Walking down the dirt path, I could feel the layers of clothes wrapped around my body—my chest warm, my legs warm—but my feet… that was a problem. I had no shoes. No freaking shoes. What the hell was wrong with me? I was still Ash, but now that I was Elliott, I needed a pair of shoes, or my feet would be gone from the cold.
I continued down the path, having just exited the village of Nathan. Technically, I could still see the second layer of walls—ten feet tall, built by the village's known homeowner. Alden soldiers patrolled the area in their blue suits, visible from a mile away. The outer part of the village was home to farmers and wheat collectors. Old-school farming was as common here as on Earth, in the world of Ender. That was the name of this world: Ender. A world unknown to me.
The lady who had first helped me had given me two things when I entered her home. First, she gave me a loaf of bread. Second, she told me that many kids could find work outside the village, at places where farms needed extra hands. She explained why this would be my best option, but warned it would still be hard. Then she wrote me a note with directions:
"Follow the main entrance road. After reaching the dirt path beyond the village's central wooden walls, go further. There will be three paths—one going west, one east. Take the east dirt path. There, you will find Jack. Jack is one of the lords of this village. He controls the farms and always needs an extra hand."
I did as she asked, following the dirt path eastward until I saw the barn she had described. It was red, made of ember-like stone, at least ten feet tall.
My eyes lingered on it, taking in how massive and wide it was. I wasn't sure if this was the right barn. My memories as Elliott were now mine, yet Elliott had never gone more than a mile outside the village. Still… fate had other plans.
The creak of the barn door opening, metal scraping metal, made me flinch. A man appeared—dark blue hair, silver eyes. I couldn't help but marvel at how different this world was. I wished I were a biologist, wanting to understand the strange similarities and differences in life here.
"Hello, kid. What could I do for you…" His voice trailed off as he stepped closer, wearing long blue jeans and a white shirt tied at the neck with a thin rope. I handed him my note.
He took it, opened it, then tapped his finger against the paper. His legs banged the ground as he shouted, "C'mon!!!"
"This damn hag," he muttered, ripping the paper in half, then looked at me. "So… Ms. Ara sent you?"
"Yes," I said quietly. "She said I could find a job here."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, kid. I read the paper. Now… what can you offer? Look at you—no shoes, no muscle. We're tree killers here. We chop down trees and use them as fuel for the plants. This is hard labor. You wouldn't last a month." He looked at me with a mix of pity and distaste.
"I… I know, but…" I had no idea what I was really getting into. "Just give me a chance, please," I pleaded. I had no other hope. At the end, I might end up stealing just to survive, praying I wouldn't get caught… or worse.
"Okay, kid, okay. To be honest, we need a scrap handler—three months before winter—and then we go into the grinding season. Alright, follow me. The lord needs to meet you."
"Lord? I thought…"
"No, kid. I ain't the lord. The lord is my father. He's the lord of the village, one of the lords of the council."
We walked what seemed like a mile and a half. The farm stretched wide, fields rolling in all directions. Soon, our feet reached a house that looked like a modern farmhouse. Funny thing, it was white wood, built with care, surrounded by green grass.
Just as I was about to step inside, he stopped me.
"Now wait a minute. Do you think you're allowed to come in? Not even a strand of your hair can enter here. Go, and wait." He closed the door shut.
I waited. And waited. And waited. Time stretched; it felt like the moon might rise and set twice over. When I finally looked, the moon was silver, casting a strange, ethereal light. This world… I never thought I'd see a place like this—a beautiful, strange, surreal world.
Then came a creak—the door opening. What stepped out surprised me. A man, frail and seeming at death's door, moved in a wheeled chair made of black metal. Unlike the Earth versions, it had no push lever—it floated, powered by some unknown source. Behind him came Jack.
"Now, now… look who this is," Jack said. At first, I couldn't understand him. Then I noticed… the old man had no eyes. No eyes at all—just like the old man Alen.
"Hello, sir. My name is Elliott…"
"No need, kid. I expect great things from you. You will be the third child with us. You must show what you're made of."
"Thank you… thank you," I stammered, bowing to show some kind of respect. I had no clue if I was doing it right.
Jack grabbed my shoulder. "The lord believes we are all equal. We are no different from royalty to slave. No need to bow, boy. Now, don't lose this."
"Lose what…?" I asked, noticing his left hand holding a pair of shoes. They were boots, lined with white fur. I didn't care about the size—they were shoes, and that was all that mattered.
"Thank… thank you," I said, my heart pounding. I had no idea that my persistence would pay off like this—this was… great!
"Now, we'll see you tomorrow," the old man and Jack said, both fading back into the farmhouse.
...
Walking back to the edge of the village was hard. Thank God my hut of a home wasn't far from the center wall. This time, no one was going to steal my shoes—not Charly, Nile, or even Scar.
I entered my doorless hut and, before getting into bed, decided to summarize my day and think of a plan. I had no clue how much bread the job would pay—my guess was two pieces. If that was true, it would be enough to last… for now.
As for this world's currency, I had no clue. I only knew a few names. The world was called Ender. The soldiers served the Alden Empire. I had no idea where the Alden Empire even was, or if it was part of any existing empire. Questions swirled in my mind—the book, the crystal, the names…
Before I even spoke or thought further, I stopped myself. Even though my head was spinning and my thoughts were everywhere, I didn't want to wish for another life. This was my second chance, right?
I had no clue. Back to the questions: the book. Sitting on my bed, I held it in my hands. Its brown leather cover looked like no other. Why did the old man want me to hide it? I had no clue.
Now the crystal. I raised it to the cracks of my hut, where the moon shone through, casting light into the dark corners. Seeing the dimly shaped crystal, I wondered why it seemed so… bland. I put it down, noticing the red dot—it was strange enough. Its shape was like a star, its shining corners piercing the skin like a faint pinch when I touched it.
Holding the book in both hands, I opened it. Now come on!! I thought to myself. The writing was everywhere, but the words had no meaning in it. Damn it! I needed to learn how to read. The book was meaningless to me, yet I knew it was important. It could help me understand why Elliott had died and why I had been reborn in his body—but it was unreadable. I already knew I couldn't read. I was doomed to think I had some kind of connection to a power that would let me understand it. Damn it. This was real life, not some fairy tale. Fuck it—let's go to bed.
Wait… should I just not sleep? I thought. That dream I had—could it really have been just a dream? Who cares. My day was already gone. I thought maybe I had some residual memories from Elliott's nightmares…
I slid down into my bed, wrapped my body in the two layers of sheets, and fell into the slumbering darkness.