From Loser to Mighty

"Just dump the body here!"

The scream was shrill in the cold night air. Several pairs of rough hands lifted Dave Vogel's body. He was only 20 years old, but his life had been a living hell. Orphaned, weak, poor. He was an easy target for anyone who wanted to vent their frustration. Beaten, cursed, trampled. Dave's days were filled only with suffering.

The climax came a few days ago. He was accused of stealing 200 dollars from the store where he worked odd jobs. A false accusation, of course. But who would believe a loser like Dave? A group of thugs hired by the store owner kidnapped him. They didn't ask questions, they just beat him up. Blow after blow landed all over his body. His ribs might have been broken. His face was swollen beyond recognition. Dried blood crusted at the corner of his lips.

Not only that. They wanted more. Something valuable from him. They dragged him to a dark, dirty place. There, a doctor with a cold scalpel forcibly removed one of his kidneys. Without proper anesthesia. The pain was like fire burning through his entire body.

Now, Dave's body was critical. Full of cuts and bruises, missing a kidney. Blood was still seeping from the rough bandage on his waist. The group of thugs took him far from the city's hustle and bustle, deep into a silent forest. The darkness of the forest swallowed them. On the edge of a river with a strong current, they stopped.

"Just throw him in. Nobody's gonna look for him. He's just trash."

Dave's weak body was simply thrown into the freezing cold water. His head hit a rock on the riverbank before finally being dragged away by the current. The thugs' laughter accompanied the drifting of Dave's body.

Evil, satisfied laughter. To them, Dave Vogel was finished. This solitary loser would never be found. Dead by drowning, or eaten by wild animals. Perfect.

The river current dragged Dave's semi-conscious body. The cold choked him. The pain in his body was unbearable, especially from the scar of his kidney surgery. His lungs began to fill with water. He coughed, expelling the last remnants of his strength. Dying. He must be dying.

Dave closed his eyes. Letting the water swallow him, letting the pain go away. He wasn't fighting anymore. What was the point? No one was waiting for him. No one cared.

Dave's heart stopped beating. His breathing ceased. His body stiffened, drifting lifelessly. He was dead. Yes, he was indeed dead.

However, the darkness of death did not last long.

Suddenly, Dave felt a strange warmth. Not the warmth of fire, but a gentle warmth, spreading from within him. His body, which had been stiff, now felt like it could move. Strange. All the pain that had been suffocating him earlier, simply vanished.

Then, suddenly, he felt a pulse. Weak at first, then stronger, faster. His heart! His heart was beating again!

Quickly, Dave opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, then slowly cleared. He wasn't in the cold river. He wasn't in that dark place from the kidnapping either. He was in a room. The afternoon sunlight filtered through a small window, illuminating the simple room.

He was lying on a soft mattress. A blanket covered part of his body. Dave blinked. Confused. Where was he?

He tried to get up. His body felt light, there was no pain at all. He sat on the edge of the bed. There was no pain in his ribs that were supposedly broken. There was no throbbing pain in his waist.

Was this a dream? Could all of it have just been a nightmare? Kidnapped, beaten, his kidney forcibly removed? No. The kidney removal surgery was so real, so painful. The pain was clearly etched in his memory. That wasn't a dream. So what was this?

Dave looked at his hands. Before, his hands were full of cuts, bruises, stained with blood. Now? His eyes widened in disbelief. His hands were clean. There wasn't a single wound. His skin was smooth, even looked fuller. He gripped his hands. They felt strong, firm. Not the thin and weak hands he had always had.

There was a mirror in the corner of the room. A small mirror, hanging on the wooden wall. Dave stood up. His steps were steady, not the weak, dragging steps he usually took. He walked towards the mirror, his heart pounding.

He stood in front of the mirror. He held his breath. His face. It was his face. Dave Vogel's face. But... different. His face was still the same, the shape, the features.

However, the eyes that were usually full of fear and sadness now looked sharp, charismatic. His skin was no longer pale, instead, it looked healthy and rosy. And, oh my god, he looked much more handsome. Not just handsome, but there was a strong aura there.

His body. His body, which used to be as thin and dry as a twig, had completely changed. In front of the mirror, Dave saw his reflection: muscular and toned. His shoulders were broad, his arms were solid, his chest was wide. His stomach was flat, there were even muscle definitions there.

Unable to believe it, Dave opened his clothes. The loose t-shirt he wore last night, somehow now covered his new body. He stripped in front of the mirror. Oh my god. He looked at his whole body. There were no bruises from beatings. There was no incision on his waist where his kidney was taken. His skin was smooth, clean. The muscles in his arms, chest, abdomen, and legs were clearly visible. Perfect. He was perfect!

This didn't make any sense. How could this have happened? He died in the river, then woke up here with a new body, this incredible body? Was he in heaven? Or had he been reincarnated?