Light… What happened...?

Ah, that… Since I don’t feel any pain I’m sedated perhaps? Then this light probably comes from the surgical light of the operating table… I should go back to sleep then…

 

“Well you could say that floor is my operating table but I’d prefer if you don’t fall asleep there.”

 

Perplexed by the domineering voice of a girl he opens his eyes once more and stands up. This time finding that the whole ‘room’ is lit by bright white light. Lacking any furnishing - or walls for that matter - but an executive table you’d expect to find in a room of a manager. Meeting eyes with a girl that seems to be in middle schooler sitting atop of a comically oversized office chair for her stature. Dressed in casual attire, the scene makes even less sense.

 

Finding himself in a rather strange environment he wonders if he’s dreaming. Besides he can’t feel much of his body.

 

“You’re up so let’s get through this quickly. We have much work piled up due to that unforeseen accident.” By her words he starts to recall the details leading up to this moment. He was a man, 27 at the time, an engineer working his 2nd year on the construction of a quite a tall building by a contract, while making his rounds around the construction zone, scaffolding support gave way and started to collapse materials placed on it falling. Before he and the crew could realize what was happening, they were caught underneath them.

 

A feeling of dread creeps up as memories rush through his mind. What happened after? Did he survive? His train of thought interrupted with a sound of someone clearing their throat.

 

“Seems you’ve remembered. That speeds this up by a lot. I won’t go through much details, you’ve died in a construction accident. Your coworkers that were with you will be fine. In fact you were the only casualty.”

 

The girl continued on with indifference as if going on about her daily work. Seriousness that couldn’t be taken as a joke further nailed the point that he has passed on.

 

“Normally this would be a minor issue, accidents happen however people don’t die unless it was their time to depart. Some cases of early or late departures do exist but they’re usually within the margin of error by about 5-7 years with 10 to 12 being extreme examples.”

 

Slightly troubled sigh escapes from her as she’s talking.

 

“Problem is that yours was a fastball. You liked mathematics and games and was supposed to have a career where you became a programmer for games. Fated to die around the age of 92. In life you should’ve had a wife and 2 daughters.
That’s an issue as you’re dead now. Since you were meant to be a programmer you weren’t technically supposed to be there get caught up in that accident. We didn’t look too much into your career choice as it’s not uncommon for people to deviate a little from their destiny.
There’s another problem. One who was to marry you is now without a mate, their fate is in jeopardy, the 2 souls that were to be born is are  now on hold. Honestly it’s a domino effect of problems one after another.”

 

He wasn’t sure what to feel. Because of his own choices he was dead. But it didn’t end there. Troubles he had unwittingly caused weighed heavily on his conscience.

Feeling that the girl said with a gentle voice:

“Don’t be too down, it wasn’t your fault. No one is at fault here.”

 

After calming down a bit, first time in the conversation he asked:

“Who are you?” and more importantly “What will happen from now on?”

 

Girl seemed surprised as she had forgotten that she didn’t introduce herself. Collecting herself quickly she answered:
“If I said that I was a Yama would you understand? Humans often call me the death god or dharmapala (Wrathful god). As for what will happen now is that you’ll be reincarnated.”

 

This time she asked, with a slightly eerie smile: “Shouldn’t you be introducing yourself?”

 

Without thinking much about the meaning he tried to answer:

“My name’s… I’m…” What? Why can’t I remember?!

While he was in distress, an answer to his internal question he had came.

“It’s been wiped, in order to make the transition smoother some memories are repressed, modified or in this case removed completely. You shouldn’t be able to recall exact details. Only the general knowledge that you have will remain along with most of the skills you’ve had in life. I’m not sure how much of this conversation we’ve had you’ll be able to call back either.”

 

He discovered then that he can’t remember the faces of his coworkers that was with him, friends that he had, family that had lost him. Yet memories of the past burns bright even if it’s hazy. They reminded him of what he had lost - everything. A saddening thought.

 

“Introspection is good but try not to get too attached and forget how to live now. It would be a shame if you were overcome by emotion and gave up on life. We’re repressing those memories for that reason after all.”

 

She was right… The family he had, coworkers, and his friends wouldn’t want him to wallow in despair. But to make the most with the chance he was given to live again. However there was still something that bothered him.

 

“The woman was to become my wife… Will she be okay?”

 

“That’s your first reaction? You’re an odd one. No need to worry, we’ll make sure she’s on the right track, changing her fate, hopefully she’ll handle the midlife crisis well. More crucially, your fate is undecided on the next world so we can’t tell you much about what to expect. What I can tell you is that you will be reincarnated with extra 70% of the life you didn’t get to live. And you will still get a wife and 2 daughters.”

 

“Is that so?” Hearing that he was wondering if he’d live an extremely long life; an average lifespan lengthened by 70% is quite long after all. But when he considered that before the modern era that he lived in, the average lifespan of people were significantly shorter. With that thought he asked:

 

“What kind of world would it be? Is it the same as Earth?” He was wondering if he still had employment options for some reason.

 

The Yama had a troubled face. “As you liked RPG video games, it will be in a  fantasy like setting, think of it as a service from us. You’ll have to access a self scrying ability to control your own growth and with it your own fate. There are more dangers in this world, especially considering what you’ll be reincarnated into...”

 

That last statement took him off guard. Wait. What if I wasn’t reincarnated as a human? That can’t be possible right? He wanted to know but was hesitant to ask.

Collecting herself; “With how much life you had left to live, our compensation is technically just however just sending you like that would still be overkill. As such you’ll be handicapped a bit to make less intense of an impact on that world.”

 

“What kind of handicap?” He asked as there was a hunch, that wasn’t all there is to what she said…

 

The Yama closed her eyes, seemingly somewhat sorry: “Spider… You’ll be reincarnated as a spider.”

 

“Spider? Wait why spider? Can’t I become a human?” he asked with shock evident on him.

 

“We’re tight on time so I’ll keep it brief. There’s this thing called the karmic justice. Simply put you had much good karma but it was offset by your childhood and teenage days of killing spiders, thus to keep the balance you’ll be suffering some as a spider to make up for it.”

 

While he was still digesting what he had just heard. A cheerful voice said “I’m sure you’ll find your way and become at least human enough. I have faith in you Alicia.”

 

As the reincarnation process began he started to dissolve into particles of light. Dazzling light started to fill his vision, blocking the figure of the Yama.

 

“Hey! WAIT! I HAVEN-”

 

His voice was cut off as his soul was sent to a new world.

 

---

 

After he was sent off, alone The Yama was staring off to somewhere.

 

“The chance of a local divinity being born is high... I wonder what he’ll have in store for us...”

 

Her mutterings were answered by none, lost in the rain of light.