Act I
Ting~ Ting~ Ting~ A notice? I heard the familiar ringtone from my cell, I can feel it vibrating on my thigh. Without thinking I reached for it, the familiar weight gone from my pocket to my hand. As I turned it on, seeing something I've been waiting for.
"Finally. . ." The word escaped my breath, as a wave of relief passed through my chest, letting me breathe the cold dry air with soft ease.
Quickly, I unlocked my cell with a press of my thumb, ignoring everything else as I scrolled, looking for the notice. I took a deep breath, not looking at it yet preparing myself for the news, good or bad.
With one press of my finger it started loading. All I could do was stand and wait for it to load. That was when I realized something, the sun felt soft on my skin today as I looked up away from my phone, closing my eyes to enjoy the soft sun's touch even more. It wasn't like the familiar searing sun of the lower valleys, but a kind of soft comforting heat.
Then I opened my eyes, my fingers stiff as I worked my cell, and finally the loading was complete and with a touch, the email opened. [Congratulations Morten Fyrebird, you are formally invited to the licensure. .]
I kept reading, I passed the exam. . . It was surprising, but then again I should have expected it. Most of the questions were simple but still, I doubted they were actually that simple. I really thought I failed, but I guess that three months of review was worth it in the end.
I even made it to the top 50 regionally, that's even more surprising. . . I guess I'm a licensed biologist now. The thought came over me, it made me feel empty. My only thoughts were filled with, what do I do next?
My parents gave me so much for me to get here. My friends, they helped me so much at the very end. . . I wonder if they passed too, it's been a few weeks since I saw them.
I wonder, do I join the coastguard? They do have that conservation program. Or I can work on getting some work in the maple country, an uncle did owe my mom a few favors, I can work in his oyster factory for a few years.
My thoughts for what to do next were filling my head, as I pocketed my cell and it made me stop walking. I was too distracted, so I tried clearing my head. as I looked up and took another deep breath.
The skies were clear, it was supposed to be typhoon season but for some reason it didn't matter, no darken clouds painted the skies. And the air was still cold and dry, it was even drying my throat every time I took a breath.
"I really hope climate change was actually an inevitable thing, and we're only accelerating it." You would think living in an island paradise would mean everything would be cool beaches, and every day would be clear cloud shading skies. But no, only one of those was true, because even the mountains here were cold.
The only difference was that we didn't have snow. With my head less distracted, I continued walking Tooh* Tooh* horns sounded behind me, it made me turn around, and then pain.
"Ahh! No! Hey! Call for help!" I heard voices, screaming, I was laying down, everything felt dull. My legs were numb, I wanted to say I was fine. That they should check on the guy that crashed after hitting me.
"I. . . Cough*" I tried saying what I wanted, but what came out was a wet cough. I tried moving my hand and it worked, so I went for my phone, I felt its weight. Grabbing the smartphone was hard, my hand was shaking, painfully I was able to raise it.
The screen was cracked and bloodied, but it still turned on. You gotta love the Joseons, they might be arrogant pricks but they make damn good durable phones.
The light of my cell showed me my wallpaper, an anime about a lucky boy meeting a cute vampire at night. It made me smile, then I felt a hand on my arm, someone's helping me to raise it.
The help was appreciated, as my hand grew heavy, with every second. But with those seconds, I was able to unlock my cell and press my messenger app. I'm glad I prepared this earlier, I should have sent it after reading the email, oh well better now than never.
[Message: I love you all, thanks for everything, I passed the exam.] [Sent.]
"It's sent. . . hang on buddy, we already called an ambulance." I smiled as the message went through, but the voice sounded far away, probably the one helping me raise my hand.
Still if it worked, then every contact I had, would have all received the same message. That was when I lost strength in my arm, my phone dropping. But I didn't hear it's casing hitting cement, someone probably caught it, they can have it if they want, I do have a few thousand in my Netwallet.
I just hope my cousin remembers the talk we had, about me not being embalmed just in case I become a zombie. I really hope they use the red cloak I bought, I really wanted to be buried in that thing.
My smile became worse, as I remember nothing but the good in my life. Which was new? I usually only remember the bad stuff, in those restless nights, so it made me happy. I hope I was smiling, even through the pain.
"I . . . Had. . . . so . . . . . man. . . . . .happ. " I struggled to say as I felt my eyes closed, they were just too heavy now.
Ambulance sounds* I was surprised, as I heard the ambulance make it up here that fast, I hope the driver survives. After all, the last thing I saw was the head of his Van, broken on a wall.
Act II
"Err. . . what a weird dream." I mumbled to myself as I sat up, my body felt weak, almost sore. I should stop doing my exercise routines for a few days, let myself recover slowly rather than taking paracetamol pills again.
As I thought of what to do next I paused, as I opened my eyes, the room was unfamiliar. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were much smaller than I remember.
"Huh, that's not right." I said to myself, even my voice was odd, smaller and much younger. I got off the unfamiliar bed, looking at a full mirror at the end of the room and went for it. Within moments I was looking at a boy?
He was young, his hair was brown, his skin was pale wheat and his eyes were sparkling a deep blue. Is that me? A silent panic started, as I touched the mirror and felt its cold and smooth surface.
"A reincarnation. . ." The thought came as the room around me started becoming brighter, as the morning light from the window entered my room. Yes it was my room, the posters were from the last children that stayed here.
"The clothes I was wearing, the furniture, everything else were donations from the city for their orphans. . ." Flashes of memories came, of my parents in this world, of their death and of my older sister, I have a sister but she's not.
Breath* I took a few deep breaths and then let it all out, after that I felt much calmer, atleast enough to sit down and start digesting what happened and what I need to do next. Damn, the Buddhists were right, and here I was being a good christian for most of my past life.
Act III
"Now kids, that is how you bake bread with rough flour, eggs and water. Remember you don't need eggs if you can't find them but your bread would be healthier this way." The older woman explained as she showed us a loaf of freshly baked bread, at the same time our own ovens turned off and we started taking off our loaves.
"Well mine sucks. Me too. Why?! I did it right. Yay! look! look!" All the kids in the kitchen acted differently, I joined them as I pulled out and showed my own loaf. . . It was a little burnt.
"Well, it could be worse." Munch* I said before taking a bite of one of the loaves, and it was crunchy and for some reason it was soft inside.
"Wow, that's good." I mumbled as I saw the others copying me, they ate their own, and then they started going for mine.
"Wow this is better than mine. So good! How? We did the same things." They started grouping up on me. In the end all I could do was smile and say I got lucky, after a few moments our caretaker had us gather what we baked and asked us to follow her outside.
I'm pretty sure I'm still on earth, but it was a lot different for starters the year was 2226. Everything was a futuristic post-apocalypse, most of the continents were shifting every few years for some reason and there's this thing called the Pale Fever that would either turn people into monsters or heroes.
"Thank you kid." The one who spoke was an old veteran with a missing leg, she was a kind aunty and neighbor. She was smiling as she thanked me, as I gave her one of the freshly baked loaves in my basket.
Before I could leave she held up her hand and then gave me a plastic card, I took it before she waved me off and I joined back with my group. I looked at the strip and it read.
[Meal ticket: One pudding cup.]
I smiled at it and then pocketed the thing. I wonder if I can bribe any of the other kids with this, I do need more time with the library and I bet atleast one of them doesn't even use their library passes.
Act IV
"Daniel! Come play with us! You've been reading that book forever." A girl about my age said as she started dragging me towards a group of children playing.
It was hard to say no to them, so I played along, we played tag and I kept getting gangged up on by three or four girls going for my legs because unlike the other boys they can't just surround me and have one jump on my back whenever I was the last one left.
We ended the game when the sun was growing low, and now we were bathing. The nudity culture here wasn't very strict, plus the orphanage only had one bathing room, and it was faster for everyone to shower at the same time.
I think this building used to be a prison or something similar, from its thick walls, the cafeteria that was now part kitchen, this bathing room with sectioned off showers with a wooden tub in the middle and how the sleeping rooms were all so small only fitting a bed, wardrobe and mirror with one small window.
I looked up as the steam rose as I enjoyed the hot water of the bathtub, the others where with me splashing each other with hot water, but I didn't mind. These little ones helped a lot, they helped me not think about everything all the time.
My first year here and I didn't do much but learned how fucked I am if I don't prepare, atleast I live in a city state. I'm better off than those who're living inside countries still trying their best to stay as countries.
Act V
In a room that smelled of sweet smoke, an aged mistress that yet clings to beauty stood peering from the window of her office as she watched children play in her courtyard.
Knock* knock* knock* "Ma'am can I come in?" Her attention changed from those children towards the door, the voice from outside sounded gentle and pretty old.
"Enter Marry, you are always welcome." The aged mistress said as a kindly looking older woman entered the smoke filled room. She was dressed like a maid with a simple dress and apron.
"Have the offers come already?" The aged mistress said, as the kindly old woman called Marry stepped forward, placing a small stack of envelopes infront of the aged mistress.
"Yes ma'am. . . The 'parents' already made their choices." Marry said her voice a little dry when she said parents. This made the aged mistress smile, before motioning for Marry to leave, which she did after a slight bow.
The aged mistress looked into the files, her smile did not leave her lips but then a shadow came to her face as four files were left with no marks indicating parents wanting to adopt them.
"That's surprising, that child's considered an academic genius. A bit socially problematic I confess, but not one clan wanting him? I wonder why he's part of the problem children." The aged mistress said to herself as she read a file titled Daniel Dawn.
"Oh my, what is this?" She said again as she saw a full page completely redacted from the file she was given.
[Found in {Redacted} Birth parents were {Redacted} of {Redacted} {Redacted} {Redacted}]
In the end after reading everything and giving her own signatures she sat down and rested her head on her office chair. Her eyes looked up as thoughts swirled inside her head, as much as the smoke coming from her pipe swirled around her.