Daniel lay sprawled on the floor like a broken doll, groaning in pain as he silently cursed the damned old man who had left him in this state.
— Hahaha… you damn old bastard… you've fucked me up completely. Who would have thought that conman had a gun hidden in his clothes…
He tried to laugh, but the pain cut through his throat. He couldn't even utter a word to call his father, who remained focused on his work in the back of the shop.
Daniel struggled to breathe, but the air refused to pass. He choked on his own blood.
— Cough… cough… cough… what do I do…? — he thought, desperate. — I need to call Dad… but this pain… I can't think straight…
He writhed on the floor, desperate, looking around for any possible help.
As he twisted, something fell from his pocket — the pocket watch he always carried with him.
That watch was the second love of his life, right after his family. He cared for it as if it were the most precious thing in the world, like a relic from a fantasy tale.
Trembling, Daniel stretched his arm toward the watch, now lying in a pool of his blood. He grasped it with effort and slowly lifted it to his face.
When the precious object was before his eyes, Daniel forgot everything. Time seemed to stop.
He simply stared — the silver shine, the golden details, the perfect beauty. For a moment, he was no longer a young man near death on the floor, but a boy admiring his treasure.
— You've been with me my whole life, since I was five…
— No matter where I went, you were always with me.
— When I touch your cold, smooth metal, I feel in my chest all the love and dedication my great-grandfather put into you.
— In a way, it was as if he were still with me, through you…
He closed his eyes for a moment and gave a faint, tired smile.
— You know… even in this situation, which is probably my end… I'm not afraid.
— I've had a happy life, even if short.
— I never lacked anything. My parents loved me. I did what made me happy.
— I've had a full and happy life… I've truly been blessed.
Tears began to well up in his eyes.
— My only fear… is leaving my family behind.
— Now that Mom is going to have a baby… she will need all the care possible.
— I hope my death doesn't affect her health, or the child's…
— May the baby be born healthy, and fill the void I'll leave…
As he lost himself in these thoughts, the arm holding the watch began to weaken. Still, he clutched it tightly, refusing to let go.
The arm slowly fell across his chest, holding the object close to his heart.
His vision started to darken — as if the world around him was being covered by shadow.
A soft chill ran through his body.
— Well… it seems that's it.
— My time is up… my journey has ended… — he murmured with difficulty, before his face tilted to the side.
— Forgive… me for leaving you… be well… my fami—…
The sentence was never finished.
A single tear fell from the corner of his eye — carrying the weight of love, farewell, and regret.
Daniel woke up.
But where?
The place he found himself in… did not seem like the world he knew.
Perhaps "strange" was an understatement — "supernatural" was more fitting.
Everything around him was a vast corridor made of a material he had never seen before.
It emanated a unique sensation — sacred.
It felt as though the entire place was imbued with silent peace and undeniable power.
He didn't take a single step.
He stood still, observing everything around him.
Columns and broken structures floated in the air, defying gravity. Everything moved slowly, as if time ran at a different pace here.
The sky was dark, speckled with a few visible stars.
On the sides of the corridor, the ground disappeared into an endless abyss.
— What the hell is this place…? — he murmured, frowning.
He sighed, exhausted.
— Today is ridiculous…
— First, I die because of a lunatic conman…
— Now I wake up in a bizarre place, without a living soul in sight…
— Hahaha… what a great day.
He began walking slowly, glancing around.
Suddenly, a female voice echoed throughout the space:
— Wow! How did you get so far? I was sure I pulled you into the sanctuary garden!
Daniel nearly screamed.
He jumped back, heart racing.
— Damn it! You scared me, woman! Don't you know it's rude to appear out of nowhere like that?! — he complained, irritated.
— Did you just call me "damn it," you rascal? — the voice replied, offended.
— Me? Of all people?! Lovely, beautiful, acclaimed, educated—!
The woman spoke without stopping, listing her qualities with exaggerated pride.
Daniel was already losing patience.
After the hellish day he had, he still had to endure a chatty narcissist?
— Enough! Can you stop talking for a moment?! — he interrupted.
— Sorry for being rude, but I haven't had a good day, and my patience is running thin.
— So, please… can you tell me where the hell you brought me — and who you are, miss?