Sudden Death

"Change is a goal, and a dream is a chance."

Life moved so quickly that most people were swept along in a rushing river, and as the population grew denser every day, their lives were intertwined with tall skyscrapers. Some people wanted the calm and quiet of a simple, easy life, while others wanted to achieve great things. Even though they all saw things differently, they were all connected by the same idea: purpose. This goal pushed people to work hard, which led to the search for any kind of success, no matter how small. However, the ways they went about doing this were very different, and Shen's was one of a kind.

Shen, a young man in his early twenties, was an island in a sea of people. He didn't have any family or friends. Being alone was a blessing for Shen, not a burden. It was like a blank canvas on which he could make his own rules and live his life however he wanted, without worrying about anything. He may have never thought highly of anyone because he had seen so much indifference in the world. It was his choice, and Shen didn't have any big plans like the rest of the people who were having a hard time. He only cared about being alone and comfortable. He thought this way of life would go on forever, but then something very strange happened.

A death that wasn't expected.

The truck's loud horn cut through the rain-soaked street like a last, desperate warning. The two spotlights were shining down on Shen, and he stopped, his body going stiff. The horrible break in the bone was followed by the loud crash of metal hitting metal, a horrible symphony of twisting steel. The constant rain mixed with a flood of red blood that stained the ground. Shen's body was broken and still, and his vision became blurry as the world spun in a whirlpool of pain and chaos.

Time came to a stop.

The rain stopped in mid-air, and the drops hung like frozen tears in a dreamlike scene. A voice whispered from the depths of the strange silence.

"Shen."

It was a sound that didn't make anyone feel better or worse, whether they were male or female. It was just there, a low hum that echoed in his head like an old, undeniable truth. He tried to speak in a quiet, desperate way that made his chest feel tight.

"Who's here?" Shen's lips were bleeding as he croaked out the words, which were hard to say.

"Your time has come sooner than it should have."

The voice made the rain shine, and it made shapes that disappeared as soon as they were made. Shen looked up at the sky, where ghostly, dim shadows of fire and chains danced against the gray. His body felt like it was being pulled into an invisible hole, a planned fall into the unknown.

"Shen, do you know how hard your life is?"

"I don't—" Shen coughed, and his words got stuck in his throat, making a slimy gurgling sound. "Who are you?" Why is this happening?

"I can't answer your questions right now. What was the point of your life?

Shen's mind raced as he tried to think of an answer, but all he could find was nothing. He had lived a life of selfish luxury and a string of pointless days. It hurt to realize this.

The voice kept going, its tone strong and steady, but it also had a sense of depth and age. "You're not the only one who is on the edge of eternity with nothing to hold on to. In many people's lives, the line between good and bad is not clear. Think about the woman who lied to stay alive, not for money but to stay alive. The overwhelming fear buried every truth she said, so she couldn't tell the difference between them. Are you judging her?

Shen's mouth opened, but nothing came out. The question hung in the air, unanswered.

Or the guy who lived with the devil and had to kill, lie, and sin to tell the world the truth. He lived a life full of deep contradictions, hating the things he had to do. Are you putting the blame on him?

Shen saw flashes of other lives in his mind: a general who gave up many lives to keep a nation from going to war, a doctor who couldn't save a life, and people whose choices were affected by things that were completely out of their control.

The voice said in a soft but strong voice, "Who can you blame for what they do when it's all they can do to stay alive?" " Shen, it's not easy to judge. Life isn't either. Every soul has truths, lies, sins, and hope. You too.

Shen said, "I—I don't know," with blood on his cheeks and tears in his eyes. "I don't know what I did. I don't know if I deserve another chance.

The voice got softer, which calmed his troubled mind. "Maybe you don't. But today was not the day you were meant to die. So you can try again. Use it well because the world won't give you another chance when it judges you again.

The rain started to move again and fall faster, bringing things back to normal. As he fell, Shen could feel reality getting a grip on him again and his body getting heavier. For a moment, ghostly chains wrapped around his wrists while the voice faded away. The chains burned his skin with a ghostly cold before they disappeared completely.

Shen woke up on a cloud-like surface in a peaceful emptiness, gasping for air. Suddenly, the world was filled with bright, blinding light. The huge weight of the chance he had been given made his heart race as life came back into his chest.