(I Died and got Reincarnated) My New Life as a Saltwater Crocodile Begins

CH•21 - "The Sound of Life"

Never in my life did I ever think that something like this would happen to me. I was a completely ordinary man among many. All I wanted was to live out my days in satisfaction. It didn't matter to me if I'd never make it through the history books as long I live a fulfilling life. I managed to find a decent job, got a decent place to stay, and I still get in touch with my family, my classmates, and my colleagues. I also already have two kids and a wife. Everything was fine. And yet, why... why did that have to happen...... Of course, I knew death was part of life and it comes to everyone eventually, but why, of all times, did it have to happen on the day our third child was about to be born......?

The delivery of our baby went safely and successfully. It was a joyous occasion, despite the thunderous clouds in the sky. I was on my way to the school to fetch our two kids and take them to the hospital, but then.... a large bolt of lightning struck the car ahead of me and it exploded, hurtling one of its tires to my car's direction, breaking the windshield and hitting my head.

I should've perished that day. I should've..... but, instead.... here I am. Reborn as a bat and lost in a cave.

This is certainly not what I expected the afterlife to be. Hanging upside down and munching on a random insect I caught, all alone in a dark cave. I still have so many questions in the back of my head. Like why was I reborn? Why did it have to be me? And, why a bat, of all things? Was the person inside the car where the lighting struck reborn also?

There's still the question of what happened after I died. I wonder what everyone is doing right now. My kids will just be waiting for me to pick them up from school without finding out the truth until much later, huh. I wonder what they'll grow up into now that they'll be living a life knowing that their father died on their younger sibling's birthday. Oh, that's right... I forgot to ask if the baby was a boy or a girl.

It's hard to tell the time if it's already day or night with no sun rising or setting. I can still somehow make out what's around me even though it's so dark here. Must be because I'm a bat now. My hearing is super sensitive, and so is my fur. Even with my eyes closed, I can still kind of "see" my surroundings. Though, my ears twitch a little every time I try to look. I can't see colors, but I can tell when I'm about to bump into a wall or if there's a small animal nearby. I've heard that bats rely mostly on hearing rather than sight, which is how they're able to navigate in the dark, but I didn't expect it would be this clear.

I've been exploring the cave for a while now, and so far, nothing much happened. Found several insects and lizards in some parts of the cave, but strangely, no other bats were around. Where is this place? There's no ray of light anywhere that indicates I'm near an exit at all. Could I be in a really deep cave that hasn't been discovered yet? How far down am I from the surface then? Since I've been given a second chance in life, albeit as a bat, I want to make the most of it.

When I first found myself lost in this dark cave, I initially thought I was dead, but then I realized I could still move my body. Not to mention, my whole body is furry, with only some parts bare, there's a leathery skin extending down my arms, which are probably my wings, and my ears keep twitching. And, every time they twitch, I could perceive what's around me. I freaked out at first which made me jump, and I came falling down from the ceiling, meaning I was standing upside down the whole time. I panicked and flailed my arms around, only for me to find out that I can actually fly. Though, I still couldn't get used to it at first try and I kept bumping into walls.

I spent most of my time trying to learn how to fly. It took a while, but I finally got the hang of it.... I think. I didn't get to enjoy it though since I was craving to see the sun again. I'm not sure how long it's been since I ended up here, just that, it feels like a considerable amount of time has passed already. I made it my objective to search for an exit.

As I continue to search for a way out, I noticed that water seems to be abundant here. When I found a stream, I've been following it ever since, but it's leading me nowhere. Flowing water means it should be coming from somewhere. Then, it must also come out from elsewhere. Otherwise, this whole cave would have been flooded or submerged underwater by now.

I'm currently taking a short break and dining on a fly that I found near the stream. I didn't bother wondering why I'm not disgusted by eating bugs. I'd just leave a default answer in my head telling me "it's 'cause I'm a bat, so suck it up", and with that mindset, I continue chowing down bugs throughout the whole journey. I may not be able to see with my eyes in the darkness, but my ears are more than enough to make up for that loss. And, the sound of water being so near me helps as well.

I don't know how long I've been following the water. Hours? Days perhaps? The only goal in mind that's pushing me forward is the slim chance that I'll be able to see a light at the end of the road. But, once I get out of here, what then? What am I supposed to do after I find the exit? I'm a bat now. Even if I go back to my family, will they be able to recognize me? Is the right choice not to go back then? Should I just live out this second life of mine as a bat instead? ............ I'll just cross that bridge when I get there.

As I take another short break to rest my wings, I heard a loud noise coming from up ahead. It sounds like tons of rocks are crashing down from the ceiling. I'm left with a choice. Should I go and check it? Or, should I head the opposite way?

"Ow....."

While I was in the middle of deciding, a voice is heard. What was that just now? It came from up ahead. Is there a person over there? Maybe I should really check it out. But, I'm a bat. We won't be able to communicate very well. Wait a minute, maybe I don't need to. If I follow them, they could show me the way out.

I decided to take a peek. I'll just be close enough that my ears can detect their shape and hope that it's human. I inch in closer, facing at the dust cloud where the rocks have fallen. They've piled up into a small mountain. And, beneath all the rocks is.... something I never expected.

The figure of a crocodile covering a small snake and a large bird is formed inside my head that my ears picked up. The way it covered them was like a gentle embrace, as if it was trying to be careful of not crushing them under. That scene left me in a daze.