In the vast expanse of darkness, a voice echoed, a whisper in the void, “Can’t feel a thing…” A sigh, heavy with resignation, followed, “So, I’m dead, huh…” Time stretched, an eternity passing in silence before the voice resurfaced, softer, almost a murmur, “Maybe… in my next life, I’ll get some peace…”
Suddenly, a light, blinding and intense, pierced the darkness. As it faded, a boy, no more than seventeen, was sprawled on the grass by a serene lake. The cool, dew-kissed grass beneath him, the distant hoot of an owl, the gentle lapping of the water against the pebbled shore - it all felt surreal, like a dream. The scent of fresh earth and the faint rustle of leaves in the wind added to the dreamlike quality of the scene. He woke with a start, his eyes wide, darting around in confusion. “What’s going on?” he wondered, “Wasn’t I dead? Where the hell am I?”
He tried to stand, but his legs buckled under him. He opened his mouth to call out, but no sound came. “What the!”. He tried to stand again, but couldn’t. He tried to speak, but no voice came. “Can’t walk, can’t talk? Seriously?” he thought, frustration creeping in. After a moment, he took a deep breath, “Okay, don’t freak out. Just gotta think this through.”
He pieced together the events, “So, I died, but instead of reincarnating with no memory, I’m in someone else’s body. A body that can’t walk or talk. And I still remember my past life.” He sighed, “Just my luck…”
Curiosity piqued, “I wonder… how do I look now?”, he decided to see what he looked like. He crawled towards the lake, the cool water lapping at his fingers. He peered into the water, his reflection obscured by long, unkempt bangs. With a sigh, he swept them aside, “Could have at least cut his bangs.” and looked again. He was stunned. The face staring back at him was his own from his past life, the same facial features, only with jet black hair instead of grey. “Well, at least I’m not bad looking.” he thought, a small smile playing on his lips as he pulled back his bangs.
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His mind raced with questions, “But what happened to the original owner of this body? He can’t walk, nor talk… So, how did he end up here alone?” he thought so, while looking around the lake. “Also, there are no wounds on the body, so what happened to him?”
He lay down, staring at the night sky. “Well, whatever, this body is mine now.” he thought, looking at the two moons in the sky. “First things first, I need to learn about this world. One thing for sure, It’s definitely not Earth.”
Just as he was lost in thought, he heard a voice behind him. “Hey!! Can you hear me? Where are you?” It was a woman’s voice, filled with worry and a hint of desperation. He sat up and looked in the direction of the voice. “A woman, around the age of 32-35. Doesn’t seem threatening. Maybe she is looking for this body- I mean, me?” he thought.
He decided to get her attention. He shook the bushes nearby. After a while, the woman rushed towards him. Her face was etched with relief as she saw him. She was beautiful, with long black hair and blue eyes that shone in the moonlight. She sat beside him and said, her voice choked with emotion, “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have left you alone.” He just looked at her. “But it’s okay now,” she said, her voice softening, “Mom’s here, so let’s going home, Kai…” She reached out her hand with a warm, comforting smile. His eyes widened as he slowly took her hand. As he did, a single thought crossed his mind, “Mom…”