He closed his eyes. Peace at last.
Slowly, he drifted down the river, letting himself get carried by the current. The cool water soothed his tired soul and washed away his impurities. He could almost picture this as a moment of rebirth. He felt his body gently rocked by the flow of water, and heard a soft murmur, easing away his worries, almost like a mother; tenderly singing her child to sleep.
Yes, he thought. This is the life. Or rather, the death. He chuckled to himself. For it was death he was drifting towards. All journeys must end, and he was voluntarily ending his. He had long ago chosen his mode of departure from this world. He now floated onwards to a world where he would no longer be bound by human flesh.
Beyond the gurgling of the river, the rushing of a waterfall reached his ears. Soon. He was not long for this world. Not letting this realisation disturb him, he continued emptying his mind in preparation for death. It would not do to be weighed down by the mundane affairs of the physical realm.
The roaring of water was rapidly growing louder as he neared the precipice. It was time. When the water grew ever more agitated, he let himself go, and welcomed the whiteness that enveloped him like a warm blanket. A feeling of liberation overcame him as he surrendered his mortal bonds. Then sleep, and he was no more.
Awakening.
A sense of warmth. Soft white light. He felt good. In fact, he felt better than he ever had before. Was this the afterlife? He hoped so. He wanted to stay like this for eternity.
Days might have passed. Years, maybe. Despite this, he continued to bask in that sense of security. Time was irrelevant. Worries couldn't touch him here, in this strangely comforting place.
After an indeterminate amount of time a change started to be felt. Disturbed from his peaceful slumber, he stirred slightly, wondering what had occurred.
Then he heard it. Sound. What was it? Straining his ears – Since when did he have ears? – he could perceive a quiet string of sounds that formed a lullaby. Where was it coming from? He'd thought he was alone in this blankness. He struggled to catch sight – He had eyes! – of the source of the music.
Gradually, his body took shape, and the world took shape around him.