"Ugh..."
Dark blood dripped from my eyes.
"Wha-what is happening?"
Suddenly, I died.
Let's go back five hours earlier.
"Yahoo!"
I was so happy, I started jumping, trying to reach the branches of a tree at least ten feet tall.
I felt unstoppable.
Curious, I began punching trees to test how strong I had become.
With one full-powered punch, I managed to crack a tree.
But my hand cracked too. I felt the sharp pain as my bones snapped.
"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! WHAT IS THIS?!"
Blood poured down my arm.
"IT HURTS!"
I collapsed and rolled on the ground, screaming in pain. For thirty straight minutes, I cursed the world, the mushroom, and myself.
Then something impossible happened.
My hand completely healed.
Not a scar. Not a mark.
Like nothing had ever happened.
What the hell is this body?
I got up, still breathing hard, and continued my journey. I followed the river, scanning the area for anything I could eat. My stomach had been growling since morning.
As I walked, I spotted a red mushroom growing near a tree root. It wasn't as big as the blue one from before, but it was still something.
I picked it up and held it in my hand.
I didn't have a bag. I never made one.
Why?
Because I was too lazy.
Sniff sniff.
"I smell something delicious..."
I sniffed again and paused.
"Oh, fuck. It's me that smells good."
I chuckled to myself.
'I smell weird. If there were animals around, they'd probably eat me alive. Hahaha…'
Lost in my thoughts, I let my guard down.
Then it happened.
SHUNK!
Something pierced me clean through.
I turned my head slowly.
It was the same massive bird from before.
It had stabbed through my body, then ripped out my intestines and swallowed them like noodles.
'Funny how my intestines are out again...'
Crack.
A wave of pain tore through me like fire.
'It hurts. Is this really how I die? I got a second chance at life, and this is how it ends?'
'Okay...'
Then I looked down at my hand.
The red mushroom was still there.
'Might as well eat this. Maybe it'll give me one last trip before I bleed out. Maybe it'll numb the pain.'
I took a bite.
I chewed it like it was a chicken leg.
The taste was bitter, earthy, and burned a little on my tongue.
Then, dark liquid began leaking from my eyes.
My vision blurred.
My heartbeat slowed.
And then.
I died.