1 REBIRTH
The sun sunk into the horizon, and daylight began to drain away. The evening shadows deepen as if the world is about to drown in darkness. The thick blanket of clouds was crowded, and the moon was barely visible in fading light.
Everything seems motionless, even the air as if someone had pressed a pause button. A deadly silence hung over the bustling hospital.
Everyone's body was feezed, and throats were choked by something they couldn't see but could feel. All eyes were wide open, locked like a magnet on a young girl as if something had happened out of the blue.
Nurses were in a rush, and a crowd gathered in a corridor. Their fingers were getting numb, and their hearts were pounding out of their chest.
A frightening incident happened a movement ago that no one could believe. It was hard to utter a word or make a move when people saw a man in a black outfit holding a knife dripping blood and an innocent girl lying on the floor with blood all over.
Her white coat was soaked, and blood spattered everywhere. As the man pulled her knife out of her abdomen, the girl helplessly fell against the wall. Leaving straight red lines behind. Her legs were trembling, and she was trying to stand up, but her body gave up.
Nurses panicked when they saw her bloody body. They moved their hands chaotically but didn't dare to touch her wound.
"Miss Anna!" They cried but Anna couldn't respond. She tried to blink twice, but her vision became fussy and fussier, her fingers became cold, and it became hard, even to move an inch. Blood was constantly coming out, draining out all her strength that she couldn't even move.
With the sense of sight, her hearing also got dim. She couldn't listen to what the nurses were saying. Her eyes were telling the intensifying pain she was suffering.
She had to give up the urge to live…
Her eyes shut down with a blurry vision, but still…
Her face was as cheerful as ever.
'Is... it the end' she thought as she couldn't utter a word.
Slowly, the light reflection from her irises disappeared.
That man burst into laughter as he pulled out the knife dripping blood from her body. He had a huge smile as if it was satisfying to watch her slowly slide against the wall with her back, making thick red lines behind her.
His eyes brighten with joy when he watches her trying to stand up even if her body has given up. He had a spark of dopamine when he saw her lying in front of him helplessly.
The thunder sounds spine-chilling. A lightning jolt runs down quickly from the thick blanket drifting above, exploding like a sonic boom as if the sky is about to collapse.
The wind howls the way it never did before. The weather becomes unpleasantly chilly, and rain drizzles down hard, hurting and stinging the skin.
It seems like God was upset with what happened.
Anna was innocent, the kindest and sweetest person who never thought of revenge on anyone, and this was the END of her life.
---
"Hey, my dear..."
"Little girl..."
A sound reached her ears with a tingling sensation, she could feel her lips, and her fingers were no colder. She felt her eyes, gradually opened them and saw that she was floating in an unknown expanse that seemed like she was in the middle of a galaxy.
It was like a world of fairy-tale on a cloud, full of colours and glimmers. Fog and mist covered the entire space, and Anna could see a few sparkling stars from far above. It was a relaxed and peaceful surrounding between the formation of galaxies and millions of stars.
She moved her hands and looked at them, 'I… I'm… still alive?'
'Didn't I…'
'Wait a minute, my hands…' she thought, looked everywhere, and there wasn't anything she had grown familiar with.
'How come I am here? And… What is this place'
'Ah… What's this… The pain…' suddenly she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. She closed her eyes, trying to remember how she could have arrived at this place where nothing seemed familiar.
With the pain, she remembered being stabbed by an old lady inside a hospital corridor. But the place where she was right now doesn't resemble that. It was full of fog and mist with no land and sky, yet it was stunning.
"Hey, girl..." again, a voice came from somewhere, but it was hard to recognize.
"Ah... who's calling me now," her lips moved, and she looked around, her eyes searching everywhere from where the voice coming. She wants to figure out who is behind the vote but finds nothing.
When she turned around, she found a bright spot of light that started to take the shape of a human-like thing when she thought it. It turns into a handsome man wearing a white outfit with silver jewellery. Initially, his face wasn't very much apparent. But as he came closer, she could see his glittery eyes. She has never seen any person like him before.
'Where in the world I am…'
'And… how could he just appear out of nowhere!'
"My girl..." he said politely, "Did you recognize me?" he asked with a gentle smile.
They had meaningful eye contact. She hesitates for a movement. She was confused with everything that was going on and couldn't utter a word.
"I... mm... What's this place... and...? Why am I here?"
"And… how am I still alive… didn't I die?" she asks in confusion.
Her delicate voice reached his ears, and he replied with a smile, "I'm the Guardian of the world God created! Your body is already dead. And I called you here."
She locked her gaze on him and listened carefully, trying to digest what he told her.
"This is the place where your soul is free from your body and is completely detached from the world. I called you here so you can talk to me about all your worries."
"But I don't have any worries. Then why did you call me here?" Anna blinked a couple of times. She wasn't able to figure out anything about why she was sent here.
"Aren't you upset about how your life ended?" he asks her.
"A bit… but I'm fine with that. If that's how my life was supposed to end, I don't have anything to say."
"Besides, I'm thankful for having such a wonderful life!"
The Guardian was amused to hear that answer as if he didn't imagine she would say something like that. He stretches out his hands to reach her soft cheeks. It felt warm.
She looked into his eyes, searching for an answer.
"You are such a wonderful kid. I have never seen anyone like you," he smiled.
"There are few people on earth who are dear to God. He always tries to protect them from any kind of threat and always helps them in their hard times. You are one of them, an Angel."
"Woah… Thank you," Anna blushed. A light pink reflection is seen on her cheeks. It was something she could never think of.
"So, what now? Will I be sent to heaven, or do I have to retake birth? Because… no matter what, I won't be able to get my previous life back anyways…" she asks, knowing that her previous body is dead and she can't have her old life back.
"That's true. If you woke up a bit early… I could do something… but not now," Guardian said, patting Anna's head.
Anna felt a bit upset, 'why I didn't wake up early? I could have my life back then!' she looked down, deep in thought, and missed all her good movements.
"Don't worry too much little girl!" said that person, lifting her chin with a smile.
"I may not be able to give your past life back, but I can give you a new life." He said with a reassuring smile.
She looked at him, hope was reflected in her eyes, and he could read it. He truly wanted to do something for her, but not everything was in his hand.
"I'm giving you a life that someone lived for a while. She couldn't make it, but I think you can. Consider it as a test. Every time you make something right, you will receive rewards from God."
"She had many difficulties, but I'm sure you will change everything, Anna!"
"This is all I can grant you," said that person taking a step backwards.
"Remember, your life will also make other's life better" with a smile, he faded.
The warmth of his hand disappeared. Anna took a deep breath and saw her hands fading.
A bright light appears in front of her eyes, brightening every movement. And thus, she completely disappeared from that vast space.
---
"Hmm... so she's the girl I must take care of!"
