After a few seconds that I was blanked out, I woke up in an even more unfamiliar environment.

It was a small room. Nothing so great about it. A single bed that took half of the space of the room. A study table beside the bed that connected to the window which showed a not so really pleasant view. And opposite to it was the door, made of broken old wood that looked like it might break with the slightest of efforts.

“...”

‘It’s not that place, is it?’ I thought as a decade old memory stuck in my mind, making me feel a bit more familiar with this unfamiliar place.

‘Even if it is that place, then what am I even doing here?’ I questioned the motive of the person responsible for the change in my location. From the wealthiest building of the country to this old small 2 BHK apartment, that only those take shelter in, who are either struggling to live or living to struggle.

‘Is it related to the person I am going to save?’ I thought as I recalled the names of the people that Charles took before.

However, before I could even think further, a voice woke me up completely from my thoughts.

“Mikael! Dinner is ready,” a feminine voice spoke from the otherside of the door, making my heart skip a beat. My ears wondered if they had heard correctly what they had just heard.

“Mikael!” the voice shouted again, a bit louder this time, making it crystal clear that it wasn’t an illusion that I was hearing.

My heart beat rose even further as I prayed that if it is a dream then may God never wake me. I removed my paper thin blanket and jumped out of the bed before opening the door only to find a slightly annoyed feminine face that looked at me with a slight glare.

“How long are you planning to slee..p.. Mikeal? Mikael! What happened? Are you okay? Why are you crying all of a sudden?” Worry flashed over her eyes as the previous hardened expression, now softened. Like a chilly winter veil was removed and the warmth of the sun shined brighter as she held my arms, puzzled as her own tears began to flow out.

“Mom?” I spoke out from the depths of my heart. I spoke out from my deepest desires. For all I had, were nightmares of losing her over and over again, now a dream for the first time that I could literally kill for.

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I hugged her immediately as I didn’t bother to stop my tears. While I cried, she did too. While I broke down, she did too. Pathetic I was, for a man so strong to break down so easily, but if the cost is to meet my mother again, I might stay broken for the rest of my life.

After a few moments of being where I wanted to stay safe forever, I let her go for a brief moment as she asked,”what happened son? Are you okay? Is everything all right?”

I nodded at her as I spoke,”I… just had a nightmare… I thought that I would never see you again.”

Her worry washed away with that one sentence and a slight smile blossomed on her relaxed face. Though she was irritated for making her worry like that, she still was smiling as she spoke,

“Don’t worry, honey. I will never leave you. Look, I made your favourite food today, come let’s have a bite.”

She changed the topic and I smiled at her. Holding my hand, she took me to the small table, making me sit beside her where she had already served my plate for me. With her hand, she helped me eat and like a child I ate with a blissful face.

“Happy 17th Birthday, son,” she smiled brightly as she went to the bedroom and brought a small gift for me. Opening it with a smile on my face, I found a T-Shirt that I was gifted once upon a time. It was my favourite T-Shirt… especially after Mom passed away a few months after that birthday.

“I have invited your friends over,” she spoke with a smile and I smiled at her. Though on the inside, I wondered which friends we were talking about here. I don’t remember anyone from this long past. The only friends I made were either from Arcadia Online or from Eugene University. Unironically, half of them died helping me, while the other half died after betraying me.

My mother and I talked a bit more, after which she went outside to work. According to her, the party was in the evening and since I was preparing for the entrance examination, I did not need to leave the room. All my books and materials were still here.

And once I was alone,

“This is a bit overwhelming… but I appreciate what you have done Charles. In fact I owe you one for that,” I spoke out loud as I looked at myself in the mirror. It would be idiotic to believe that I was still dreaming. It was too realistic for something like that.

“Evan Castro, Serah Rose, Damian White, Ciana Grace and… Charles Richard,” I recalled the names of the people that Charles asked me to remember. This chance wasn’t a gift from him. It was a deal.

I wrote the names of the people on a page and kept it in my pocket before taking out another page from the notebook and writing everything that had happened within the next decade.

Once I was done writing everything, I closed my eyes for a while. If I am going to make full use of this chance, I need to make sure everything goes perfectly. I can’t afford any mistakes… not anymore.

If I fail this time… I won’t be able to forgive myself ever. And for something like that to not happen, I must start preparing beforehand.

“Let’s collect some information first.”

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