The air pulsed and shivered with the endless cavalcade of competing noises and bright, flashing lights. To one side a sequence of colourful illumination pulsed in rapid succession while the other was dominated by a bright dancing crimson, beckoning all comers.

Sounds licked my ears, harsh but enticing, joyful and welcoming. The screams of excitement mixed with the furious roars of conversation, struggling to be heard above the background clamour. Sweet scents mixed in the air, sugary and sweet.

It was, in a word, delightful.

Funfairs often are, a thick veneer of welcome and joy atop their attempts to extract as much money from the punters as possible. Games of chance and skill, often for marginal rewards, perfectly balanced to pay out as little as possible, while still enticing an endless stream of customers.

Even knowing the base greed and positively scummy business practices that these travelling troupes practices, it was hard to dislike them. The atmosphere they created, artificial and fake as it was, was vanishingly hard to find elsewhere in life.

As an adult the glamour and glitz had worn away, tarnished and broken.

As a reborn child?

Even my adult mind was seduced by the siren call, swayed into fits of joy and wonder. A recurring thought I'd often had since regaining my sense of self, triggered once more- how much of a person was dictated by the chemicals slosh of their brain?

I'd melded into full awareness halfway through my third birthday, adult comprehension born out of the half formed identity that I remembered before. In all ways I was a fully reborn adult albeit one at the mercy of my toddlers body.

I was pretty sure that bodies weren't supposed to work that way.

But then again I was similarly sure reincarnation and time travel was equally impossible, but given my current circumstances... it seems I truly didn't know shit.

“That one!” I demanded imperiously, pointing commandingly. My chubby child hands and soft voice made it seem more bratty than anything. When my steed did nothing more than hum softly in consideration, I squeezed my knees around its head. “Mush! Mush!”

Dad glanced upwards awkwardly to catch my eyes from where I was seated on his shoulder, his hands gently but firmly anchoring my legs to his chest.

As far as family in a reincarnation situation go... I sure as hell could have done a lot worse. He was a dotting and loving man who seemed decently well off. As far as this life's memories extended I had no mother, something that seemed to drive this man to smother me with all the love and affection that a child was due.

It made me inordinately fond of him.

“Bumper cars? That's a little...” Dad objected, reaching up to adjust his glasses for a moment. “Maybe the round-about? Or teacups?”

“Noooooo!” I cried dramatically, throwing my hands up in objection. “I crave violence! Feed me, old man!”

He only chuckled in reply, jiggling on his toes for a moment to send me bouncing.

When my awareness snapped into existence within a young child, I'd had many choices of how I could act going forward. In the end I'd chosen the path of least resistance and questions. Slowly, over the matter of months, I'd advanced my behaviour and development. Essentially, I'd transitioned from a toddler to a much more mentally developed child at an advanced rate.

Pretending to be a toddler and act so childishly for so long had been a challenge... but watching my new father take in the transformation with such pride?

Worth every moment, even if I was a fake.

“How about we see it later?” he asked, a sly undertone that told me that we'd be doing no such thing. Honestly... he was a pretty good dad. If this really had been my first life, I think he would have provided an excellent childhood.

“Or!” I giggled, reaching down to grasp his face and pointing it at the small bumper car arena. “We go see it now. Trot along dadsky!”

As it was, I wasn't a child. Such obvious parenting techniques were useless against me! Hahahaha!

Usually, I played the dutiful child, being utterly respectful and obedient. There were times however...

I transformed into a complete brat! I needed excitement and action, I needed experiences to chew through or I just went stir crazy.

“Feed my development!” I cheered, caught up in the moment. Whoops. Did I say that out loud?

“Maybe no more doughnuts.” Dad sighed, dutifully taking us towards the bumper-cars, shaking his head.

“Tyranny!” I shouted, aghast. “Child abuse! I yearn for that white, white powder!”

“Shhh.” Dad laughed, holding a finger to his lips. “Don't say it like that.”

“How else would I say it?” I smiled innocently, staring down with a cool look. Butter ain't melting in this mouth old man. I don't have a clue what you mean.

“Just... not like that.” he trailed off, looking away in slight discomfort.

I started dancing on his shoulders, feeling the grove as we lined up for the attraction, caught up in a bop roaring from a nearby stall. “Tune!”

“Sometimes I wonder about you.” Dad chuckles, looking up.

“Che! Dance old man!” I teased, still caught up in the musical and sugary high, but inwardly a little worried. I couldn't help it sometimes... the stress of pretending to be a child, mixed with the loneliness of my new existence...

I clung to memes from my old life, expressions and colloquialisms that hadn't been invented yet. They were balms to a parched existence. Reminders of older times, better times that had yet to come.

Was it weak of me? Maybe.

Was I giving the game away in some respect? Also maybe.

Would I stop?

No.

I relied on those brief moments that bridged my old life with my new, a connect forged through familiar experiences.

Since I couldn't do anything about it, all that was left...

“Dance! Dance!” I clapped my chubby little mitts in time with the beat, hands in the air.

“Rambunctious one, isn't he?” An older lady ahead of us asked, eyeing my dad, her hand firmly wrapped about the wrist of a sulking boy.

“Too much sugar, I'm afraid. He's fine most of the time” Dad replied, smiling ruefully.

“You fear the crystal!” I accused. “Fear the white sweetness!”

“I fear for my peace and quiet, more like.” Dad denied.

I pouted as the adults began talking, the lady striking up the conversation with Dad again. The boy she was holding tried to make eye contact with me, maybe hoping to strike up a conversation.

I turned my head away, with intent, looking anywhere but in the brats direction.

In my old life, I'd never much minded children. But having to deal with them constantly, as a child?

It was hell. Pure and utter hell. Yes Barry, that was a nice fire truck. Yes, it was red, I can see that. Oh, it's... yes, Barry, its a red fire truck. How nice. No, no, keep it away from me, you just had it in your mouth. Barry, Barry, fuck off Barry. I'm not playing Barry.

And then I was the bad one for what happened next.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

After that first month I'd decided then and there that school wasn't for me. I was going to speed run the hell out of lower education, even if I had to beg and whine to every adult who would listen. If I wasn't in university by the time I was twelve, I would be an utter failure of a human being.

I kept tuned into the parents conversation however, because right now I felt like being a bit of a hellion. A little embarrassment never truly hurt anyone, right?

When a natural break formed, I leaned down to my dad's ears and whispered, loudly. “I think she wants to play with you, daddy!”

Dad, naturally, choked on thin air. Impressive!

The mother went stock still, her eyes widening in shock. Her kid however, perked up and tugged her sleeve. “Are you going to play with him? I want to go play cars! You promised!”

I sat up straight, my job more than done. Harassment complete! Cackles held internally? Check!

I was a struggle but I contained the smugnes-

Ouch!

I hissed quietly as Dad pinched my thigh discreetly, looking entirely unimpressed. “You know what you did.”

“I'm four, I don't know what you're talking about.” I played innocent, eyes wide. “I don't know such things.”

“I'm sure.” Dad drawled in disbelief and thankfully we where then ushered forward as the line moved. He strapped me in tightly and then we where off!

I laughed in glee as we gently slammed into other drivers, the jolt feeling wonderfully exciting to my small body. “More! Faster! Destroy them!”

Dad just sighed and shook his head, speeding up just a little.

It was enough.

The night was coming to a close and exhaustion dragged down on my small body. The fair was clearing out a little, most of the smaller children having already left. I stubbornly rebuffed father's insistence of rest.

This is a raid old man! I'm draining your wallet dry before the night's over.

“Do you want more candy floss?” Dad asked, eyeing the stand as I yawned, having given up on getting me to leave. I was pretty sure he just wanted an excuse to get more for himself.

“No thank you daddy. I am sweet enough.” I drawled, rubbing my eyes. Okay, maybe I was pushing it a little, but what was the point of a second life if you didn't drain every drop of excitement from it as possible?

The first time was for real, the replay was for enjoyment.

“Rupert?” A woman's voice called out in surprise. Dad turned to face the speaker, revealing a pretty young lady with dark skin. “Is that you?”

“Olivia!” Dad exclaimed in surprise. “It's- it's been too long. W-what are you doing here?”

Olivia's eyes were flickering rapidly between me and my dad, bouncing up and down. I held two fingers to my temple and flicked off a salute in greeting. “Yo.”

“I'm here with my niece. My sister and her husband wanted a night alone... is he yours?” Olivia asked unsure, as if caught flat footed.

“Oh yes, this is my son, William. Say hello William.” Dad beamed with pride, glancing up at me.

I frowned back down. “I just did. Are you doing senile old geezer?”

“O-oh, yes, quite.” he replied before falling into a frown. “But, perhaps, something a little more... legible?”

Olivia started laughing quietly as I kicked his chest gently. “You can't stop the future old man!”

I fell silent as their conversation picked up, Dad stuttering through his sentences with an almost boyish smile stretched across his face. This lady, Olivia, wasn't quite as obviously excited but still seemed invested.

So these two had a history, huh?

I had to admit, it was nice seeing Dad like this, never having seen such a side of him before.

“So William's mum isn't... around?” Olivia asked delicately.

“No, she... William was a great surprise. One I was more than happy with, but she wasn't so... joyful.” Dad explained circuitously, picking his every word with care. I snorted.

“Mama a bitch.” I broke in bluntly, finishing off a glazed apple and absolutely smearing it everywhere. Fine motor control, why do you abandon me?

“Young man, you will watch your language.” Dad replied kindly but sternly. “But... she's not in the picture, yes.”

Olivia smiled, tucking some hair behind an ear and smiling at dad.

Hmmm, yes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

“You can't play with her, dad. She's too pretty for you.”

“W-WILLIAM!”

My cackle was an evil laugh.

Time passed as it tends to do. I became the dutiful son, ever obeying his fathers command. I picked up after myself, tried not to make a mess, helped with chores. I excelled in schooling and due to copious amounts of begging, was moved a year ahead.

Get used to it father. That'll be happening a lot.

I would have liked to say I was the perfect child but the truth was, these long periods of peace were routinely punctuated by transforming into a devil child. It's like I was stuffing all the childish signals demanded by my developing brain into a deep dark hole that occasionally overspilled.

Either way, I enjoyed life.

Surprisingly or perhaps not, Olivia became an increasing interloper into my life, magically popping up in the morning to join us for breakfast. Not that she was unwelcome- her ability to turn my usually unflappable father into a stuttering schoolboy would never not be funny.

I really needed to wake up one night and stumble on them. “W-what's that dad? W-what are you two doing?” It would be hilarious. Unfortunately, due to my habit of running myself ragged during the day, I slept like a log.

Still- the awkward moment would come! You could only avoid it for so long old man.

Tonight was cuddle time however. Cuddle time best time! I'd completed all the work the teachers had dumped on me, giving a months worth every few weeks once Dad had made it clear I wanted to move up yet again.

He'd been resistant to the idea at first, worried I would have trouble connecting to my peers. When I made it clear that I had no connections to my classmates due to my maturity in the first place... well. That changed his tune soon enough.

Every time I finished bulldozing through each information packet, he'd buy a new VHS and we'd cuddle up on the sofa for a night of garbage eating.

Do you know how hard it was to get this geezer to give me chocolate or sugar?

You'd think it was hard drugs with how much of a fight he put up. I was actually sure it would be easier to convince him to give me a mouthful of alcohol than it would be to get a mouthful of sugar.

I wonder why?

“This film is actually ass.” I ventured half an hour in, snuggled into his side.

Dad coughed and gently whacked my ear, but didn't disagree.

“You know what'd be cool?” I queried, lost in my daydream of the future. “A shop full of films, that rents them out. So you could have hundreds and hundreds of films to choose from, just for like, a small price.”

You know the state of entertainment was dire when you were daydreaming of blockbuster, which currently shone in my dreams as an unreachable ideal. VHS's were surprisingly expensive!

The past was truly a troubled place.

“I don't think that would work.” Dad chuckled “People would just never return them!”

I blew a raspberry at the degeneration aimed at my totally original, OC, do not steal idea.

The phone rang, our old mechanical rotary abomination, interrupting the movie. Dad sprang up unusually fast, almost desperately grasping onto the presented lifeline, eager to escape.

I turned back to the bulky tv and shoved a handful of popcorn into my mouth.

Didn't blame him really.

I focused on the faint conversation happening in the hallway because it sure sounded more interesting than the slop that was Return to Oz.

“Oh blast it? Really?”

...

“Yes, I have the ingredients here, I can certainly do that.”

…

“I'll hurry, thank you for informing me. Yes, right now. I need the locat- yes, just let me get something to write that down.”

I heard the receiver placed down and met dad in the doorway, hands full of a pen and a notepad.

“Thank you, but do try not to listen in on my conversation. Go watch the movie please.” Dad smiled thinly, looking rushed and jittery.

I nodded silently and sat back on the sofa.

“Yes, I'm here. Go on.”

…

“Yes.”

…

“Yes.”

...

“Got it. That's it? Yes, I'll do it now. I'll call you back when- yes.”

I watched, bemused, as dad ran around to various locked cupboards, pulling an odd assortment of objects from each one. Several candles, some odd looking plants in plastic packets and more seemingly random items.

“Stay here please, William, and keep watching. I have something to take care of upstairs quickly, then I'll be back down, okay?” Dad smiled, foot tapping impatiently.

I smiled serenely. “Yes father!”

“Good boy.” he called, rushing upstairs with loaded arms.

I turned back to the TV, every inch the the dutiful child.

As if!

What the hell was that about?

I patiently waited for five minutes to pass, to see if he'd return to check on me but... I was I the clear!

Silent as a fox and grinning just a widely, I silently slide across the room. Time to ninja this bitch!

I crept with all the skill a child could possess up the stairs, avoiding any I knew were creaky. I was stealth, I was the shadows, I was the darkness that snuck through the night!

I breathed silently, leaning down with care at each shut door, looking through the little lock-hole each heavy door possessed. It was slightly odd now that I though about it, but near every door and cupboard in our house had their own little keyholes and where often locked down tight.

Ooooh, secret? Secret!

Withholding a cackle I searched each room one by one.

Dad's bedroom? Empty.

My bedroom? Empty.

Spare bedroom? Empty.

Dad's office? Ajar?

Heart pounding I peeked around the open door, finding the room deserted. Hundreds of books littered cramped shelves and a massive jumble was piled on the desk, which was very unlike my dad.

Hmmm...

With no other option I peered into the bathroom and- YES!

Dad was sitting on the tiled floor, a book in one hand and a... burning plant in the other. A series of strange lines where squiggled all over the floor and walls.

What. The. Hell?

I pushed my ear against the door, hardly breathing, straining to hear.

“-Beseech thee, and grant your wisdom, oh Calliope. In this hour of need, grant us your insight into the hidden meaning, oh Calliope! Oh Calliope, accept this offering!” Dad chanted, before breaking out into what sounded like Latin.

You fool!

You never chant in Latin!

That's like, survival strategy numero uno! Have you no sense?

Was my Dad, the kind and attentive father, actually cracked in the head?

A strange noise sounded, keening and screeching, so I shoved my eye back into the lock.

Inside... a statue floated in the air, melting like it was exposed to extreme heat, but the blobs of molten material gradually faded into nothingness. Various other knick-knacks also burst into blue flames as Dad chanted, sounding fiercer than I'd ever heard him.

“Oh Calliope! I Beseech You!”

Sound stopped, I froze, icy fingers dragging across my body as Something's attention was dragged into the scene in the bathroom. Judgement, cold and unyielding, evaluating...

Passing.

A page ripped from a notebook, filled with my father's hasty scrawls, floated into the air. Reality rippled, twisting, and the words on the page began to change, morph. I couldn't make out what they said, but more words appeared, filling the page with rich, dense script.

Then...

It ended, icy presence receding to whence it came.

The page fell to the floor before my father and the world returned to normal.

Dad breathed out deeply and rubbed his face for a moment before grabbing the paper and jumping to his feet. He strode to the door and pulled it open, rushed and stressed.

I should have moved the instant he had, running away to hide my snooping. I could have made it, probably.

Instead I stood stock stile before the bathroom door as dad yanked it open.

He froze, eyes on me.

My eyes met his own.

We stared at each other for a moment. I don't know what was going through his mind. I was far too busy, my own mind racing. What I had just seen, what had happened... there could be only one explanation. One conclusion to draw.

One choice to make.

I opened my mouth and changed my life forever.

“Please teach me magic!”