《Revenge of Trunk-kun》


 Original Prologue -pending deletion-

    It''s raining. It''s always raining when it happens.


    "Someone! Anyone! Please! Help him!"


    Between the sheets of rain running across the container and the hum of the diesel engine, no one could hear her pleas. No one except me, and since I clearly caused this¡ªbang!


    "What the hell are you doing! Get out here and help me! This is all your fault!" The woman slammed her fist on the hood of the truck over and over again. Each strike leaving a bloody print that was quickly washed away by the rain. But there was nothing I could do.


    "It''s not my fault!" I want to scream. But nothing comes out. I choke off the fuel as much as I can, slowing it to a sputter. I dim my headlights to their lowest setting. This is the best I can do to show my respect for the young man whom I''ve just killed. The woman storms around to the driver''s side door and yanks on the handle. I unlock the cab and let her see for herself.


    "Where are you! Murderer! Coward!" She slams the door to the empty cab and rushes back to her partner. Another car approaches from the opposite direction. She waves them down, and the whole process continues like normal. Within a couple of hours, I''ll be impounded. A few weeks later, I''ll be put up for auction and delivered to a new owner. We''ll perform deliveries for a couple of days, and then one night, my engine will start up all on its own again, and like some sort of remote-controlled killing machine, I''ll repeat this horror all over again.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    No matter how hard I resist, I can''t change course, and my brakes won''t work, but only once the target is in sight. Even now, I wish I could just... drive away?


    I try to shift into reverse and hear the confirming click of the gears engaging. Slowly, I give it a little gas. Sure enough, I''m moving!


    "I don''t know, there''s no one in the truck¡ªhey! HEY!" The woman turns from the man that stopped to help and charges after me, but I gun it. I can''t sit here and watch this scene play out again. The tires squeal as they try to gain traction on the slick road. "STOP!" I give it more gas. This is a popular tourist area, mainly because of the bridge about half a mile back. I don''t even bother trying to turn around; I just drive as fast as I can in reverse. I can see the bridge in my side mirrors now¡ªthere''s a police car with its lights on. Sorry, officer. I blare the horn; he swerves out of the way at the last moment as I make contact with the guardrail.


    Sparks fly as the side of my container rips along the railing, but it doesn''t budge. I''m losing speed, and thus momentum. The cop leaps from his squad car and opens fire. My windshield shatters, but otherwise, there''s minimal damage. I shift back into first gear and pull forward until I''m perpendicular with the bridge, then give it all I have. Slam! The railing bends but doesn''t break. Reverse. Slam! Only the container gives. Forward. SLAM! Reverse again- nothing. No click. I give it some gas; at least I''m stuck in first gear. The front wheels scream as I open up the throttle as much as I can. POW, the first one goes¡ªPOW, then the second. The railing creaks as I continue to push my crummy little engine to its limits, then, finally¡ªfreedom.


    I can feel the wind on leather seats as I tumble cab over wheels. To all those innocent pedestrians, I''m so sorry. I beep my horn one more time before impact, and then, darkness.

 Prologue (The better one)

    WTF? Oh. So this is what they mean by an ¡°out-of-body¡± experience. Yep, that¡¯s definitely me. My body¡ªbloodied and unmoving¡ªlies sprawled out about 100 feet away. The sound of car horns and pedestrian screams echoes through the busy city block. An elderly man kneels beside me, attempting CPR. My phone lies screen-up between my physical body and my¡­ spirit? The screen displays To be continued... ironic.


    I chuckle to myself. If I hadn¡¯t been wasting my time on that stupid Webtoon, I¡¯d probably still be alive right now. What¡¯s worse, it was another goddamn filler week. Why can¡¯t anyone ever just finish a story? It¡¯s an isekai, damn it¡ªspare me the long, drawn-out love interest; he''s already had three others, we get.


    I let out an ephemeral sigh. It¡¯s official. My final moments are literally filler.


    The old man hunches over, defeated.


    ¡°Thanks, bro,¡± I mutter to myself. ¡°You tried your best.¡±


    I¡¯m feeling¡­ lighter. Peaceful, really. Whatever, let¡¯s get this over with. I never realized just how exhausting the act of existing can be. It¡¯s like I¡¯m falling asleep, but the best sleep I¡¯ve ever tasted.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Flash. A burst of light radiates from the intersection¡ªno, from a magic circle spinning slowly within it. The old man is startled, but too exhausted to get out of the way in time. The other pedestrians step back instinctively.


    Wait. I know what this is! This is my very own isekai moment! Holy shi¡ª


    A column of blinding light erupts from the circle. I can¡¯t believe this is really happening! I bask in the warmth. I can feel the mana enveloping me. Yes, this is way better than eternal slumber! Let¡¯s get this party started!


    The light fades slowly. I see gray stone walls. The sky comes into focus¡ªthis must be some sort of open-air coliseum or something? Finally, the light dissipates completely. I look around to see¡­ an empty intersection?


    Wait¡­


    My body and the old man are both gone, but it¡¯s the same spot where I just died. The other pedestrians are still there too, but they¡¯re going about their day like nothing happened. The stoplight turns green, and suddenly I¡¯m floating into the intersection.


    What¡¯s going on?


    As I pass over the spot where the circle once was, there¡¯s no blood. No body. Nothing. Just a normal intersection. I float onward, down the road. A few feet later, a man jaywalks in front of me. I assume I¡¯ll just float through him like a ghost, but then¡ª


    SCREEEEECH.


    I come to abrupt halt.


    HOOOOONK!


    The sound of a horn engulfs all of my sense. I can actually feel it resonating within me.


    The jaywalker slaps my hood. ¡°Hey¡ªwatch it! I¡¯m walking here!¡±


    WTF?! Why am I a delivery truck?!