Chapter 1: This can only be my luck (rewritten)

First-person narration:

The sound of the clock ticked away with a monotony that was already unbearable. Sitting at my desk, I stared at my computer screen, although I wasn't really paying attention to anything in particular. It was funny how, after years of trying hard, achieving every goal I set for myself, I now found myself like this: not knowing what to do.

I had followed the path that everyone said would lead to success. Excellent grades in school, a nearly flawless college career, a stable, well-paying job. And yet, here I was, feeling… empty.

I sat back in my chair, letting out a long sigh. "Is this all?" I thought, letting the question hang in the air. Achieving my goals was supposed to make me happy, right? But instead of satisfaction, all I felt was unbearable boredom.

I stared at the ceiling, letting the light from the screen reflect into my eyes without really seeing anything. For years, I focused on what was "important." Academics, career, securing a good future. I always thought there would be time for the rest later.

Going out with friends, relationships, even hobbies… I put all of that off. "There will be time later," I told myself. But now, looking back, I realize that later never came.

It wasn't that it was impossible to do something about it now, but… it just wasn't the same. I no longer had the age for those first carefree experiences, nor the energy to start over. I felt like I had skipped a part of life, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, the feeling of having missed something important grew heavier and heavier.

When I was a kid, my world revolved around two things: fighting with my sister over any stupid thing and losing myself in the computer for hours. Warcraft 3, The Battle for Middle-earth 2… games where it wasn't just about winning, but about planning, managing and leading.

I was always drawn to those types of games. I liked the strategy, the feeling of building an army from scratch and leading it to victory. There was something satisfying about seeing how everything fit together, how each decision affected the final outcome.

Of course, there were also fights with my sister. Rather than serious arguments, they were those absurd conflicts that seem like the end of the world when you're a kid. Although, thinking about it, maybe that's partly why I liked strategy games... in them, at least, I could plan my moves logically, something that rarely worked in real life.

As I grew older, I began to notice a strange pattern in my life. There were days when everything went perfectly for me: I would find money on the street, I would make it to the bus just in time without having planned to, I would get good grades on tests I had barely studied for. It was as if the universe was on my side, conspiring to make my life easier.

But then there were the other days. Days when everything went to hell for no apparent reason. I would wake up late because the alarm didn't go off, I would spill coffee on my shirt before I went out,

I forgot important things and, to make matters worse, any decision I made seemed to lead to the worst possible outcome.

It wasn't normal. It wasn't just occasional good or bad luck, it was extreme. Like the universe was playing a game with me, giving me consecutive winning streaks only to then knock me flat on my face with the same intensity.

Even with all that, I learned to adapt. After all, there was no point in fighting something I couldn't change. I simply accepted that there were good days and bad days, and tried to live my life as normal.

I had friends, sure, but I was never the most sociable person. I got along with them, we had fun together, but I wasn't the type to put much effort into maintaining relationships. So when I entered college and we slowly lost touch, I didn't do much to avoid it. I didn't bother making new friends either. I focused on my studies, on my projects, on building the "stable life" I had always wanted.

In the end, the social aspect took a backseat. I always thought there would be time for that later.

The problem is that "later" never came.

I graduated, got a good job, accomplished everything I was supposed to do. But when I finally had the chance to stop and look back… I realized there was nothing. No really special memories, no lasting friendships, nothing outside the path I had set out to do in the first place.

My life was comfortable, yes, but incredibly boring. And the worst thing was that I couldn't even blame anyone but myself. I was the one who decided to put it all off, the one who thought there would always be time. But now that I was here, with everything in order, I realized that time had passed without me noticing.

I let out a sigh, leaning back on the couch as I stared at the ceiling.

Not that it bothered me at all. In the end, I always had something to come back to.

Video games and TV shows became my refuge, my escape from the monotony. In games, at least, there was always something to do, some goal to achieve. It didn't matter if it was leading armies in a fantasy world or managing resources in a strategy game, I always found some solace in them.

But even that had become routine. The stories no longer thrilled me as they once did, the games no longer completely absorbed me. What used to make me feel like I was living something more now only reminded me of how empty everything else was.

I sighed, putting the controller aside. I didn't even feel like playing anymore.

I looked around my apartment. It was a comfortable, tidy, but completely lifeless place. There were no pictures on the walls, no reminders of special moments. Just a functional space where I ate, slept, and repeated the same routine day after day.

My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in hours. I checked the fridge and, as expected, it was almost empty. Only a couple of bottles of water and an expired yogurt remained.

"Well, I guess it's time to go," I muttered to myself.

I grabbed my wallet and keys before leaving the apartment. Outside, the city continued with its usual rhythm. Cars, people walking in a hurry, conversations that mixed with the noise of traffic. Everything seemed… distant. As if I were just passing through, not really belonging to that world.

The supermarket wasn't far away, just a few blocks down the road. As I walked, I noticed how people were all around each other, whether it was friends, partners, or family. I wondered if I ever minded being alone. Was it something I really cared about?

I shook my head. It wasn't the time to think about that. I just had to get the necessities and get back.

I grabbed everything I needed: rice, pasta, some meat, vegetables and a couple of snacks to munch on at home. As I browsed the aisles, I noticed several products were unexpectedly discounted.

"Wow, there are some deals today," I thought as I grabbed a few extra things.

Finally, with my cart full, I headed to the checkout. There weren't many people, so the line moved quickly. When it was my turn, the cashier, a girl in a red uniform with a friendly smile, started scanning my products.

Suddenly, the system made a distinct sound. The cashier blinked in surprise before looking at the screen and then at me in excitement.

"Congratulations! You are our one millionth customer," she said excitedly. "You have earned 50% off your entire purchase!"

…

I was silent for a second.

Sure. One of those days.

I couldn't help but notice these patterns in my life. There were days when everything seemed to go incredibly well, and this seemed to be one of them.

"Really?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Yes, it's completely real," she assured. "Your purchase will be half price!"

Well, not that I was going to complain.

"Thank you," I replied, paying the bill with a slight smile.

I left the supermarket with bags in hand, feeling like my luck was at its peak. Although deep down, I also knew what was coming next.

Because if there was one thing I had learned in all these years… it was that bad luck always came to balance things out.

As soon as I left the supermarket, I felt the fresh air on my face as I walked with the bags in my hand. Everything seemed calm, a normal day… well, a "lucky" day.

But then, I heard it.

The sound of hurried footsteps. A little boy running aimlessly, laughing innocently as his mother screamed his name in desperation.

My eyes moved quickly, analyzing the scene in seconds.

The boy was too close to the street.

And the truck came at full speed.

The bags fell to the ground as I ran out.

I didn't think about it. There was no time to think.

The boy was standing right on the edge of the sidewalk, one foot already in the street. The truck was coming too fast, its horn blaring loudly, and his mother was still too far away to reach him.

"Careful!" I shouted, but the child did not react.

At the last second, I lunged at him, grabbing him with both arms and rolling backward with the momentum. I felt the wind rush past us as the truck roared past, just inches away from us.

For a moment, everything was silent. The only sounds were my racing heartbeat and the labored breathing of the child, who was now staring at me with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

The boy blinked several times and then nodded. His mother came running and hugged him tightly, her face streaked with tears.

"Thank you! Thank you, really!" she said between sobs.

I simply nodded, feeling the adrenaline slowly ebbing away. Apparently, today was a "lucky" day.

Just as I tried to get up, the boy's mother was still thanking me through tears.

"I really don't know how to thank you, if it weren't for you—"

"Relax, it wasn't —"

A rumble shook the air.

A blinding light covered everything.

A bolt of lightning struck me with indescribable force.

There was no pain, just an overwhelming sensation of heat, and in an instant, it was all gone.

I didn't feel anything.

I couldn't see anything.

There was no sound, no cold, no heat. Just absolute emptiness, as if my existence had been erased in an instant.