Ch 1: Family

My whole body was being pulled. For some reason, I couldn't open my eyes. Everything was noisy, yet I couldn't understand what was being said. I let out the biggest wail I could, and soon I fell asleep.

When I finally woke up, I understood what had happened. I was born or reborn, so to speak. Slowly I opened my eyes, which seemed to have glue stuck to them or something. But I finally got them opened! Immediately, I was shocked to see three heads staring down at me.

One was a man, another a woman, and the last a young girl. That's when I realized that I was in a small crib. The man and young girl were on the left side, while on the right side was the woman.

"Zeakjlud!"

"Whetrani!"

"Whetrani, whetrani..."

Both the man and young girl seemed to scream with joy in their faces while the woman smiled softly at them. I was then picked up by the man and spun in the air. He then hugged me close that I could feel the sharp hair on his brown beard. I then started to wail again.

The young girl with blonde hair then started to scold him. Even though I could not understand what they were saying, I could tell by their facial expression that that was what happened. Then the man passed me on to the woman lying on the bed. She also had blonde hair, as did the young girl. All of them have dark brown eyes.

She held me close to her body, and I could feel the warmth surrounding me. Only then did I realize how cold I was. She then started to sing a song in a language I could not understand. However, the lullaby made the tension ease, and soon, I fell asleep again.

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I woke up, and I slept. This pattern went on for literally as long as I have lived. In this world, at least. After a long while, I could finally start to understand what the people here were saying.

"My little Alan," the woman said. It seems I was to be called the same name that has been used to mock me continuously throughout my previous life. And yet, this time, it was said with such love and care that I could not feel that sad about it.

"I hope... gwertsh sut gire... a happy life. That is .....ntirch oweru...., my little one." Though I didn't quite understand all of what she was saying. I understood what she meant. Her smile showed her love for me. Without restraint, I suddenly felt the urge to cry, and I did. Anyone else hearing my cry in my previous life would have ignored me or scolded me as a child, but this woman would stay smiling and just hold me for as long as I wanted to. Love you, mom.

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"Alan. Say 'dada'. D-A-D-A. I'll give you this bread if you say 'dada'."

A piece of bread was tantalizingly held up in front of my face. I haven't eaten bread since I came to this world. I really, really wanted to eat that bread.

"A, u? Aaaaa." I could not move my tongue to form the words. A wooden stick then appeared and smacked the lightly-bearded man on the head.

"Noah! Alan cannot eat this yet! He doesn't even have teeth!"

"Jess! Ahaha. I didn't see you there. How's the cooking going?" Noah turned his head to meet Jess, my mom.

"Not great. The vegetables are thin, and the soup is tasteless. Even with the neighbors' help, there is no meat we can borrow to eat." With that, Noah slumped his shoulders and looked at the wooden floor, of the wooden house we live in, lifelessly.

Suddenly though, he raised his head and looked up energetically once more, "No problem! I'll just work harder tomorrow and get us the vegetables we need! Ahaha."

With that, he left the house with his head held up high. I smiled while thinking, 'That's my dad.'

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"Alan." A young girl's voice seemed to call out to me. I learned that her name is Lila. None of us have last names as we are considered peasants.

I don't know what time it is as there seems to be no clock, but turning my head to look at the window, it is getting dark. This world seemed like a medieval world, what with the clothes my parents were wearing and the overall design of the house.

"Alan," Lila said once again. Finally, I turned my head towards her and saw that she was looking wide-eyed at me whilst holding her raggedy rabbit-like doll. I have seen her holding it enough times to know it was her favorite thing in the world.

"Do you have trouble sleeping? I-I can borrow you my doll if it helps..."

She then put the doll in my old wooden crib and dashed off into the other side of the house. I could still see her since it was a small house. She looked expectantly at me, but I didn't know what she wanted.

I then saw the doll sitting on my side and grabbed it. When I looked back at her, she smiled. I think this was the first time I saw her give the doll to someone else. Usually, she would throw a fit had dad or mom taken the doll away from her. But she just gave it to me so I could sleep better.

She might not know it yet, but I will always cherish this moment. Thank you, sis.

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Whoever gave me this chance at a second life. Thank you. You might not have given me wealth or power, but I now have something I never thought I needed. A family.