Jim Hargrove, a 32 year old accountant was walking to work. It wasn't as if he couldn't but a car, he just liked saving money.
He stared at the trash littering the street with melancholy, when a car drove past and the smell of exhaust hit his nostrils like a train. He coughed violently for a minute or two, he seemed to be more sensitive to stuff like that lately.
"I may need to go to the doctor soon", he thought idly, and so on he went to the mundane job of a mundane life.
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He was just finishing up work when his boss, a middle aged woman from south america, walked up and gave him an expectant look.
"So Jim, have you finished the bi-weekly report yet?"
"Yup, I was gonna email them to you before I go, but if you want it now I have a copy."
He took out a pack of papers and handed them to her.
"Thank you, sorry for the increase in workload lately. Tax deadlines are coming up and you know how clients get."
"Dont worry about it, it's my job." he shrugged casually.
"Well have a safe trip home."
"You too"
He packed up and left, when he got a text. It was from his parents asking when he'd call, he shot back that he would later that night.
When he got home to his small but nice apartment, he sat down on his couch to watch some TV. he stayed like that for hours before he got tired and headed to bed. Before he did though he called his mom.
They talked for a while before he finally went to bed, he lay down and drifted off, not knowing the pile of crap that was about to be shoved in his face.
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His consciousness drifted in nothing, and yet everything. He saw cities and mountains, yet had no eyes, he heard talking and screams, yet had no ears. He saw good things, bad things, and awful things, everything was like that for a time, he didn't know how long because he experienced so much it was hard to tell.
Then he suddenly could open his eyes. His first thought was "oh, I liked it better before."