The Masters in Failure: Course to Aid Survival

It was a typical Wednesday evening for John. He had just finished up his shift at the bookstore and was heading home, thinking about what he would have for dinner. As he walked down the street, he suddenly heard a strange noise behind him.

Turning around, he saw a shadowy figure standing a few feet away. It was a Shinigami, a death god, with a long white robe and a sickle in hand.

John's heart raced as the Shinigami approached him. "Don't be afraid," the Shinigami said in a gentle voice. "I won't hurt you. I've been sent to guide you to the next world.

John's thoughts raced as he stood before the Shinigami, overwhelmed by the tumultuous memories of his past. The feelings of isolation and rejection that he had experienced at the hands of his parents flooded back to him, accompanied by the poignant recollection of his struggles to fit in among his peers.

As he tried to come to terms with the shock of the Shinigami's presence, John was overcome with sorrow and despair. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving behind the only life he had known, through it might be filled with its flaws and hardships, as he is in the midst of a small bridge, surrounded by lush, verdant trees whose branches were adorned with delicate, blooming flowers. The evening light was shrouded in a hazy, ethereal glow, casting a faint but palpable aura of mystery and intrigue over the surroundings, he found himself lost in thought, unable to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled within him.

John's mind was a jumbled mess as he tried to make sense of everything that had happened. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled within him, and his thoughts were racing as he tried to piece together the events of the past.

Despite the confusion and uncertainty, John knew that he had to get out of there. He had to run, to get as far away as possible and clear his head.

So he took off, his feet pounding the pavement as he raced through the streets. His mind was a blur of thoughts and memories, but he pushed them aside and focused on the present. He had to get away, to escape the chaos and find some clarity.

As he ran, the world around him seemed to melt away. There was only him, his pounding heart, and the sound of his own footsteps. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the running stopped.

Breathless and dizzy, John collapsed to the ground, his mind finally clearing as the rush of adrenaline began to fade. He took a deep breath and looked around, his surroundings coming into focus once again.

As John lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath, he was startled to see the Shinigami standing over him, laughing.

"What's so funny?" John gasped, still trying to catch his breath.

"You are," the Shinigami chuckled. "You've been dead for weeks now. You just haven't realized it yet."

John's heart skipped a beat as the Shinigami's words sank in. "What do you mean I'm dead?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"You were hit by a car and killed on impact," the Shinigami explained. "I've been trying to guide you to the next world, but you've been resisting. That's why you've been seeing and hearing strange things."

John couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had thought he was just going through a rough patch in his life, but it turned out he was already dead.

"Where am I now?" he asked, still trying to wrap his head around everything.

"You're on the bridge between the world of the living and the upper world," the Shinigami replied. "It's a place of great power, where the balance of life and death is maintained. It's also where the souls of the dead are judged before moving on to the next world." John's head was spinning as he tried to process everything the Shinigami had told him. He couldn't believe he was dead, and he had so many questions. How had this happened? What happened to his family and friends? And what was this place he was in now?

Without saying a word, John got to his feet and stumbled away from the bridge, his mind in a state of confusion and shock. He wandered aimlessly through the hazy landscape, barely aware of his surroundings.

After what felt like hours, he came across a tree in a clearing, far away from the bridge. He collapsed to the ground beneath it, his head in his hands as he tried to make sense of everything.

He sat there for what felt like an eternity, his mind racing with questions and doubts. He wasn't ready to accept that he was dead, but the evidence was stacking up against him. He had no choice but to face the truth and figure out what to do next, on the edge of his realisation he was suddenly interrupted by a loud commotion. He looked up to see a group of people rushing towards him, their faces twisted with anger and determination.

John's mind was still in a fog, and he couldn't make sense of what was happening. He tried to stand up, but his legs were weak and he stumbled, falling to the ground.

The group surrounded him, and John saw that there were ten of them in total. He didn't recognize any of them, but they seemed to be at odds with the Shinigami, who was standing a short distance away.

The Shinigami tried to intervene, but two of the group members overpowered him, chaining him up with some sort of magical restraints. Three more members of the group rushed towards John and grabbed him, pulling him away from the Shinigami and tossing some kind of magical potion at the death god.

John struggled against his captors, but they were too strong. They threw him over one of their shoulders and began running in the opposite direction, towards the edge of the clearing where the earth seemed to drop off into nothingness.

John's head was spinning as he was carried away, unsure of what was happening or what the future held. As the group carried John towards the edge of the clearing, he closed his eyes and prayed for the best. He didn't know what was happening or what their intentions were, but he hoped that he would be able to find some peace, whether it be in death or in life.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion, and John felt himself being thrown through the air. He opened his eyes and saw that the group had been scattered, and the Shinigami was standing a few feet away heart raced as he watched the Shinigami in horror. The death god moved with a speed and ferocity that John had never seen before, slicing through the group with ease. Blood sprayed through the air as the Shinigami cut down one person after another, their screams of terror echoing through the clearing.

John tried to crawl away, but his legs wouldn't move. He was frozen with fear, unable to look away as the Shinigami approached him.

The Shinigami loomed over him, the sickle glinting in the moonlight. "I'm sorry it had to be this way," the Shinigami said, a sad expression on their face. "But you were all chosen to die. It's my job to guide you to the next world."

TO BE CONTINUED