in 20000 years. I never would have guessed Tokyo of all places would get greener.

Wait, if we all died and got here, where is Haru? We were right in front of one another. Did the fact she was blown away count? I have to find her.

"Sorry, I have something to do."

Hiro: "Wowowow, wait! Where are you going?"

Gotta find her.

Hiro: "You have no idea where the civilization is do you?"

I have to find her.

Hiro: "You will die all alone out there"

I NEED to find her.

Hiro: "STOP"

My legs just stopped in place. Guess my right foot is more rational than I am.

What am I doing?

Why do I care so much? What is wrong with me? He is right. I have no idea what I am doing. I can barely survive out here.

"Sorry. You’re right. Is there a village around here?"

Hiro: "Damn you just took off for a second. Village? Yeah, you could call it that."

"Can you please take me there?"

Hiro: "Of course, let’s go."

…

Hiro: "Man, you sure were in a hurry back there. Where were you even going?"

…

Hiro: "Sorry, shouldn’t have asked."

...

"Thank you"

Hiro: "Huh? Oh, don’t worry about it. All of us were like you at one point. Just like I was saved, it is my duty to save you, and one day, it will be your duty to do the same for another victim."

"Victim?"

Hiro: "Yes, that’s what we are called. The ones who died and woke up so much later. The victims. Sounds weird, I know, but don't worry about it. Some words do change their meaning with time."

He said that with such a friendly smile. He is a good man. Of that I am sure. Maybe I am at least lucky enough on this aspect.

"So… is this village far?"

It is getting dark, nothing bad happened those first nights. Maybe I was lucky. Or maybe there really is nothing out there. But I know damn sure I was hearing some weird sounds 2 nights ago.

I hope we can get there soon. I need to take a bath. I am sure Hiro noticed it. Damn this is embarassing. Good thing he is a nice guy.

So I am no hero in an isekai huh, just a guy late to the party. I knew it sounded a bit too good to be true. After all, luck isn’t one of my strengths.

But still, what kind of plot is this? I mean I know at least Hiro is that one good friend who comes out of nowhere and acts as a guide. I can live with that. If only I wasn’t trying to act cool and came up with that name…

Hiro: "We should be there in an hour or so. Be ready for the guards to come pretty hard at you though. They are on high alert after all."

"High alert? Is there any danger out there?"

Hiro: "Where do I even start? You were damn lucky you survived all this time. Most people’s stories end in a tragedy just as soon as they arrive. The city is a paradise. The outside? Not so much"

"A tragedy? What is out there?"

Hiro: "We don’t even know. There are things out there that watch us. They don’t always attack, but they are always there. Nobody knows why, or what gets them mad."

Things? This is getting scary real fast.

"What do you mean by things?"

*thud*

What fell like that? Damn in this darkness I am too scared to even look. But I guess if it was dangerous, Hiro would have told me. I don’t know what those “things” are, but if they are always watching, I wouldn’t want to anger one right now.

Why is he so silent though? Don’t tell me he is also scared.

"Hiro?"

Wait, where is he? No way we got separated.

Something is touching my leg, no it grabbed me. What is this? HIRO?

-AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

WHAT IS THAT? THAT IS NOT HIRO. WHY IS THERE NO HEAD? WHAT IS THAT GETTING OUT OF HIM. HOW DID HIS HAND GRAB ME?

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!

I stepped on the hand and just took off. No questions asked. It was not the first time in my life I got scared and started running, but it probably was the most intense.

…

I have been running for like 2 minutes. Nothing around me, I think. Ok. Calm down. Let’s recap what just happened.

…

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN. RUN RUN RUN. RUN ANYWHERE JUST RUN.

"FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK."

"LEAVE ME ALONE LEAVE ME ALONE."

THERE IS SOMETHING BEHIND I CAN FEEL IT I CAN FEEL IT I CAN FEEL IT.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

…

Ok. You have been running for like crazy stop.

I stopped and turned around to scream at the top of my lungs.

"WHATEVER YOU ARE, LEAVE ME ALONE."

Nothing.

I laid down next to a tree.

What the hell was that. I can feel my heart all the way in my throat.

What happened to Hiro? He was on the ground, but that for sure wasn’t his head. What was that thing getting out of it? Wait, was he…

"BLEEEEEGHhhh"

That can’t be. No no no. How can that even happen? I heard nothing. He was just talking with me. He was telling me about…

No way…that’s why he...

"BLEEEEGH"

Ok STOP. Pull yourself together.

I hit myself in the face after that. Not that it helped at all. 

I wiped my mouth and got up. Disgusting, I know.

After panicking in one place for like an hour, I started walking.

Where?

That's a good question. There was only one thing on my head, and surprisingly, it wasn't related to her.

Seeing a dead insect grosses you out. Seeing a dead animal makes you feel bad, but it happens, you get used to it.

Seeing a dead person is something nobody wants. You have the people saying "Look how silently they are sleeping" to keep themselves away from despair. But in a situation where I couldn't even see where his head went, it was a bit hard for me to say that. 

The fact that the body was pretty lively while holding on to my leg also didn't help.

And that thing sticking out where the head was supposed to be...

Just thinking about it makes me sick.
I don't know how long it has been, but that paradise is nowhe...

*bonk*

After feeling even the slightest touch of an unfamiliar object my heart stopped.

It is the middle of the day, I should be able to see things around me. A foreign object so close to me can only mean certain death at this point.

To think I won't even see what killed me. Again. Just like last time. Probably just like her. And probably just like Hiro. Can we not even ask for that?

Nothing happened.

Now, thinking about it, there is nothing here. What did I even hit?

"Ouch?"

The next second, out of thin air, 2 guys armed to the teeth appear with a kind smile on their faces.

?: "Wellcome to the Hub, you seem to have been through a lot"As I felt I was finally safe, a single drop of rain somehow seemed to have landed on my face. A salty one at that.

I thought it was pretty sunny outside.