I was reborn, but something was wrong. It was dark and cold... and wet. But it didn't feel wrong. It even felt comfortable. Still not being able to do anything was boring.

I didn't know how long I have been stuck here. Was I even alive or was this my punishment for my sins? Still, something slowly changed, my body felt larger even when my senses felt dull.

More time passed, and I saw the light for the first time. No, it was wrong, I felt light. It felt as if my body was now full of energy and I could feel myself growing much faster.

After a while, I felt larger and also became sure of something. I couldn't see, and I was no longer human or even an animal. I had reincarnated as a plant.

Slowly I grew and grew. Seasons were coming and going. I could feel my leaves falling and budding again. All in serene darkness. In never changing tranquility.

I felt anguish at not being able to do anything. My thoughts were driving me into madness. I wanted for someone to end my suffering. Still, no relief came. Maybe I indeed was being punished for my sins.

After what felt to be my 30th birthday something changed. There was energy in the air, and I focused on it. I had nothing better to do anyway.

More than ten years passed and with my crazy thoughts focusing only on the external energy, something shifted. It surged inside me, and something was changing. I didn't know what was happening, I was scared, and it felt as if even my branches were trembling. Then the world shifted, and I saw for the first time.

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I could feel the area in a small radius around me. It was less than a few meters, but still, it brought me happiness.

I quickly looked at me, and I could tell that I was some species oak and that I was about 60 feet tall.

Something entered my domain, and I noticed two humans sitting next to my bark. I couldn't feel anything like that before; maybe my skin was too thick.

I heard words, but unfortunately, they were not speaking in any language I knew. Still, I was happy enough to have any form of contact with humans.

It was a pair of a girl with long hair and a boy. They were eating and talking. Soon it felt as if the sun was going to set and the pair was getting up. I felt sad as they were going away. Then the boy stopped just before he left my domain. The girl was already outside. He spoke at first uncertain and then shouted something. Despite me not understanding anything I was sure what he meant. It was a confession. I tried to stretch my domain and see what the girl did, and slowly I felt her again. And with tears on her face, she jumped into his arms, and they kissed.

I felt a strange feeling in myself. I knew I no longer had a heart, but it felt as if it was warm. For the first time in my life, I knew that my life was worthless.

Not much happened in the following years, sometimes humans or animals entered my domain. I also felt that the new energy supported my growth, and after ten years I was about 100 yards tall.

My boundary stretched further away, and I could feel that I existed on a small hill, and not far away there was a house. Inside I felt the couple that I met initially and I watched them every day. They even had a child. Somewhat I felt content.

Then one day something changed their son fell ill and was dying. A doctor came, but she only shook her head. I felt despair for them, for the first time in my existence I felt fondness to another person and I couldn't let them perish. I pushed the energy I used till now to perceive the world around me and willed it to enter the child. I felt pain as if my own life force was being taken away. I didn't stop, for the first time I wanted to save someone instead of killing them, and then I withered.