The sound of the heart monitor sliced through the silence of the room.Beep. Beep. Beep.
Elias lay motionless on the hospital bed, weaker than ever. Outside, the world continued as if nothing was happening—children ran, the sun shone, and life moved on, indifferent to his fading existence.
The door opened.
"How are you feeling today?" the doctor asked.
Elias didn't answer immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the window. His arms were thin, his legs powerless… his entire body seemed ready to give up before he did.
"Doctor…" he finally whispered, voice fragile. "Do you believe in life after death?"
The doctor hesitated. In his hands were the results of the latest exam—numbers that confirmed what both already knew.
"Why do you ask?" he returned.
"If there were another life… what would you want to be?" Elias asked, still watching the sky outside.
The doctor let out a tired sigh.
"Maybe… someone without so many responsibilities," he said with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes. "And you?"
Elias closed his eyes as though searching for the answer within himself.
"I'd like to run," he murmured. "Run until my lungs burn."
The monitor suddenly accelerated.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep—
Silence.
The pain disappeared. The heaviness vanished. The air grew light. For the first time in years, Elias felt nothing… except warmth.
Birds were singing.
He opened his eyes.
Sunlight touched his skin—warm, alive… not cold, not weak.
Elias lifted his hand. His breath caught.
The arms that had once been nothing but skin and bone were now strong. Muscular. Full of life.
This wasn't his room.This wasn't his body.And he was absolutely certain—
This wasn't his world.