When the Prank Isn't a Prank

After Kazir snatched up a neighboring camera, we hurried out of the glass house. The man was now sitting sideways on the curving top railing of the fence, which was over three meters high, and he was using his hands and knees to keep his balance. He appeared to be assuming the persona of a terrified suicidal individual, which allowed me to bargain.

We came up to him and paused a couple of meters away. Behind me, Kazir was filming.

"Hey, my man! Today is too good to be dying, isn't it? With a horrible opening statement, Kazir stated, "Look, there isn't a cloud in the sky."

The man responded to Kazir's statement after noticing our approach. Anger twisted his face, which appeared to be in his late forties.

"Howdy, howdy? Do you think it's a good day when I'm fired after being accused of sexual harassment? You're a jerk! Are you trying to pick a quarrel with me?

With one hand gripping the fence and the other pointing a finger at us, the man burst in rage. I was struck by his realistic acting.

I tried my own shaky line and interrupted, "Whoa, whoa, chill out, man," "Life will always improve. Take a look at me. A time back, I was unemployed and on the verge of homelessness, but today I have a legitimate delivery job. You see? You can always find another work if you lose your current one. A suicide hotline was never my thing.

"It ain't easy if you're over fifty, you fucktard!"

He was past fifty, I see. He began to curse. This was incredibly realistic.

"The accusation is the reason they won't even give me my pension! His cheeks flushed and he started to scream. "I fucking worked twenty years for those assholes!" he said. His hair and clothing were unkempt.

Apparently, the setup was being framed and fired without receiving a pension. I had heard similar tales in the past; some businesses might be that callous in order to save a little money. Well done, Kazir, on the backstory.

You wouldn't abandon your wife and children, would you? Consider their feelings if you pass away. "Come on, try again, please."

After I said it, the man started crying even harder. Did it function? Will this end soon?

"You jerk, I'm fucking sterile! And I lost my wife to a wealthy man! Damnit, that bitch is... is...

They were really making this difficult for me, whoa. This was a bit much, wasn't it? Is it possible that such a depressing life story was accidentally caught on camera?

"All right, just relax, would you? Life may be far worse, you know.

My torso was covered in a roadmap of scars, which I could see when I removed my shirt. This show ought to be sufficient for today. Don't ask for more, please.

Kazir and the suicidal man both gaped in shock at what they saw. Even the man's tears ceased. Perhaps this worked too well?

"Wow, man, those abs are crazy! "Dude, what the devil?" Kazir cried out.

You inquire about the abs while ignoring a body covered in scars? What a way of thinking, I thought.

"Hush," I said. "You understand now, don't you? You don't lose everything when you lose your job. Were you charged? So you'd better make things right. Hire a lawyer and file a million-dollar lawsuit against the corporation.

What a great answer I just provided him. Well, my suggestion was right to a certain degree.

"I—I can get millions of dollars?!"

That was it. The signal that the situation was coming to an end.

I added the exaggeration, saying, "Yeah, if not millions, at least hundreds of thousands," "You see? We can discuss it if you only lower yourself from that fence. Look, this guy has a well-known YouTube channel. He can also support your cause. You will have that money in no time." It was a reach for Kazir's prank channel to become well-known, and in all likelihood, the man would only receive a few thousand dollars at most. However, this was really a show-off white lie.

The man's eyes darted from me to the far-off asphalt.

"I don't... I'd rather not die just yet. I want to exact revenge on the jerks who destroyed me.

It was finally over. $50 is easy.

"All right. Now descend gradually. Later, we can talk about what to do. Hell, you can have any supper you want with this eerie Indian dude.

"I am unable to. I can't move my body, huh? I'm too afraid. I am completely immobile.

They want me to get him down, too? Oh no. This is excessive.

Simply fling your body to the side! We'll see you.

A powerful blast of wind, taking dust with it, came from behind me at that same time. The suicidal man was struck in the face by it. He dropped the railing in shock and wiped his eyes.

His stance faltered. This wasn't good.

He began to stutter in the direction of the incorrect side of the fence. Immediately, I leaped, grasped the wire fence with my left hand, hauled myself up, and grabbed the man with my right hand to prevent him from falling.

Seize!

His body was already more than 45 degrees over the edge, and I just managed to catch his tie.

In an attempt to bring him back before he tilted any farther, I gave a vigorous yank.

He was a heavy person. To increase my reach, my left hand had let go of the fence. I was now hauling him without an anchor as a result. I was able to pull him back because he was larger than me, but I was the one who over the barrier and began to fall.

I was in a tough predicament now. Very terrible. I made futile attempts to cling to everything and plant my feet on the rooftop's edge. Already, I could see the asphalt below approaching.

I looked back and noticed the fence getting smaller. I believed I heard someone yelling.

I turned away from the glistening blue sky, which appeared to be moving slowly. I think my adrenaline was rushing through my body.

Will I die? Me? Dying in this manner? Who would have guessed that when "those guys" heard how I died, they would most likely burst out laughing.

Had anyone ever made it through a six-story building fall? If so, how likely was it that I would experience it? I didn't want to think about the injuries, even if I lived. Simply make it painless and fast.

Kazir, that one... I couldn't really hold him responsible. I should have known that the suicidal man had no safety rope. Most likely, that actually happened. That man was most likely on the verge of suicide after being dismissed. I could have planned for such unforeseen circumstances if I had known sooner.

...

Why hadn't I fallen to the ground yet, ugh? It hurt to see this slow motion.

Ziiiiing!

What was that? My eyesight was filled with a dazzling burst of light. Was this the moment when "life flashed before your eyes"?

Everything became to a burning white as the light intensified. It was excessive. I shut my eyes and awaited my death.

I was losing consciousness. Had I already struck the ground? No discomfort was felt.

Thus, this is the experience of dying. It wasn't that horrible. At least I had achieved my purpose in life, and I wasn't sure how long I could have continued to lead a typical existence. I should be happy with it generally, despite a few little regrets. Yes, I ought to be.

My awareness started to wane as I persuaded myself of this. I was genuinely unable to feel anything at all. I think this was my last moment.

...

What? A voice reached my ears.

...

My head felt lightheaded and my body hurt, ugh. It was the type of pain that comes with sleeping in too late and having a terrible hangover, when you feel like throwing up but nothing comes out. Hold on, I sensed something.

I thought I was forgetting something, but I also thought I had been asleep for a while. Was it a nightmare I had? It was really unclear. My mind was in disarray. I began to cough violently.

It was dark when I opened my eyes. I lost my sense of direction as silence closed in around me.

...

My limbs gradually regained their vigor after a few moments. I started to see clearly. The dazzling brightness was vanished. I thought I was lying on a floor since I could feel a hard surface underneath me.

My eyes scanned my surroundings. I could see a lot of people around me, but my vision was still fuzzy while it adjusted. They donned ornate jackets, elegant outfits, and some even wore metallic armor as they circled me. They numbered in the dozens.

And my hearing was coming back. They were looking at me and talking among themselves, and I could hear it.

My senses were almost normal again in less than a minute. I took another look around. It seemed as though I was in a vast, circular hall that was exquisitely engraved. Constructed from slabs of marble and sculpted stone, it looked like an antique cathedral.

I was able to sit by using my hands to push myself up. My eyes paused on the room's most expensively attired individual. He had a familiar face.

"What a wonderful hero! We've been anticipating your arrival. As our gazes locked, the elderly man in the elegant attire exclaimed. As everyone waited for him to finish speaking, the room fell silent.

A great hero? What on earth was he discussing? I felt uneasy since I was still confused and everyone was staring at me.

When I didn't respond, he went on. It took a lot of work for us to attract your attention. With the goddess' approval, you will set out on a mission to defeat the demon lord, oh noble hero!"

Gods, demon lords, summoning... The old man was talking gibberish. None of it made sense to me. Everyone around me had a strained, eager look on their faces. What were they hoping for, I wondered?

"We shall aid you with all we can in preparation of your—"

"AAH!" I pointed to the elderly man and shouted. My confused thoughts suddenly made sense at that point.

Now I got it.

I had a clear view of his figure. That look... despite his elegant attire and remarkably long beard, he was unable to conceal his Indian features. He was the one. Kazir. The joker. The jerk.

When I screamed and pointed at him, everyone was taken aback. Almost everyone in the room lifted an eyebrow.

I sprang up instantly and headed for the bearded Kazir, but guys with spears and half-armored bodies stepped in to stop me.

This hoax must have a substantial budget, now that I think about it. Has the man found a sponsor at last? Who in the world would fund a prank show? A wealthy, bored teen? In any case, this time I had completely fell for it. It truly caught me off guard. Excellent work, Kazir.

However, this went beyond my patience and the $50 incentive. I was still in pain. How long had I been out, I wondered? The pizza he handed me must have been significantly poisoned. I thought my tongue may still taste it.

"What a great job you've done this time!" I spoke aloud, raising both of my hands in a dramatic motion. A broad, 'pleasant' smile was plastered on my face.

Kazir appeared to believe that everything was well after seeing this. He commanded the guard-like guys to disperse so I could get close to him.

"Everyone, get down! All the hero wants to do is say hello! In his culture, this is most likely how individuals are greeted.

As Kazir spoke, the noise level in the crowd increased. He did his work with passion, so I had to applaud him.

I moved closer till I was directly in front of him. I sensed that everyone was watching us. Like a comrade, I placed my right hand on his shoulder. We were both beaming broadly.

"Good job on your work today!"

SLAP!

With my right hand still securely grasping his shoulder, I swung my free left hand and gave him a cheek smack.

"" "Wooooooaah!" ""

A collective gasp went through the crowd. The soldiers hurried back toward us, startled. With a shocked expression on his face, Kazir gripped his hurting cheek.

"Hold on! Hold on! I think it's merely the way the hero greets each other! "Don't worry, it's okay!"

At Kazir's order, the guards instantly halted. The throng looked at each other understandingly. These individuals were true professionals who could adapt to impromptu situations.

Kazir smiled and turned back to face me. I returned his smile with a 'genuine' one.

Yes, he touched my shoulder with his right hand. It appeared like his left hand was poised to swing.

I used my right hand to stop his oncoming smack. His eyes darted to my hand in apparent surprise. I guess he didn't anticipate me blocking him. He probably wouldn't anticipate the next one either.

SLAP!

While he was preoccupied, I gave him another slap on the same cheek. What was he contemplating? Was he expecting me to play 'exchange ridiculous welcomes' with him over?

"" "" "Woooooah!" "" ""

His eyes expanded in shock and disbelief. Every eyebrow in the room was now lifted to its highest level; it wasn't just him. Every mouth formed a 'O' with its mouths hanging open.

The others started staring at each other when he looked around as though to inquire what had just transpired. Has he yet to grasp what a complete failure this prank is?

"Well done for giving me the impression that I was dying back there. I fell for it, really, truly.

SLAP!

"" "" "WOOOAAH!" ""

Once more, the peanut gallery made noises.

"You punk, Kazir! Will I be able to handle all of your pranks? I'm demanding a larger payment, so you'd best tack on a few zeros!"

I tried to remove his long, bushy beard from his face by grabbing hold of it.

"Aaah! Aww! Put an end to him! Put an end to this chaos! "OH NO!"

He started to fight fiercely. What? This was a very good imitation beard. Which type of glue did he apply? It refused to remove.

The guards seized my arms right away and violently threw me to the ground. My face and body were pinned to the ground as they pulled me away from Kazir.

What? Something didn't feel right. They were being rough to me. When they had tackled me, it had really hurt. Such brutal treatment of a 'guest' by these security officers is unacceptable, even if I were ruining the event.

"What impudence! "You have the audacity to touch His Majesty, the King!" One of the dignified men yelled at me.

Several men were holding me down while I lay face down on the floor. The only way I could turn my head was to look at Kazir, who was now wearing a look of disbelief and disdain.

Once more, my inner alarm was tingling. There was a problem. It all seemed too real to be a set-up.

"Arrest this man and throw him into the dungeon!" The guards were ordered by the man with the significant appearance.

What? Just what did you say? It was my time to be perplexed now. I was carried away before I could say anything to defend myself, and I ended up trapped in a chilly, dim dungeon.