TBATE - The Second Son

Chapter 1: A New Life

Death, something that would occur to all living things, some await with trepidation, some believe in religion and how their God would save them, while others accept that we would all disappear into the infinite nothingness known as the void.

Of course, I also believe in infinite nothingness after death, but deep inside, I still yearn for another chance to live again. Such thoughts flooded my mind as I lay down on my back, as life slowly drains from me.

I look back to the wreckage where the car I'd ridden minutes ago was. Needless to say, it was terrible. Blood splattered on the ground from the corpses of the other victims of this unfortunate accident.

I sighed, "Aah, how frustrating." As I let out a muttered groan from the pain I'm currently experiencing. Headache and multiple body parts are sore, bones are broken. I probably wouldn't make it until rescue arrives.

It's such a shame that I would just disappear from this world, without even leaving something worth remembering. Was I a good son, a good friend, or at least, a respectable citizen?

Even at my final moments, my eyes refused to let tears drop. I guess even unto death, I wouldn't cry. I released an exasperated sigh tinged with self-deprecation, disappointed at myself for refusing to let my emotions overflow.

I hope to see my mother in the afterlife if there is one. But I already know that once I close my eyes, I would fall into an eternal slumber, with no hope of ever waking up ever again while the void takes me into complete emptiness.

I soon felt drowsy, death, or perhaps the void is finally calling me. I gazed at the sky and spoke, "How blue." With all the strength left, I mustered up one final breath and said, "How cold."

Soon after, my consciousness was taken into a dark place, seemingly a tunnel with the exit in sight. Was my brain playing tricks with me with that seven minutes of brain activity after death to replay my memories or is this the afterlife?

The only way to find out is to go through it. It's either my past replaying or an angel or some life form judging the way I lived my life so they can send me to a suitable plane of existence.

After what seemed hours of traveling, I finally reached the exit. Soon enough, I heard muffled voices and my vision seemed remarkably bad that I probably have to wear thick glasses.

The muffled voice became a bit clearer and I could discern that what they said was: "Congratulations Sir and Madam, your second son is a healthy boy!"

They sure sound cheerful...wait ... the second son?

Was I reincarnated???

Why was I given a second chance? Is this all a coincidence and all lives would also be reincarnated? Or was I reincarnated by some supreme being for entertainment? Or do I play a significant role here? Such thoughts flood my mind as I contemplate the reasoning behind the current state I am in.

As soon as I calmed down from my thoughts, tears started flowing, and continued to do so as I cried out for the first time since I was a child. I let all my pain, suffering, and frustration I've carried as I cried myself to sleep by the warm embrace of someone, presumably my mother, as I ignored the sounds of people talking.

A few weeks pass by as I slowly get used to my new frail body. I've mostly slept in since this body is always tired. I don't have control over my body and have to focus to be able to control my movements properly.

Being a baby sucks, I have no control of my bodily functions, I'm always exhausted and I don't even have a source of entertainment since I always sleep. On the bright side, my family sure dotes on me. It feels pleasant, I've never felt loved dotingly to this degree.

My mother, Alice Leywin, is beautiful and has auburn red hair and brown eyes. She loves our father a lot and is generally kindhearted and gentle, which shows when she dotes on me and my older brother. I can't get enough of how she treats me, as this feeling is foreign to me.

My father, Reynolds Leywin, has a young and clean face, ashy brown hair, and deep blue eyes. He exhibits a childish yet fatherly temperament and is generally highly charismatic. He tends to train my brother in the mornings.

My brother, Arthur Leywin, is quite a peculiar existence. How can he train every day and read books? Is it possible for a three-year-old to do that? Are kids like him normal here? Is he a genius or is he also like... me? I mean, he reads lots of books, plays with me, and trains every day. If he were a normal three-year-old, he would have not followed such a schedule daily and simply did what entertained him until he got bored and moved on to another task.

The only way to find out is to ask him himself or confirm it with his reactions when I try to read a book. I would do it later once I'm able to crawl. I would first try and move my...wait, what's that pungent smell? It's so nauseating that... "Oh, my dear August, have you taken a poopie?" Mother said with a smile. Only then did I realize that the smell came from me. How embarrassing, to have minimal control over my bodily functions.

My brother's training quickly ended as he smiled at my mother and me, seemingly having fun with my current situation.

After changing my soiled diaper, my father soon returned home from his hunting trip, visibly injured with scratches on his arms. Mother placed me in my crib and quickly ran to where my father was.

I heard some muttering, and then suddenly, a bright light appears and heals my father of his injuries. My jaw dropped down agape. I couldn't believe it, was that magic? Would I also be able to use magic? If so, my life would then be 'magical'. I guess my plan to be a writer who would bless this world with many literary pieces has now fallen. The limitations of a baby sure are frustrating, if not for my imagination and my family keeping me company, I would have surely fallen into madness already.

Sometimes, my thoughts would be that I've never said goodbye to the family I've had in my past life. I must cherish every moment I have with the family I have, or I would just repeat the mistakes of my past life; or plan out how I will live my life.

Afterwards, I soon got drowsy and thought that this is how a baby should be, always resting. I lay at my own bed, motionless, until sleep finally takes over.