15 Hours Before Tragedy
Tuesday, April 21 – 6:00 a.m.
Rrring... rrring...
The phone vibrated violently, shaking me out of my slumber. I didn't even remember what I was dreaming about last night. People say if you forget your dream, it means you slept well. Maybe that's true , because I felt oddly energized, ready to face another day as a proud, underappreciated member of the workforce.
Or as I like to call it: a professional slave.
My morning ritual followed the sacred order ‐ brush, wash, and, of course, dump. They say morning poop is a sign of healthy guts. That's what I read on the internet. And if it's on the internet, it must be true, right?
By 9:00 a.m. sharp, I was already at the office, feeling a bit smug about arriving on time for the 200th consecutive day without applause or promotion. But that moment of pride was instantly shattered.
"Alan," my boss called out with his loud voice, "you'll need to cover for Jeff today. Emergency leave."
No explanation. No warning, No backup. Just the corporate equivalent of, 'Congratulations, you've just been promoted to two employees for the price of one!'
Then my phone buzzed. A message from Jeff himself.
> Sorry, I take EL today. I accidentally ran over my dog while reversing the car.
I blinked. Slowly.
Run over… your dog?
Look, I'm not saying he's lying, but if you don't have kids, dogs are the go-to excuse for sudden disappearances. If Jeff ever gets a second dog, I'll probably be working weekends too.
So that day turned into complete chaos.
Phone calls ringing nonstop, reports piling up with no end, and somehow, I was doing everything—twice.
Still, I stayed calm. This wasn't my first time.
I'm the go-to guy when someone takes MC or EL. Like clockwork—once a month minimum. Twice if i was lucky.
But today felt different. Busier. Heavier.
Paperwork stacked high on my desk, and as usual, people passed by without so much as a glance. No offers to help. No shared burden.
Just the quiet hum of productivity around me, while I drown in it.
But honestly?
I didn't mind.
I've gotten used to being invisible.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally wrapped up the last of my tasks.
The watch showed 9:30 p.m.
An hour and a half of unpaid overtime—again.
I sighed, thinking about Bob. Hopefully, he had the sense to order food. That guy relied on me for dinner like a child depends on their parent.
Lunch? He just scavenged whatever scraps were left in the fridge, calling it a "survival game."
As I stepped out of the office building, my phone buzzed.
Bob.
I assumed it was about food.
"Hello, sorry man, I just finished work. Today was chaotic. I'm on my way to the shop to—"
"Alan, you need to come over. Now. It's happening. Forget the dinner. Now!"
Tupp.
That was it.
No greeting. No explanation. Just... that.
There was urgency in his voice—real panic—but knowing Bob, it was probably something dumb.
Like an anime figure finally arriving or some waifu getting a live-action remake.
So, I just went home.
10 minutes before the tragedy
What awaited me at home was the last thing I would've ever expected.
Right in the middle of Bob's room was a swirling, glowing whirlpool of light. It hummed softly, casting strange shadows on the walls.
"What the hell is that?"
"A portal," Bob said, grinning like a mad scientist.
"I've been working on this for the past month. This is the secret project I told you about."
"Where does it lead?"
"To another world. To a new reality, maybe?"
"Maybe? How can you be so sure this'll even work if you're not sure where it goes?"
"I don't know. No one left a review on the item, so I figured they succeeded and never came back to write one."
He showed me something that looked like a weird glass bottle with runes on it.
"You bought this thing online?!" I was utterly flabbergasted.
"Of course. When's the last time you saw me step out of this house?"
Ahhh… my head hurt. I couldn't take this anymore. I was exhausted.
"I'm not interested. If you want to jump into a death tunnel, go ahead. I'll just tell your dad you ran away or something."
I turned to the door and grabbed the knob.
"What kind of response is that, dude? This is it, Alan. A once-in-a-lifetime chance—for magic, adventure… and harem!"
"Yeah, good luck with that."
Just as I started to twist the doorknob, I felt a sudden force pulling me from behind.
Hard.
My fingers gripped the knob tighter, but the pull only got stronger. My feet lifted off the ground.
Bob was already mid-air, being sucked into the glowing portal.
"See you on the other side, Alaaaannnnn…!"
He vanished in a flash of light.
No. This shouldn't be happening. I have work tomorrow. A dental appointment in the evening!
This… this is a tragedy!
The doorknob tore free from my hand—and then I was pulled in too.
Into the unknown.
And just like that, everything went black.
Ahhh… goodbye my normal daily life…