A Dark Awakening_2

He paced back and forth, trying to figure out what to do. He was dead, supposedly, but somehow still standing here, breathing, thinking, feeling. And now this kid wanted to make a deal, like they were haggling over some trivial matter? It made no sense.

"Alright," Zhao finally said, stopping in his tracks and glaring at the boy again. "Explain. What the hell do you mean by giving me your life? And don't even think about spewing more bullshit, or I swear I'll…" He didn't finish the threat, but the boy got the message loud and clear.

The kid looked up hesitantly, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and desperation. He opened his mouth, paused as if choosing his words carefully, then spoke in a trembling voice. "I-I meant… you could take over my life. You know, like… live it for me. In return, you just have to… do something for me later."

Zhao blinked, stunned by the sheer insanity of what he was hearing. "Take over your life?" he repeated, his voice incredulous. "You mean, like… be you?"

The boy nodded quickly, relief flickering in his eyes as if he thought Zhao was actually considering it. "Yeah! You can have my body, my life, everything. I don't want it anyway."

Zhao felt another surge of anger rising in his chest. He closed the distance between them in two quick strides, grabbing the boy by the collar again and pulling him close. "You selfish little—" he started, but he stopped himself, taking a deep breath to keep from completely losing it.

This kid had the audacity to stand there, offering his life like it was some cheap bargain. What made him think Zhao would want it in the first place? He hadn't signed up for any of this. One second, he was living his life, finally climbing out of the pit life had thrown him into, and the next—bam—he was dead. Just like that. No warning, no time to process anything. And now this?

"This can't be happening," Zhao muttered under his breath, dragging a hand down his face. His voice was laced with exhaustion, frustration, and disbelief all at once. The boy shifted uncomfortably on his feet, guilt etched into every inch of his expression.

"You can have my life…" the boy repeated, his voice trembling but persistent. "Just… do me a favor."

Zhao's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He took two quick strides toward the boy, towering over him. His fingers twitched with the urge to grab the kid again, but he forced himself to hold back. Barely.

"I don't want it!" Zhao barked, his voice echoing through the vast emptiness around them. "God, I wonder how messed up your life must be for you to want to throw it away like this, but now you're acting like you're doing me a favor by offering it to me? Seriously? You're unbelievable."

The boy flinched at the words, his eyes dropping to the floor as if it would somehow shield him from Zhao's fury. But Zhao wasn't done.

"Shove your life in your ass. I'm done with this nonsense." He turned abruptly, muttering under his breath, "I don't even know why I'm wasting my time with you."

There was a long, tense silence. Zhao tried to walk away, but there wasn't really anywhere to go. The void stretched endlessly in every direction, a black expanse that offered no escape and no answers. Every step felt pointless, like he was walking in place, trapped in some cosmic joke with no punchline.

Behind him, the boy spoke again, his voice soft and hesitant. "I didn't mean for this to happen… I didn't think anyone would be there. I—I just thought… it'd be easier if I was gone."

Zhao paused, his back still turned. He didn't want to care. He didn't want to waste another second listening to this kid's sob story. But something about those words stirred something in him—something he didn't want to acknowledge. He knew what it felt like to think the world would be better off without you. He knew that feeling all too well.

He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "You don't get it, kid. Life isn't something you can just toss away because it gets hard. You think you're the only one who's ever felt like giving up? Newsflash—you're not. We all go through crap. But giving up isn't the answer."

The boy didn't respond. He just stood there, staring at the ground like it held all the answers he was too afraid to ask for.

Zhao clenched his fists, feeling another wave of frustration wash over him. He wasn't good at this—this whole comforting, emotional talk thing. He never had been. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to just walk away and leave the kid in this void. Not yet, at least.

Before he could say anything else, the ground beneath them shifted again, this time more violently. Zhao stumbled, barely managing to keep his balance. He looked around, eyes wide with alarm. "What the hell now?"