I slowly gain consciousness but refrain from opening my eyes because I am just too relaxed, comfortable and not feeling any cold. I cannot recall when I was this relaxed last time. Maybe a long time ago.

Just when I was trying to remember the last time I was this relaxed, memory of my recent incident slowly comes back to me and I prepare myself for pain but none came. I feel that the pain in my body has gone. That’s good.

Maybe because I feel really comfortable lying on this, what I would call, a luxurious bed. It feels as if my body is covered in softness and my head rest in the warm embrace of my mother.

Am I dead?

The question forces me to open my eyes and what comes into view answers my question. I think I am.

The bed on which I am lying is placed in a large room which is filled with all kind of luxurious furniture. I can only assume them to be furniture because I have never seen such beautiful items ever before. Not even in the noble’s family which I have visited with my father when he was alive.

A weight starts pressing on my heart as soon as I thought of my family. But what has passed, has passed and it cannot be changed so I should move on with my life.

But sadly I am dead. Atleast I can take solace in the fact that I will finally know what happens after death. So far from what I see it seems that I am in the good part of afterlife. Unless this is some kind of buildup to later shatter my hopes and expectation to show me that I am in the bad place.

Wait. Could it be possible that I was rescued by that man?

That means that I am alive. Somehow I feel relieved and disappointed at the same time.

If that man did rescue me then I must be in his home.

The thought jolted me to promptly sit up.

The luxury that I am in. Is he a noble or some rich merchant? Or maybe he is a magician.

Nah! Why would a lofty magician be going through alleys, moreover lower himself to rescue an unknown beat up boy or maybe he has some ulterior motive.

From what I know maybe I am to be used in some kind of a ritual or something or maybe I might be sold or enslaved.

Will this be my life now? To either be used as for rituals or enslaved. However if this is the kind of place that I might be enslaved in then is it really that bad?

No, stop thinking like an idiot. This is my time to live. I refuse to be caged. Something needs to be done.