The light came back slowly at first. It flickered from a central point. Like the world was opening its eyes after a long sleep.
I was already standing. I couldn’t quite explain it, but I felt stronger, younger. It was as though the aching bones and stiff muscles I’d earned through age disappeared. I was in peak physical condition. My eyesight also seemed better. I had always thought I needed glasses, but it was never bad enough to warrant a trip to the optometrist.
I was still in the clothes I had died in. A pair of slacks, a golf polo, and running shoes. Though they were my clothes, they felt brand new. There were no signs of wear, no blood from the accident. My shoes were the bright orange they had been the day I bought them, rather than the faded and dirty color they had devolved into.
I took in my surroundings. I was standing in what could best be described as a meadow. Flowers of all colors bloomed around my feet, and there was a lake in the distance. The sky was blue, but with a touch too much purple mixed in to be Earth. A bright yellow sun shone through a thin layer of clouds. A butterfly with translucent wings flew by, emitting a strange, whistling sound. I could hear birds chirping in the distance. It all felt so real.
Then I noticed a small exclamation point in the corner of my vision. I focused on it, and the menu materialized.
WELCOME TO THE TUTORIAL SPACE
Population: 1 (you)
Time is frozen outside of this space. Take your time. Seriously.