Have you ever thought that, in your lifetime, you would be lucky enough to hear the sounds of your own cries — crying so helplessly because the doctors and nurse, alongside the person who, as time goes, you'll be calling "Mom," yank you out from the dark place that you've grown accustomed to calling home for over 40 weeks?
If you're smart enough by now, you should have caught up and realized what the hell I was talking about. And if you're pretty slow to catch up, I'm talking about the day your parents are so over the moon when they hear the doctors say, "Congratulations, it's a boy."
You just gasped, didn't you? And now you are asking yourself, how is it possible? Is this guy crazy?
Ha! How I wish, because if that was the case, then this was going to make more sense than what I'm about to tell you.
But yep, that's my life now. Apparently, I had died in my sleep, even though I have no idea how that was even possible, 'cause I don't remember being sick or diagnosed with anything. So the lingering question was, how did I die?
Was I killed in my sleep?
Well, that's one thing I should never rule out, especially since it happened that I used to be the sole heir to inherit all of my father's riches — since he was a well-known author. So it's possible that one of my relatives thought,
Hey, why don't I get rid of him? And maybe I might get everything.
Whoever that was, all I want to say is good luck with all your new riches.
Now, as I was saying about the whole experiencing the miracles of childbirth — seeing the faces of your parents being so happy, your mother's eyes lighting up with love for the very first time in her life, and seeing your dad so over the moon because, after everything, all he ever wanted was a son.
I, for myself, never thought that it would be possible for me to go through all that. Not that I was complaining, but I never thought there would come a day — not even in my wildest dreams — did I ever think to imagine the possibilities of me getting to experience that magical moment. I really thought I was going to experience it when I was the one who was expecting a child, not the other way around.
I really don't understand what the fuss is about, because take it from me — from someone who just came out of the other side of a woman — even to this day, I still don't understand what the fuss is about.
Just thinking about it still gives me the creeps.
All I know is that before I even came to this place, after the whole unplanned death and everything, I had accepted my fate. I know that's not normal, especially for a 20-year-old, but I was so excited that finally, I was going to meet up with my parents again. Despite me being grown, we would be a happy family and hop around in Paradise.
So, when I was floating around in a place that was beautiful, while the colors resonated with the true beauty of the sun itself, and when I saw the bright light at the end, all I was expecting — more like wishful thinking — was that when I got there,
if I wasn't greeted and welcomed by angels, at least my parents would be waiting for me behind the gate, like how they usually did whenever they picked me up from school.
You know — my mom waiting for me outside the car just to give me a warm hug that said, "I missed you, and I never want to let you go," and my father would toss me around with us smiling and laughing. I may be grown, but I still miss those days like they only transpired yesterday.
But no — fate decided to be a bitch and played a cruel trick on me.
Instead of following the bright white light and being welcomed with beautiful music sung by the angels and instruments played by the saints, I was redirected to another light — a not-so-beautiful light.
I don't remember quite well how I ended up taking the route of the red, blood-like light, but all I remember was being forced out, like someone was pushing me out against my will.
And the sounds that I was able to hear were muffled voices, loud screams, and someone who, I feel like, violated me because they touched me inappropriately without my permission. I still remember their cold hands rubbing against my butt.
"Congratulations, madam, you have given life to a beautiful and healthy baby boy," a voice pierced through the distorted muffled sounds.
Oh shit — that's when I realized I had just been reincarnated.
Which meant going through puberty all over again. Ha, ha, ha — very funny, fate.
I never really thought that the whole story that when a baby is born, the first thing he sees — the second he lays eyes on someone — was their mother, right before they saw everything and everyone else.
But that's how I felt when I saw the new person that I would grow to call mother. And I have to be honest — fate may have pulled one up on me, but I have to say, seeing my mother, I'm not disappointed.
She was really beautiful, and she really looked young, like she was still in her 20s, despite her being in her early 30s. That's how beautiful she was.
She had white hair, blue ocean eyes, her skin was so smooth and young — it was like she never experienced any sort of acne. She really looked so innocent, and from the way she looked at me, that's when I believed that she fell in love for the first time ever.
From the way she held me, the way her face and eyes lit up when she kissed me on the forehead for the first time.
I was enjoying that moment. I had totally forgotten that I was supposed to cry. I think they also really didn't pay much attention to the fact that I wasn't crying — I guess everyone was just happy that I was born.
As I was enjoying sleeping and getting comfortable on my mom's very comforting chest — if you know what I mean — an idiot burst open the door. I was so comfortable that I was starting to doze off.
"Is he here yet?" a man asked, gasping for air.
I jumped out of shock because, well, I may have been a grown soul, but I was stuck in a baby's body, so some things I couldn't control just yet.
"Markus, where have you been?!" my mother snapped.
"Sorry, my love. The war took longer than we anticipated," Markus apologized.
I guess, by the way those two interacted, I think that Markus must be my father. From the sound of his voice, I was impressed before I even saw him.
"Is that our little prince?" Markus came to us.
Markus — I mean, Dad — and I just looked at each other so intensely, it was as if both of us were expecting one of us to speak.
"May I?" He was already picking me up when he asked.
He held me up in the air and just gave me this look, like he was either studying me or he wasn't sure if I was his son or not.
Again, fate — you may have been a bitch to me, but you never disappoint with the genes.
Markus was really good-looking — like, not just good-looking, but godlike handsome. He had the same blue eyes that my mom had, and his hair wasn't white but greyish-white — I don't know if that's even a color or not. But his face was smooth as a mf; he too looked like he didn't know the pain of acne.
"So, you're my son, huh? What should I call you — how about Barack?" he suggested.
'Barack? Are you kidding me?'
That's when I realized that what they always said about handsome guys is really true.
This guy was an idiot.
"Barack, are you crazy? No!" my mom protested against that.
Phew, thank you, heavens.
She was already in pain, but she still got out of bed and snapped me away from my father's hands.
"No, I have a perfect name for him." She played around with me.
A man walked in while my parents were busy playing a happy family. When he came close to us, Markus bowed down gently and stepped away from us.
"Sir." Markus took me from my mother's arms and handed me to him.
This man was really old — so old that he wore a long black robe, and he carried around a staff with him, with a well-groomed beard that reached his waist.
"What is his name?" He looked at me.
"His name is Perseus — Perseus Morningstar," my mom smiled as she gave me that name.
"Well then, I declare Perseus to serve the chosen child of the Morningstar bloodline," the old man said.
'What does he mean by I declare Perseus to serve the chosen child of the Morningstar bloodline? Aren't I the chosen child?'
I asked myself, but at the same time, I think I already knew what he meant. But right before my mother could say anything, I let out a loud cry.