The Glitch - Part Zero: A Sci-Fantasy Short Story

The Glitch

"It's design was superior than what our civilisation could have done. It surely must have been the work of an advanced civilisation lost to history. However, I may not be smart, but I could guess that the machine was malfunctioning."
– From the end of this story.

(This is no stupid tale of reincarnation. This story isn't what it looks like. Belive me and delve into a world of mystery!)

ZERO

I was a very serious gamer. So serious, that I almost made myself a Shut-in. Again, I didn't have any parents, and my other relatives lived far away. So I started freelancing after my grandfather passed away while I was still in high school. Now, not only was I a gamer, but also a weeb. I spent most of my time on those things. I guess this makes me a typical teen of my times and that I'm no different from the others. I even asked the church to put this text on my tombstone -

"Game Over, Wish to Continue?"

Those were the words I requested along with a small slot for coins on the side. I mentioned I'm a shut-in, yet one day I went outside, to the outside world to get me some groceries . I could have just ordered them, but that day, the e-market was closed. After all these years of being a shut-in, I forgot how to walk. It was taking my all just to balance myself. And then - I died. I don't know how, I just did.

This isn't a stupid reincarnated story copied straight out from an isekai anime. It's different and you'll know it, because I don't meet some God who decides to reincarnate me in a fantasy world.

One of dreams was to move to Japan. It cannot be made reality now that I'm dead.

Oh, how I pity myself!

I couldn't go to heaven either. No, it's not like I went to hell or something. I just kept wandering about. So this really is what afterlife is. I saw souls coming and getting converted back into energy, but I kept wandering about. I didn't know why.

One day, I saw a high-schooler coming that way. He stopped by my tombstone. Another high-schooler came.

"See, my father told me, it exists"

"It's true! The Gamer grave."

I started thinking, "Gamer grave? Just what's wrong with people. At least try to think of a good name!"

But now that I think of it, maybe it isn't such a bad name!

"Look, Prag, what's written here"

"Game Over, Wish to Continue?"

"Let's try putting in a coin. What do you say?"

"I've got no money with me today"

"Geez, you're such a liar!"

"Not giving"

"Well, fine, I'll use mine. Here you go, Mr. Gamer, a copper coin"

"Hey, Raj, we better get going. The weather's getting worse"

"Sure!"

It started to rain as the two friends left the grave. They left their copper coin in the slot. And I, I felt nothing. Well, I was believing deep down that I would get reincarnated if someone placed a coin there. Such a foolish thought, right?

But, it wasn't a thing straight out from a fantasy world. Because what I experienced was really Reincarnation!

This time, I was in Japan! My wish had come true. But this didn't happen merrily. This time the world took away my left arm from me. Well, true, this is reality so you can't expect to get supernatural powers along with getting reincarnated.