The sky was clear and cloudless.
Wintry winds blew across the street.
It was as normal a day as could be... until that moment.
All of a sudden, the sound of trumpets, a fanfare, began playing. It didn't come from any specific direction but rather echoed through the entire world equally.
It wasn't melodious or welcoming but instead sounded foreboding.
One moment, one blink, and the blue sky vanished, replaced by blood-red clouds that obscured the gentle sun. It happened in an instant, and no one noticed when the transition began or ended.
But all that was just the prelude.
Rays of divine light fell from beyond the clouds.
Within each ray, a golden sphere could be seen floating down ever so slowly. These golden spheres defied gravity, as if the laws of the world did not apply to them.
Following their descent, voices rang along with the trumpet's fanfare. The sound echoed like a chorus sung by thousands of voices.
"Poor humans."
"Bow before the grace of heaven."
"Now is the time for the gods to descend."
"Pray, repent, and revere. Say their names and sing their praises!"
The voice, similar to the trumpet sounds, seemed to originate from nowhere in particular. Instead, it felt as though it resonated directly within everyone's minds.
"UGH!" Kai groaned in pain.
Staring into the golden spheres, the figures of the gods, made him feel as if his head was split into two. It felt like a divine punishment for anyone who dared to stare at the image of the gods.
He quickly lowered his gaze.
He reached for his worn-out blue necktie and loosened it, making it easier to breathe. Patting the chest of his worn-out tuxedo, he breathed a few times, calming himself down.
'Relax, Kai Cross… You're going on an interview and snag yourself a proper job, remember? Keep your cool…' He chanted, psyching himself up.
To escape the splitting headache, he tried chasing the image of the gods away from his head, looking around him for inspiration.
A bustling street, a pedestrian crossing, and a crowd standing still as if time were on hold.
Almost everyone was looking toward the sky with expressions mixed with disbelief and fear. Some even knelt on the ground, praying, repenting, as the voice commanded.
Still, there are those who failed to realize what was going on and looked up belatedly. This includes the woman who reached the middle of the road, raised her head, and froze in fear.
The crossing light was green, so that was of no consequence. The problem was that, due to the anomaly in the sky, most drivers had their eyes pointing upwards rather than down.
One example was the container van that's speeding down the street.
Its driver was similarly staring at the sky, mouth half open, and not paying attention to the road at all. He didn't step on the brakes either, creating the perfect recipe for disaster.
One individual was crossing the road legally, while another was completely distracted. It was no longer a matter of determining who was at fault, but rather the tragic outcome that would inevitably follow.
"Hey!" Kai, however, reacted fast. "It's dangerous!" He shouted.
However, the woman was too distracted to realize he was talking to her.
The container van was already there, just moments away from flattening her into a red blip on the road.
Kai was there, observing it all happen in real time.
"Shit…!"
But although he was aware of the dangers in his mind, his body moved faster than he could think.
It wasn't a conscious action but more instinctive and raw.
He jumped forward, stepping into the road, and pushed the woman out of the way. For a moment, he saw her confused, accusatory gaze focused on him.
BAM!
But in the next instant, his vision transformed into a chaotic blend of shapes and colors, much like a kaleidoscope. His body spun through the air like a ragdoll, disoriented and weightless.
He could hear the sickening sounds of his bones creaking, cracking, and breaking loudly in his ears. The taste of iron filled his mouth.
'Ah…' A sense of casual helplessness washed over his mind. 'I went and did it again…,' he thought, his brain spinning rapidly.
The next moment, gravity yanked him back down, and he rolled across the ground, leaving a grim artwork on the pavement painted with his own blood.
Pain.
That was all that was on his mind at the time.
It wasn't from any specific point but was coming from all parts of his body at the same time.
Just before he lost consciousness, all he saw was the grim expression of the truck driver and the woman, wide-eyed with shock, witnessing Kai's situation.
'Fuck…'
But even as his vision failed, and death became a solid threat…
'I'm going to be late for my interview…'
He was still thinking of useless things.