My first moments of consciousness, I tried to open my eyes, and what greeted me was a world of blurry shapes and colors. It was all too much as I felt the sting in my eyes, so I closed them as they began to tear up. My hand reached up to rub my eyes, to try and clear my vision, and that's when I noticed the weakness in my body, with every movement being a Herculean task.
My apparent weakness soon began to frustrate me, and just like that, a burst of emotions came forth uncontrollably. My body seemed to act on its own as I felt tears begin to flow. Was I crying?
But soon I was drawn from my thoughts as I heard a voice—deep and strong, but with the curiosity and tone of a child.
"Corpus, is that baby brother?"
Another voice spoke, with the patience of someone used to being asked questions nonstop.
"Yes, brother, that is our baby brother."
Corpus. I know that name. He's one of the three sons of Immortan Joe. And I know the first voice too—his name is Rictus Erectus, another son of Immortan Joe.
This has got to be a dream, right?
And as if waiting for that moment, memories began to flow back—memories of walking back to my house, of the screeching of tires, and a truck… and then nothing.
Shit. Did I die? I did, didn't I?
Does that mean I got reincarnated into Mad Max?
Shit, wait! Corpus said I was their baby brother.
Wait, wait—was I reborn as the son of Immortan Joe?!
Shit. I guess it could've been worse. I could've been some nobody in the Wasteland.
I was drawn out of my thoughts by Rictus.
"He stopped crying, Corpus! I think he likes me."
"Yes, Rictus, I think he likes you."
I began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
This is crazy, I thought. I was reborn as a baby in Mad Max, to Immortan Joe.
"Look, Corpus! He's laughing! That means he likes me!" I heard the giddy voice of Rictus say.