My eyes slowly opened. My vision was cut by a bright, blinding light, forcing me to close my eyes reflexively. But soon they adapted, and when I lifted my head and opened them fully, I saw the hospital room - well-maintained, white, smelling of drugs and alcohol. Lying on the bunk, half wrapped in a clean, snow-white blanket, I noticed that my hands were completely bandaged, and there was an IV tube in my right arm. Thin, long and weak, they shook every time I tried to move them. My body ached, and I felt pain, but not like before.
Outside the window I could see the bad weather. I hadn't seen clouds this dark since I was a kid, which made it feel like dusk. What time was it, though? I looked for the clock, which was hanging on the left side of the wall, and saw that it read six p.m., which meant it was dusk. It was raining like a bucket of rain, pelting the glass of the window. Lightning flashed a couple of times, bringing thunder and a second flash of blue electric arc. It was like a hurricane, not a rainy day - the wind was blowing, the trees were bending like hell.
Looking around, I noticed a nightstand with a flower pot - but no flowers. Next to it was a glass of clean water, which made me suddenly thirsty. Taking the glass and holding it up to me, I saw my reflection. More precisely, the reflection of the body of the child I was in. I knew its age, but not its appearance. In my memories, the information about it was not in my mind.
Now, through the reflection, a boy with pale skin and black, slightly long hair that reached to the middle of his neck was looking at me. His eyes were dark blue and his face had sharp features. He looked, moderately handsome, with a stern look. He would definitely be on the girls' radar. Although... more specifically, me.
There's no record of a past identity. How the accident happened - he just disappeared, giving control of his body to me and my memories. It made me feel sick and uncomfortable, especially knowing that he hadn't lived a normal life. He didn't go to school, he didn't have friends and a girlfriend, and he didn't really taste life! And before he died, he endured his parents' scandals for two years. He only had a couple months off, but that doesn't cover the fucked up shit that happened to him. Especially the last scandal, which resulted in the death of both parents. You wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially a kid whose parents couldn't goddamn drive first and then have their squabbles. But there's no point in thinking about it anymore. You can't change what happened, you can't bring back the dead. We'll have to move on in a new, uncharted world.
Sighing heavily, I sank down on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. My thoughts were flowing, and I had no desire to get up and go anywhere. There was nothing to do, either - the ward didn't have anything to do. So I decided to give myself over to thinking, deciding what plan to make for the future. Especially considering this world...
The very world in which I found myself, whether by universal accident or by the actions of a higher power whose intentions and goals were unknown to me. Why send a simple man like me to a world full of monsters, killers, unseen but amazing creatures? Where everyone could be a kindly man who wouldn't hurt a fly, or the worst psychopath who liked to look at the rotting remains of his victims lying in the corner of the house in the morning. At least it wasn't Dark Souls, Warhammer or - God forbid - "I don't have a mouth, but I have to scream." Or other universes where even death is no guarantee of escape from the misery and horrors in their vast and varied number.
I don't know the whole background of Dangerous Forest, of course. In fact, even if she had much more information, it was only in terms of characters and their personalities. And all this was given in small quantities, so even if you start from the already known traits of the character, there is no guarantee that he or she will not show himself in a completely different role.
The same Anova - a sweet, shy girl - spider - can, for example, turn out to be a fan of a rock band. Or a fan of setting fire to anything and everything. Which, of course, contradicts the fact that she's a plant lover, or rather a cactus lover. But I'm just giving you examples where what I know might not be true. Or Aiden is an emotionless maniac who kills everyone who enters her forest. It seems clear from the description, but once you try to get to know her better, you find out that she's actually a good girl, and all those murders were taught to her by her father or whatever.
I mean, this whole world might not be what Katie described it as. And she hasn't really written much about her world: a couple of locations, characters with minimal description, some story art, and that's it, nothing more. Can I really blame her for that? No, of course not! She didn't expect her second project to take off at all and become so popular. You don't have time to write anything meaningful, especially under pressure from fans and observers. She held her own for a sixteen year old girl, although she eventually gave up and left the internet for an indefinite period of time.
Anyway, the only thing I can do in this situation is to observe, survive, and find my niche in this world. It is possible to become stronger, but by the usual methods - swinging and training. It's not so interesting and effective for a typical trapped person with pre-established powers: the System, a gift from the clan he was born into, unprecedented power from a deity and "blah, blah, blah". Or without them - but learn to use them later, after years of training and education. On your own or with someone - the main thing is to be able to get it in a new world where such things exist. Only I have huge doubts about it, because, as I said, nothing is clear and unclear about the Dangerous Forest.
And let's be honest, no one is going to just give you power. There will always be those who want to profit by giving them to these trapped people. And if a power does appear, either on its own or by coincidence, it's just incredible luck of the highest order. And as you can see, I'm not one of the lucky ones, but rather one of the "simpletons" who was lucky not to die on the first day. And I don't know whether to be happy that I couldn't get that Fen ... because of the name calling, which gave John Doe time to get a shot. Or again, it's just a fluke that everything coincided and avoided death. So yeah - just work out, train stamina, agility and speed. After all, as the internet pundits say, "fast feet don't get fucked."
Okay, that's it. The next question is characters. Is it worth dealing with them at all? On the one hand, you can avoid contact with them at all, especially "Specially Important" characters like Claire, Biscuit, and Anova. Given the law of all issekai and hitmen in fics - each of them either appears in the center of all future events, where the protagonist lives, or in another place, but not far away. Though I'd still have to figure out what time I'm in, how old are the main characters now, and how far from the canon Katie had planned?
On the other hand... it's a damn different world, populated by a lot of unseen and fantastic creatures! From trivial beastmen to intelligent robots capable of showing real emotion and empathy! Or incompatible things like a cat with a sharpener instead of a torso. It can be radically different from the way my world works - living by its own laws and morals and stuff. Oh, how I loved reading such works, where worlds are uncharted, mysterious and interesting. Or our world, but for some reason changed beyond recognition. Examples are Hunter x Hunter, Created in the Abyss, Stalker, Metro, Arc, and so on.
I enjoy studying them, trying to understand how they work, answering questions that come up while reading, watching or going through them, and learning about them. You might say couch explorer, lorologist, in a nutshell. And no, I am fully aware of the dangers that can befall me. Not the danger that comes from wild animals or other people, but from real monsters, whose logic cannot be explained. Or it can, but not in my world. So yes, I'd have to get acquainted, or I'd spend the rest of my life as a recluse, and I'd had enough of that in my previous life.
I continued to lie in bed, resting from everything that had happened yesterday... Or after yesterday? How long had it been since I'd been out? There were no serious injuries to take days to recover from. Didn't find any ailments per se either, except for the pallor of my skin. It's probably just my natural color, that's all.
As time passed, the rain outside began to subside, and soon it stopped. The thunderstorm was long gone, and the clouds began to part, revealing the evening sky. The sun was still shining, but it was slowly fading into the sunset. It was and still is a mesmerizing and beautiful sight for me. It was as if my eyes couldn't tear themselves away from it, and I didn't immediately notice someone coming inside.
- Oh! You're awake already? That's good," said a man, entering the room. He was an old, short man with a bald head, wearing a medical coat and a kind, affectionate smile on his face. Apparently, my doctor, who had decided to check on me. - How are you feeling?
- Much better," I answered in a childish, hoarse voice, looking at my hands. What the fuck happened to my voice? - My body hurts, but not as much as it used to.
- That's very good," the old man agreed, nodding a couple times. But then the smile disappeared from his face, leaving a worried expression. - Do you remember what happened that night?
I didn't answer, turning to look out the window at the sunset again. What should I tell him? Tell it like it was? Should I tell him that I'd survived, but almost died at the monster's hands? Or admit that I don't remember anything? What's the point? Either way, nothing will change. In the first case, I simply will not believe me, say that it all seemed, or imagined, - say, head bumped, that's all. In the second - I would say that it was temporary, they would tell the story in a gentle way, so as not to worsen my condition. Then they will tell me what happened to my parents, but without embellishments, clearly and distinctly. And then I'll be discharged and sent to my grandmother.
- I remember. - I decided to answer. - Not much. Just that I tried to wake up my parents. But they wouldn't get up, no matter how hard I tried. I got out of the car and headed for the highway, following the crumpled grass.... - I faltered, trying to remember more. - Then I saw a... a woman. - The doctor raised his right eyebrow slightly at those words. - Tall, very tall, like a young birch tree. She had long orange hair, black arms and legs. The sight of her frightened me, I couldn't move..... Then she screamed, and I ran full speed toward the road. And then. a light, and I woke up here.
The doctor was silent, looking at me carefully with a tenacious, sharp gaze. Sighing, he stroked his bald head, lowering his head.
- Gee... - he began. - Don't take this the wrong way, my boy, but the story sounds too surreal. It's not surprising, though - you lost a lot of blood back then, and your head was badly damaged. Especially the temporal area on the right side. Just don't touch it, it'll hurt. - He touched his head, and I involuntarily touched my temple - there was a bandage, which I hadn't noticed behind my hair. The touch caused a sharp pain that made me hiss and moan. I could see why my head hurt - it was practically pierced!
- I told you not to touch it," the doctor said grudgingly, waving his hand.
- I'm sorry.
- All right," he sighed. - Just don't touch the temple. Okay?
- Okay. How are your parents? Are they okay? - I asked the most important question. The doctor was silent for a moment, hesitating to answer.
- I'm sorry, my boy. We were only able to save you. Your parents, unfortunately, could not be saved. They were too long without help, and we just didn't have time to...
He was silent. I was silent too, bowing my head and hiding my face. Just as I thought - there was no way to save them. I felt sorry for them, they didn't deserve this fate. Yes, they had done a lot of stupid things in those two years, especially my father. But not to that extent... Even though it may sound cynical, I'm glad the real boy won't have to hear it from the doctor. I hope he's with his parents in heaven or reborn, living a life with no regrets.
- I see... - I mumbled, raising my head. His face expressed great sorrow-not hysteria, not rage, not emptiness, but the kind of universal heaviness and sadness that makes a person feel bad, but he accepts it calmly. Although I'm not the kind of person who is cold to such things, I just don't know how to express emotions vividly. The old man, seeing this, only nodded slowly, agreeing with his thoughts. But before he could say anything, I spoke:
- Does my grandmother know about everything?
- She did. But her heart couldn't take the news of your mother's death. She died a few hours ago, before the ambulance arrived. I'm very sorry you have to hear such news...
- I see. - I said, frowning. So I was alone, with no family - no parents, no grandmother. There's nothing about any other relatives from my past memories. It seems I have no one else besides these three. I am now alone in this cruel and dangerous world. I'm destined to end up in an orphanage for orphaned children. I had already envisioned this outcome, but I had hoped to the last minute that it wouldn't happen. The doctor said that after I was discharged, I would be taken to another town, Seber Leys, where the orphanage was located.
I spent a few days in the hospital, recovering and killing time by reading books. For a person who is used to a huge information flow, it was quite bad without them. So I had to ask for a few books to satisfy my hunger for knowledge. But not only that I was doing - I was walking along the corridors, looking around the hospital, even if only a little, but still I wanted not just to lie there and stare at the ceiling. I also wanted to see if there were any non-humans or anomalies - walkers with minds. And, as it turned out, there were... and in great variety.
One of the most memorable moments was when the doctors were carrying a black humanoid cat with no legs in its bunk. It was not a pleasant sight, but once again confirmed my speculations about my stay in the Dangerous Forest universe.
And so, after the discharge I was picked up by adults, put in the car, and we went on the road. It was a long drive - it took all day and night to get to Seber Leys. Who even came up with such a name for the town? Just the word "Leys" makes me think of those damn crab chips. I was drooling at the time, but thankfully I held my nerve.
Finally, we arrived at a shelter called New Beginnings.