"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten."

Nicholas Sparks

There was nothing ever particularly special about me. I led a relatively normal and ordinary life right up until my death. I have often woken up from sleeping and thought, "Am I still dreaming?" Often struggled to differentiate my dreams from reality. Woken up to be angry that I can no longer fly.

That’s how this moment of memory started for me.

. . .

I was on my way home after a long day of work. Dusk had fallen and the sky was turning when I hit the ice. I must have driven past the slow down sign 1000 times before and as usual, I did.

Hitting the brakes as I came up to the corner. Unfortunately, that is when I hit the ice. The car spun. Like the ice I froze, unable to move as the car careened out of control. Pushed into the side of the car I felt it shudder as it pressed through the barrier before flipping off the side of the road and over the side of the cliff. It was a long way down.

. . .

Drifting out of the depths of unconsciousness, I felt alone.

. . .

Tuntun, tuntun. I could feel my heartbeat as if I’m underwater.

. . .

Tuntun, tuntun. We all die alone, the thought came unprompted.

. . .

Tuntun, tuntun. But it turned out I’m not alone, Lub dub.

. . .

My heart was racing but it kept time with another.

. . .

Lub dub,

. . .

Tuntun, tuntun, tuntun,

. . .

Lub dub.

. . .

A heartbeat that was moving slower than mine but still they kept time together. Two beats to my six, still their speed rose and fell together.

. . .

Once more from the pit of oblivion I arose, with the thought "I think therefore I am."

. . .

tuntun, tuntun.

. . .

My heartbeat therefore I was alive, tuntun, tuntun, but I felt no pain

. . .

so . . . "Either I’m injured beyond belief . . . or I’m fine?" I thought to myself.

. . .

"Have I woken up from dreaming but still find myself unable to move?" I wondered.

. . .

"Was that what seemed to be happening here . . . " I speculated.

. . .

I just had to wait. I would either awake or fall back into nothingness.

. . .

Lub dub,

. . .

tuntun, tuntun, tuntun,

. . .

lub dub.

. . .

Slowly I swam up out of my stupor, I opened my eyes but all I could see was an orange glow. Waking to the warmth I found myself floating and without warning, I could hear now more than just a heartbeat. I was suddenly surrounded by sound. A humming filled my head. The notes rose and fell, the lullaby already unknowingly remembered, and soothed, I once more fell to sleep.

. . .

Ding. Sentience recognised. User interface enabled.

Level: 0

Experience: 0/100

Health: 10/10 Stamina: 1/3 Mana: 10/10

Vitality: 1

Endurance: 0

Strength: 0

Dexterity: 0

Senses: 0

Mind: 44

Clarity: 0

Magic: 1

Skills:

That was new.

. . .

Was I awake or . . . was I still dreaming?