It was my school's homecoming. A couple of my friends were dancing. One of my friends was high off her ass on some shit she scored in the bathroom. My best friend and the girl that I liked were off somewhere together.

And nearly everybody I knew thought I had killed myself.

Before I get into anything more, I guess I owe an introduction. My name is Seth Reinhardt, like the musician. I'm currently 16 and in the life that I left, I was a complete loser. I was a total nerd, couldn't ever get a date, and everybody told me that I was really cringey, and I honestly can't disagree with them. I was cynical as fuck too, but I guess that's everybody nowadays.

It wasn't all bad, though. I had some friends, and I was truly grateful for that. I had two parents that loved me. I had alright grades in school and I wasn't that bad-looking of a guy, if I do say so myself. I wasn't the richest guy, but I had a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, running water, and three square meals a day. I had a pretty good life.

So, I guess you're all wondering now: how does a guy like me go from having a relatively good life to presumed dead?

It was all because of a stupid deal I took.

It was the week before the homecoming and I had just learned that my best friend was going to the dance with the girl I liked ("as friends" my ass). Not suicide worthy, but still not the best boost to me feeling good. Whatever, it wasn't about me, but I was still bummed. After class let out for lunch, I went to my usual spot and found a man there. He looked to be in his Twenties, about as old as the youngest teacher here. He was a little taller than me, so I'd say around 5'10", and he was wearing an overcoat and brown pants. What was unnerving was that nobody else seemed to notice him.

"Hello. I haven't seen you around before. Might I ask your name?" I asked the man.

"So you're Seth, right?" he responded.

I stepped back, surprised that he knew my name.

"Look, stranger, I don't know you, so could you tell me who you are?"

He looked me in the eyes and I noticed that his right eye was brown while his left eye was a brilliant blue-green. "I am an agent of Archimaeus, the dealmaker."

"So, what you're saying here is that you want to make me a deal? Fat chance, stranger."

"You don't understand. The deals that Archimaeus is capable of creating is beyond your imagination."

"Okay, I'm getting the security guard cause I know for a fact that you shouldn't be here." I started walking away.

"Seth," he said to me, this time with a bit more edge to his voice, "you believe in the alternate universes theory, correct?"

I paused. "How do you know that?"

"Archimaeus is all seeing. He knows what you believe and what you believe is true: there are an infinite amount of parallel universes. It's not just science-fiction bullshit."

I turned back to him, "Alright, Mr. Agent of Archimaeus. You have my attention. What's this deal that you'd like to make"

I saw a small smile across his face. "Here's the deal: Archimaeus can let you travel to any dimension you'd like, whenever, wherever you'd like. Even the vaguest of dimensions are available to you."

"Holy shit! Are you serious?"

"Very."

"Shit, man, tell me more about this deal- wait… there's gotta be a catch. What's the catch?"

I saw the smile on his face disappear. "Whenever you visit this dimension, only people directly related to you by blood will be able to see you. Anyone else that you knew in your life won't be able to see you and, to them, it will appear as if you're dead."

I froze. "Are you fucking insane? There is no way that I would ever make that deal in my fucking life! Get out before I call security on you! Tell Archimaeus or whatever the fuck his name is to take his deal and shove it up his ass!"

"I won't tell him that because I would like you to at least consider the deal, Seth."

"The deal doesn't even make any sense! What's in it for Archi-shithead anyway?!"

"His survival depends on the deals. Each deal we make gives him power to live."

"So, basically, what you're saying is that there's some sort of superhuman being that lives off of the whims of cynical teens? I'm finding all of this hard to believe. How does he even have the power to make these deals?"

"I… I myself don't know, but-"

"AHA! Ran out of bullshit, did you? Leave me and don't talk to me ever again!"

"Alright, Seth. But you are going to take the deal sooner or later. Just give it time. And remember, Seth, there's a loophole to every deal…"

After saying his last word, he… evaporated. There's no other word to describe it: he just turned into smoke and vanished.

I finished up my lunch and swore to stop staying up till 3 every night watching Rick and Morty. Still, the question daunted: who was this man? Who was this "Archimaeus?" How does this agent know so much? Why does he think I'll take the deal? Is it because I… do take it?