Heka looked down at his hand, and relief flooded through him. The eerie translucence was gone; his skin was solid and whole again. One profound realization struck him deeply: his soul had returned to his body.
"I'm alive again." He whispered, a smile breaking across his face.
He sat up slowly, feeling the strength return to his limbs. The weakness that had plagued him was gone, replaced by a steady vitality. The soreness from the syringe that had once pricked his arm was now just a distant memory.
Heka seemed to have been reborn.
Heka's eyes scanned the room, searching for the mysterious figure who had given him the grain of sand. The strange, radiant token that had restored his soul. But the man was nowhere to be seen.
Though he could not thank the man in person, he silently offered his thanks for the healing gift that had brought him back from the brink.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, feeling the renewed strength coursing through his limbs. He walked over to the window and pushed it open, letting the crisp morning air wash over him.
As he breathed deeply, Heka felt a subtle but profound difference within himself. He remembered then that he needed to prepare for his departure. With a purposeful motion, he retrieved his bag and began packing his stuffs.
Suddenly, the hurried sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by the creak of the door swinging open. Heka turned quickly, his heart skipping a beat as Ansel appeared in the doorway.
"Good morning." Heka greeted warmly, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
Ansel returned the smile, his eyes shining with happiness. "Good morning too, you seem so healthy. You slept well and longer. It is more than 24 hours."
It was clear that Ansel was deeply relieved that Heka had finally been freed from the long, torturous insomnia that had plagued him.
Feeling a surge of gratitude, Heka decided to ask about Mr. McVeigh, the man who had helped him in such a mysterious way. He inquired. "Where is Mr McVeigh? I didn't see him."
"He visited somewhere. What's wrong?" Ansel asked cautiously. His expression shifted slightly, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face as he noticed Heka's packed bag.
Heka felt a pang of disappointment. He had hoped to thank Mr. McVeigh in person, but it seemed the opportunity had slipped away. Still, he reminded himself that he could visit anytime.
More than anything, he longed to return home. Despite the kindness he had received, he felt uneasy lingering in Ansel's house now that he had recovered.
"I want to say goodbye." Heka said quietly, holding up his bag to show his readiness to leave.
Ansel's brow furrowed with concern. He advised gently. "You just received Soul Delivery. It is better rest here first."
"Thanks. I don't want to bother you. Meanwhile, I feel more comfortable when I rest at home." Heka replied firmly but politely. He really hated it and didn't feel comfortable lingering in someone else's house.
"That means you want to go straight away." Ansel nodded slowly, understanding but still worried. "Well, I can drive for you."
"It's okay. I can go home by myself. Thank you so much for your help. I owe you my life." Heka shook his head with a grateful smile. With that, he turned and began to leave.
Ansel walked with him to the door, watching as Heka stepped out into the bright morning light.
Arriving at the front door, Heka suddenly paused, a flicker of unease washing over him. It struck him as deeply disrespectful to leave without leaving any message for Mr. McVeigh whose presence had been both unsettling and miraculous.
"Give him my regards, please. Thank you for helping me. Well, I'm going to leave." Heka said quietly, turning to Ansel with a hopeful glance.
Ansel nodded, his expression attentive and understanding. He replied softly. "Okay."
Heka opened the door, the cool morning air brushing against his face. He turned back and offered Ansel a warm smile, a silent farewell filled with gratitude and unspoken words.
In truth, there were countless things Heka wanted to share with Ansel-tales of the strange journey he had undergone during the Soul Delivery, the surreal moments when his soul had drifted beyond his body, and the eerie presence of the man with the radiant grain of sand.
But his lips remained sealed, locked by an invisible force within his heart. He felt that what had happened to him was somehow natural, ordinary even, at least from Ansel's perspective.
It meant that he didn't understand what Ansel said to him at all. Hence, he was very aware that he had not slept that long. He knew very well his soul was out of the body for only a few moments, no more than 24 hours.
To confirm his suspicions, Heka pulled out his phone and checked the time stamps, hoping to find some clarity. To his surprise, Ansel's words were true. The phone showed that he had indeed been unconscious for over a day.
"It's true that I slept more than 24 hours. This is really confusing. I'd better go straight home." He muttered to himself, shaking his head in confusion.
It was a reason for him to prefer to go home immediately. Hence, he didn't bother about what Ansel said. It was better to stay way for him. He had recovered and was like being reborn. If he stayed at Ansel's house more, he found himself in troubles. There would more horrible and strange things will happen to him.
"Maybe everyone is right. The house of people who are close to metaphysics has a lot of things beyond reason." He thought grimly.
It was a conclusion that brought him a small measure of peace. He didn't want to delve deeper into Ansel's world or get entangled in the mysteries that seemed to swirl around him. For Heka, the best way to find calm was to distance himself from those strange forces.