Chapter 1: The Last Day
It was a day like any other—the summer heat clung to the air, thick and unrelenting.
I raised a hand to shield my eyes from the sun's glare, squinting as its rays bounced off the pavement.
Another school year over. Hard to believe that next year would be our last.
"Are you done already?" I called out to Nadre, who was still back by the gate.
"I'm coming! Can't you wait, Micario?" he called back with a lazy grin.
He was surrounded by his usual crowd, joking around and tossing half-hearted goodbyes.
Nadre had always been that guy—easygoing, chill, somehow making friends without even trying.
Not exactly the loud or confident type, but people just gravitated toward him.
Me? Not so much. I kept to myself.
Watching him sometimes felt like watching someone from another world.
But that was fine—I was used to it.
"Let's go," one of the security guards called out, ushering students off campus.
Nadre jogged up beside me, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.
"What took you so long?" I asked.
"You act like we're never gonna talk again," he said, laughing. "We'll probably be texting later tonight."
"You need to open up more," he added, nudging me lightly. "You'd get along with people if you tried."
"Friends?" I scoffed. "I don't need them."
Wanting to change the topic, I asked, "So… what do you wanna do after graduation?"
Nadre shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe something with flying? Like a pilot or something."
Before I could respond, a voice called out from behind us.
"Guys! Wait up!"
We both turned to see a short figure sprinting toward us, slightly hunched under the weight of his backpack.
His glasses bounced on his nose, and his brown curls were a mess from running.
"John?" I blinked.
"Y-Yeah," he panted. "You weren't gonna wait for me?"
He stuttered a bit when he was out of breath—or nervous. Either way, it was kinda his thing.
John had just moved into our area a few weeks ago. Puerto Rican, pale skin, always looking like he was two seconds from tripping over his own feet.
But he had heart.
"Oh right!" Nadre said. "You're coming with us."
"He is?" I asked.
"Yeah, he lives nearby now," Nadre replied casually.
"That's cool," I said, hiding my relief. I had talked Nadre into going for food to celebrate the end of the year—and now we had extra company.
As we walked, I glanced at the two of them.
Nadre and I were about the same height—he might have me beat by half an inch, if that.
He had this laid-back air to him, like nothing ever really got under his skin.
His short, neat haircut and calm vibe made him easy to be around.
John, on the other hand, was shorter—around 5'5"—and a little round in the face.
His glasses were constantly slipping, and his curls looked like they had a mind of their own.
I wore glasses too, though mine were more scuffed than stylish.
My hair wasn't curly like his—just regular black, cut short.
Same Jamaican background as Nadre, but I didn't carry myself the way he did.
Eventually, we reached a stoplight.
I pressed the button. Red signal.
"We're walking this," Nadre said, already stepping into the crosswalk.
"Say less," I muttered, following behind.
"Uh, sure," John added.
We stepped out into the street.
BEEEEEP.
A deafening horn split the air.
I turned—and froze. A massive truck was barreling toward us, way too fast.
Adrenaline took over. I jumped—but my foot twisted mid-air.
"AHHH!" I shouted, hitting the pavement hard.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw John freeze, eyes wide.
Nadre had already made it across—he spun around, horrified.
"NOOO!"
THUD.
Everything went dark.
⸻
A sharp, high-pitched ringing filled my head. I felt like I was spinning.
"AHHHHHH!" I screamed, hands over my ears. My body ached. My head pulsed.
And then—light.
My eyes flew open.
"What… what the hell?"
The sky was different. Bigger. Hotter.
I sat up, coughing from the dry, grainy air.
Red sand stretched endlessly in every direction, glowing like smoldering embers under a double sun.
Then I saw him—John. He stood a few feet away, staring down at me.
His face looked different. Twisted, almost. But then he rushed toward me, collapsed to his knees, and hugged me tight, sobbing.
"John?" I said, stunned.
He clung to me like he'd been lost for years.
Something had changed.
Not just him.
The whole world.
"This can't be real…" I muttered.
Then I saw a figure lying face-down in the sand.
"Nadre!" I rushed over, stumbling in the loose dirt. "You good?!"
He groaned. "Yeah… yeah, I'm here."
John and I helped him up. The sand sucked at our feet with every step.
"Where the hell are we?" Nadre muttered, brushing sand off his shirt.
"I think… we've been isekai'd," John said hesitantly.
"You serious?" Nadre blinked.
John nodded. "All the signs are there…"
"You can put me down now," Nadre added.
"You sure?" John asked.
"Yeah," he grunted.
I sank to the ground, the sand soft like ash. "I feel weak…"
The three of us sat there, dazed.
Above us, a strange moon glowed a vivid blue.
Stars shimmered like polished jewels.
Everything looked wrong.
"This really is another world," Nadre whispered.
"Are we gonna die here?" I asked quietly.
"Die?" John echoed. "We already did…"
"Wait," Nadre said suddenly. "I don't remember actually getting hit."
"Me neither," John added.
"Could we have been teleported instead of reincarnated?" I wondered aloud.
"Either way," I said, pushing myself up, "we need to find shelter before we starve."
John pointed toward a nearby rise. "Higher ground. Maybe we can spot a town."
We climbed a sloping dune and looked around.
Nothing. Just sand. Miles of it.
"Dammit!" Nadre kicked the ground. "There's nothing!"
"This is worst-case scenario," I said. "We might really be screwed."
"Wait," Nadre said again. "If this is a fantasy world… shouldn't we be able to use magic?"
"That's… true," John replied.
"AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed, crouching down. "I'm charging up!"
Nadre squinted. "You just look like you're having stomach cramps."
"Whatever works," I said.
We spent the next two hours yelling nonsense spells into the desert wind.
Nothing happened.
"Do I really have no potential?" I muttered.
"This can't be right…" John added.
We all fell silent.
Then—
"You hear that?" I asked suddenly.
"Stop tryna be dramatic," Nadre said.
"No, really," John said, standing up. "I hear it too. Sounds like hooves."
We turned. A small speck in the distance. A cart?
"It's a horse-drawn carriage!" Nadre shouted.
We started waving, yelling.
"Over here! HEEEY!"
The cart came closer. It circled us. Once. Then again.
Driving it was a creature with a human body, but not a human face.
Curved horns twisted out from behind his ears, curling back like a mountain goat's.
His eyes glowed like amber coals.
"Well, what do we have here…" he said, grinning.
John stumbled backward, falling into the sand.
The creature's grin widened. "The boss is gonna love this," he said, licking his lips as he stared directly into my eyes.
From the carriage, a scream echoed—a raw, human cry for help.