The darkness was suffocating. For the first time in my life, I felt the weight of my own failure pressing down on me, choking me. There I lay, in a dismal room filled with the stench of neglect and regret, a worn-out shell of a man. My last moments played like a broken record: the shadows in my life swirling together, the faces of friends long gone, and the bitter sting of betrayal.
“Why did I waste my life?” I thought, despair creeping into my heart. The memories of my past—the choices I made, the people I hurt—flooded my mind. I had become a useless scumbag, consumed by selfishness and apathy. The world had moved on without me, and now, I was left alone in the dark.
But just as despair threatened to swallow me whole, I felt a strange pull, a tugging at my very essence. It was as if the universe had decided I was not done yet. A blinding light enveloped me, and in that instant, everything shifted.
When I opened my eyes again, the darkness had transformed into a warm, soft glow. Blinking away the remnants of confusion, I saw a strange yet welcoming room adorned with gentle colors and delicate furniture. But most striking of all was the feeling of warmth radiating around me, like a gentle embrace.
I shifted slightly, noticing the world around me was entirely different. I was small, too small. My hands were tiny and chubby, my limbs short and pudgy. I voices nearby, and as I focused, they grew clearer.
“The baby is here, Mr and Mrs Caddel, it’s a boy” An echoing voice of a man with formal clothes, he looks like a doctor.
“Then my job is done, the fee is 3 silver coins. Wish the best luck for your child” The man said as he took 3 silver coins from they guy holding me.
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When the guy closed the front door, a I heard a soft voices
“Laura, can you believe it? Our boy is finally here!” a deep voice said, filled with warmth and excitement.
“Yes, Michael!, “huff”, Look at him, “huff”he’s so beautiful,” came a softer, melodic voice, filled with joy with those huffing sound means that she is really tired “I can't wait to see how he grows.”
The voices were different from anything I had heard before, rich with emotion and affection. They spoke in a strange yet familiar tongue, the sounds flowing like a gentle river.
“What should we name him?” Michael asked, a hint of pride swelling in his tone.
“I’ve always liked the name Duke,” Laura replied, her voice laced with love. “It suits him, don’t you think?”
“Duke…”
The name felt distant but familiar. “Duke… is that… my name?” My heart pounded as I tried to piece it together. Where the hell was I? Why was my body so different? Why did these two people, who felt like strangers, seem to be talking about me?
I forced myself to focus. I looked around again, trying to understand, but nothing made sense. My heart raced. I looked down at my hands again. They were small and childlike. That’s when it hit me.
“I’ve… been reborn?” The thought was so absurd, so impossible, but I couldn’t deny it. I wasn’t in my old body. I wasn’t even in my old life.
I looked over at the man and woman again—my parents, I realized with a start. They didn’t notice me staring. They were speaking in that strange language, their voices calm, affectionate. My mind reeled. This wasn’t just some dream or afterlife. This was real. I had been reborn into another world.
A second chance.
The enormity of it all hit me like a tidal wave. I had another shot. I clenched my tiny fists, determination welling up inside me. This time, things would be different. I wouldn’t waste it.
I wouldn’t waste this life. I mustn’t waste this second chance.