I don't think I'm anyone special. I finished serving my time in the military, been living off my disability benefits. Heck I even got some money just to attend school. Sure, I still live with my parents, but hey I get a room all to myself. Unbothered by my family, I get to just play video games all day and not have a care in the world. Significant other?
I am talking to someone, but every time I try to set something up with her, she always flakes on me. I literally just want to hang out with her, but I honestly don't get why she keeps saying no. Oh well, can't let it get to me I suppose.
I should probably go out today. It's been my fifth game now and I've been on a losing streak. What? It's not my fault my teammates suck, they're literally just randos off the internet. Not sure what I should do today to be honest, I'm just bored at home. As soon as I got up from my chair and stretched my arms, my phone rang. My ringtone is the battle theme from one of my favorite RPGs! But enough of getting distracted.
"Hey Brandon! Are you busy right now?" A young man said cheerfully over the phone. He's my friend, Leonard, and I just love how cheery he sounds over the phone.
"Nah I'm not, what's up?" I responded as I put on a shirt. Don't worry, I'm wearing shorts right now.
"My coworkers and I just finished our shift. Wanna join us and get some dinner?"
"Sure, just let me get showered up. Just let me know when you guys are at the restaurant, and I'll meet you there."
"Sounds good Brandon, see you there!"
Whelp got my plans set for the day.
As soon as I got done showering my phone rang again. Good thing I had a towel on me. I'm still in my room but it's still embarrassing running out of my bathroom naked. What's the nam...Mina?
"Hey Brandon! I'm really sorry that I canceled on you again today. I swear I had something come up with my mom and..."
"Hey no worries, it's fine. I already have set plans for today." I said as I started putting on my undergarments and button up. Need to look good for Leonard and his coworkers.
"Wait what?! I was literally going to invite you out and treat you!" Mina yelled. I could swear I felt my ears bleed as soon as she yelled that.
"With what money? You're literally unemployed and milking the government welfare program dry" I put on my favorite pair of jeans and a new leather belt with a shiny buckle.
"Like you're any better, you've basically used up all your military benefits last we talked" ...Wait, I did?! I went straight to my bank account on my phone and lo and behold...She was right.
"Uh...Oh hey my parents are calling me downstairs, bye!" I immediately hung up my phone and finished getting dressed. I still want to go though, despite having no money. Even if I have no money, I enjoy his company. I'll just starve, I guess. I grabbed my keys from my desk and ran downstairs.
"Hey, where are you going now, deadbeat?" My mom yelled from the living room.
"Mom! I'm going out with m..."
"Your boyfriend? Come here first." I swear, Leonard's not my boyfriend, but since I mainly hang out with him, my mom's pretty much assumed that we're dating. Sounds kind of nice, though, but we're just friends.
"Mom, we're not dating, we're just f..."
"I know. But if it gets anywhere, you let me know so we can invite him over. I haven't seen him in a while." My mom said as she fixed my collar and patted my shoulders. "You take care now, okay? Love you." My mom kissed my forehead.
"Stop treating me like a kid, I'm already 30" I laughed.
"My house, my rules, and my baby boy. Now go have fun!" My mom walked me to the garage. My car wasn't anything special, just a sedan from the 90s, manual transmission and I swapped out the console for a Bluetooth transmitter and touch screen. Gotta keep up with the times. I opened up the garage door, got in my car and drove off. I swear, my mom thinks she's gonna get grandchildren or something, but she already has some through my sister. I have a playlist titled 'His favorite songs'. I put it on shuffle and the first song that played was a synthwave song with heavy percussion, talking about taking someone's breath away.
In ten miles, exit ramp 3, then stay in the right lane.
Almost there. In a few more miles I get to see Leonard and his coworkers. Oh yeah, my benefits. So basically, after serving the military, I get a pension where I get paid monthly for doing nothing. On top of that, I also get disability. I'm fine, but I sprained my wrist at one point while serving and it eventually healed up. That was still enough for me to qualify for disability benefits since it was caused during my time in the service. I also get some money for going to school, thanks to the military, too. Unfortunately, I run through my benefits quickly quite often. Video games and micro-transactions are expensive! Can you blame me?
I got off the exit and thankfully, the restaurant was only a few more miles away. Once I got there, there was literally no parking. I circled the lot a few times but decided it was better to park on the street. Even though the parking on the street was full on the restaurant side, I was able to park on the other side of the street. I sighed, took out my phone and gave my favorite person a call.
"Hey Leonard, I just parked, I'm walking over right now!" I smiled.
"Sounds good, I just parked too, but my coworkers are running a bit late. I'll go ahead and check the status of our table, so just meet me inside. See you in a bit!" Leonard hung up.
I felt a little giddier than I should have, he is just a friend after all. I got out from my car and locked it. Had to check both sides of the streets first. After it was clear I started to strut over, feeling so cool in my fancy new outfit.
"Brandon! Over here!" a female voice yelled from the restaurant side parking lot.
"Mina?! What are you..." Before I could finish, I felt something huge hit me from my right side. Before I could react, it rammed into me with so much force that I fell on my left side.
"BRANDON!" Mina yelled.
I couldn't feel anything. My skull hit the pavement so hard that my ears started ringing. The left side of my head felt hollow. I couldn't move at all – my bones felt out of place and my muscles felt frozen. My eyesight started getting blurry. All I could see was a pool of blood trailing from under me and Mina running towards me. What was she doing here? And where did that truck come from? I had so many questions that my head started spinning.
"BRANDON!" A male voice yelled.
Leonard and Mina were both here...Sucks that they have to see me like this. My body felt really cold at this point, and I'd lost my hearing completely. My eyesight was also giving up on me too.
Is this how I go out? Completely broke, exhausted military benefits and dying in the arms of my crush and my former crush?
Cruel fate, how could you. My bodily functions were gone, looks like I have no choice but to succumb to my pain. I looked at both of them one last time to the best of my ability. I lived a good life, I guess.
It was pretty empty, I couldn't see anything, or feel anything. I just felt like an empty vessel floating through an empty space. All I could really think about was, what happens from here? Am I going to live a good rest of my life in the afterlife? Am I going to be tortured? Or just stay here for the rest of time. Hopefully not the latter, there's nothing to do here. Out of nowhere, I heard a weird voice. I could barely make out what it was saying. I tried to adjust my hearing and listen more carefully, and I finally made out whatever the voice was saying.
Greetings. Welcome to our local welfare database. How can I help you today?
A deep voice echoed. Not sure where the voice was coming from, but it kind of sounded like it was coming from my head. I then thought: Welfare? Like...Government welfare? I tried to speak normally, but it's like I was in space or something because I couldn't even hear myself. Next best thing, let me see if this thing can read my thoughts.
"Can you tell me where I am right now?" A few weird clicking noises and the voice echoed again.
You are inside our local government's welfare database. You have access to every welfare applicant and recipient's information. Would you like to look up someone's information right now?
Ok this is getting weird. But I had to get somewhere with this. I can't just be a floating piece of nothing. Ok think Brandon, think. You're inside a welfare database. You could probably steal someone's identity, but you won't be brought back as a human...
You do realize I can read your thoughts right, Brandon?
"What the?! So, you mean you've been hearing me think this entire time?!" I shouted.
Yes. Let me work with you though. I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have.
"Okay, so let me get this straight. I died and now I'm in my country's welfare database. What am I supposed to do now?". I heard some keys clicking again.
Right now, you cannot do anything in your current form. You're essentially a floating soul. If you'd like, I can give you a physical form.
"I'm inside a computer, aren't I? How am I supposed to get a physical form while stuck inside a computer?! And who are you anyways?! I thought I was supposed to pass on into the afterlife, not be stuck inside a welfare database!" I shouted. I'm being impatient, but I just wanted answers, and my body back at this point.
I will reincarnate you in a form where you can communicate with others, but you won't be able to move. Please hang tight.
"Wait hold on! What in the name of Isekais is this?!" I screamed. Before I could process completely what was about to happen, a bright light flashed and heard a robotic female voice.
EBT card created. System processing...Data is now being loaded.
Everything was so bright; I felt a rush pass right through me, like I was being tickled by a thousand feathers. It felt way too overwhelming! I wanted to tell whatever this was to stop, but I had no mouth or anything. I wanted it to stop!
Data transfer complete. EBT card 625 created.
Oh God, don't tell me. Did I just die and get reincarnated as an EBT card?!