I have lived for so long.

I was once a blade of grass, a small stone on the road side. I even experienced living as a cloud blown by the northern winds, which was really an icy experience.

Through each new life, my memory of the last ones never faded and I still remember everything all the way back to the first time I became aware of my own existence.

While I was leisurely bathing under the sunlight or lying in the depths of the sea, I came across some interesting creatures. Whether it was mermaids, fairies or even normal human beings, I always spectated on them from afar.

What seemed more intriguing for me was watching how they interacted with each other, how they fought and laughed together. I don't know when it happened, but I soon started wondering what it would be like to experience those feelings and to become one of them.

I have long since held into this extravagant wish of mine until one day...

One day, I opened my eyes but I wanted to close them straight away. It was so bright that my eyes started to sting and I couldn't help but blink. And I though, what's this strange feeling. So unpleasant.

But I forced myself to open them again and then, what I saw before me put in a bit of a daze. It wasn't the first time that I saw humans and it wasn't also the first time that they've looked at me but I felt that it was quite different.

I looked at the two people before me and what I saw in their eyes while they were looking back was a totally unfamiliar expression. Before, their eyes were as calm as a quiet pool of water. However at that moment, I could see tiny ripples in them. Then those ripples started merging with each other, forming startlingly huge waves, which all came rushing straight at me.

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I was so scared that I rushed to close my eyes once more and didn't want to open them again from fear of facing that tsunami a second time.

Then, I didn't know why but I started trembling all over. But I reckon, there was nothing shaking me. I wanted to open my eyes to make sure of it, but I was still very much scared. Moreover, at that point, I was even more panicked by that unstoppable trembling and so, I felt it worsen by the second.

Suddenly, I heard some frightening shriek, I was shocked to the point I nearly felt my soul leaving my corpse. The only good thing that happened after that was that all the agitation from before stopped still, and everything around me became suddenly quiet.

I thought it was finally over and started relaxing and unconsciously opened my eyes. The sight before me, then, scared me out of my wits. Thus I was thoroughly and deeply shaken for the second time in this damned day.

What was reflected in my eyes was a huge close up of a woman's face. Slowly, those eyes that kept fixed on me continued getting closer and closer, and I started feeling something pounding stronger and louder inside me.

I really wanted to close my eyes a second time and hope all of this would soon disappear in the darkness of my consciousness like it did before. But before I could do so, I felt a warm and moist sensation brushing over me and-

I cannot bear it any longer.

Soon the trembling started all over again and I heard those terrifying cries loudly resounding in the air and I couldn't help feeling extremely distressed.

But I still wasn't prepared for the highlight of the show, the last straw that would make me ultimately lose my mind.

Eventually, I felt my whole body being lifted from the strangely soft ground that I was lying on, straight into the air. I didn't know why but I had some irrational thoughts, I feared that I would soon fall. But, hey, I've always reincarnated to some lifeless scrap. How could I even get hurt, or feel any pain.

Even if I tried to calm down by letting those words play on a loop inside of my head, I couldn't keep that strong belief -stemming from the depths of my soul- from invading each and every inch of my mind. Then, I really could not think any longer, drowning in that storm of creepy noises and continuous swaying.

-

From my parent's point of view:

"Oh, he finally opened his eyes. Look at that sullen face. What a cutie."

"Eh, he started crying straight away."

"Maybe you scared him with your ugly face."

"Heh, I'm not talking to you anymore. Here, I'll give you a big kiss my baby."

"See, he started crying again. He probably hates you. Let me hold him, he always calms down when in my arms."

"He's bawling even more, it's working so well."

"Just shut up."

"Hand him over to me, I know he wants his mummy right now."

"Get back your hands. Let me calm him down first. I'll show you how to do it."

"I said, give him back. Look, he's thoroughly terrified and crying harder. Give me back MY baby."

"Only YOUR baby? Oh, right. I thought so too before. Maybe I'm not even his true father. Here, don't let him near me from now on."

"Scram, I never want to see you again."

-

And that was the first time I met with my parents.