Wee-wo Wee-wo Wee-wo Wee-wo
Murmur Murmur
Ugh… What's that noise?
I-it's so loud. I feel like my head is about to split!
What's with all these people? Why are there police and ambulances here? Was there an accident?
I can't remember anything. Of all the times to get a migraine, why does it have to be now?
While I tried to piece together what happened, people began gathering in front of a collapsed building. Something big must have gone wrong.
Maybe if I go closer, I'll get some answers. Maybe I'll remember something.
When I reached the crowd, the police were blocking the entrance. A voice spoke through a megaphone.
"Everyone, please move away from the facility! Do not cross the yellow tape! A rescue operation is in progress!"
As the officer spoke, someone yelled from inside.
"We found a body! Requesting backup! Please help clear the debris!"
…
"All debris removed. Area secured."
…
"Body identified. It's a woman."
…
While the rescue team examined the body, someone sprinted into the scene. The second I saw his face, my memory clicked into place.
"Oh! That's Johnny!"
"Johnny! I'm here! What happened? Can you explain? I can't remember anything," I shouted.
Johnny? He probably didn't hear me. I'll get closer.
But when I approached, I froze. Johnny was crying and panicking. His whole body was shaking. The police held him back from entering the site.
"Sir, stay behind the yellow tape. It's dangerous here."
"I-I know her! We work in the same company! Please save her, I'm begging you!" He cried.
I stared, confused.
"Huh? Why are you acting like that, Johnny? Did someone get hurt?" I asked.
A medic turned to him with a grim expression. "I'm sorry, sir. Her heart isn't beating anymore."
"N-no! T-that can't be. Ms. Ina!" Johnny screamed.
"Huh?! What are you saying, Johnny? I'm right here! Stop it, you're scaring me!"
I wasn't sure at first, but once he said my name, something inside me twisted. My stomach dropped. My vision blurred.
Because the second I looked at the body they found… everything inside me shattered.
It was me.
I remembered everything. The warehouse. The earthquake. The collapsing shelves. All of it.
…
"So I'm dead now, huh?"
"No…"
…
"No. No, no, no…"
"I-I can't accept this. Not like this!"
Sob Sob
Panic crashed into me. My whole world felt numb. My body felt heavy, like gravity itself wanted to drag me down.
I watched the rescuers lift what used to be my body. I stood there, frozen, while they moved around me like I wasn't even there. I didn't want to think anymore. I just wanted to close my eyes and disappear.
But then Ella's face flashed in my mind.
Ella.
Sob Sob
"I-I don't want to die yet."
"I still have to work. to earn money, to make sure she doesn't end up like me… filled with regrets."
"It can't end here. Not like this!"
…
I was spiraling, barely holding onto myself, when I heard a voice behind me. A voice so beautiful and soft that it cut right through my panic.
"Even after death, you continue to worry about others. Your spirit truly is admirable."
I turned around and saw her.
A woman wrapped in radiant light, standing gracefully beneath the night sky. Her long white dress flowed around her feet like drifting clouds. Her skin glowed like polished marble, untouched by any shadow. She held a white umbrella gently tilted over her face, hiding her features but somehow still revealing the peace she carried.
Her silver hair fell like a shimmering waterfall, glowing softly under the moonlight. Each strand moved even though the wind was still. Despite not seeing her eyes, her presence felt warm, calm, and eternal.
Just standing near her made my heart settle. All the noise in my mind simply faded.
There was no doubt about it. She wasn't human.
She was a Goddess.
"I am deeply sorry about your tragic passing," she said gently. "I saw it coming, but I was not allowed to interfere with the cycle of life. It pains me to watch someone like you go."
"W-who are you? Are you… really a Goddess?" I asked shakily.
"Who I am or what my identity entails is not important," she responded softly.
"Then… why are you here?" I asked again.
"I came to guide you, to let you know that this is not the end. For you, this is the beginning of a new journey."
"A new journey?"
"Yes."
At first, I didn't understand. Then the realization hit me.
"Am I… going to be reborn?"
"Yes. Into a new world, where you may pursue the life you've always longed for."
"The life I've always longed for? I don't long for anything except making things right with my daughter."
"Then that means you desire something. Something you seek deep within yourself. Let that desire be your guide."
"I'm scared. What if I fail again? What if everything ends the same way? Living hurts. I don't know if I can go through that again."
The Goddess smiled softly, as if lifting some of the weight that crushed me.
"I cannot say what awaits you. But I hope that this time, you find what you need, and choose a path that heals your heart."
As she spoke, my surroundings grew lighter. My soul felt like it was being carried away.
"It is time," the Goddess whispered. "I wish you the best on your next journey."
I could feel myself fading.
Oh, Ella… Mama won't be there anymore. I wish I could've said goodbye. I'm so sorry. Goodbye, my love.
…
Everything went dark.
Yet for the first time in a long while, I felt calm. No pain. No regrets clawing at my chest. Just peace.
…
I don't know where I'm heading. I don't know what waits for me on the other side.
But whatever it is, I'll face it head-on.
Thank you… for giving me another chance.