Memories of Anamesa

FIRE!!!! Mwuahahahaha!!!!! In front of me, a flame flickered, its light enchanting and beautiful. I almost wanted to put my hand into it... to feel its warmth... to enjoy.. Wait. No. I shook my head. No fire for me. 

Ugh, my life was hard. I turned my head away from the fireplace, wishing I could, well, move. In the background, the fire flickered enticingly. It sucked not being able to crawl. You'd think that it's as simple as putting your hands down, knees up, and zooming off.

It's not. Crawling is an art.

...and I'm not an artist.

I am, however, a scientist. I recently made the significant discovery that by closing my hand, I could grab objects. Similarly, by babbling and shrieking, I could induce action, or in other words, call mom over (sorry mom!). In other words, I can finally (almost) speak.

...

I was minding my own business one day, reaching up to grab my colorful toys that were right there, dangling enticingly above me. It was just so tempting. I understand why babies love these toys. I reached with all my might - ah, almost got it.... I'm almost there..... Ooop, just a bit! Voila! Got it. Suddenly, a surge of energy washed over me. It was a sensation I had never felt on Earth - a tingling that started at my fingertips and radiated through my entire body. It must be Herpes. My heart sunk.

Then, a soft chime resonated in my mind, and words appeared before me.

"Experience gained: Strength (+1)"

Not Herpes!

The message felt both strange and familiar; the chime felt like a whisper from the Guide in Anamesa. I blinked, confused, and then felt a wash of tiredness and against my will, fell asleep.

...

I woke up in a shock. I can't believe I fell asleep! I began to see what had changed. But, besides having a stronger grip and gorgeous biceps, I couldn't see anything different than usual! I tried to say "Status" and other phrases that would have worked in light novels on Earth, but I was unable to pronounce anything beyond "Ahhwha!", and as such, nothing happened. Hmph.

I resolved to try to make the most of the system and its levels, as a sense of determination blossomed within me. Then, as if to mock my determination, fatigue hit, and I fell asleep once again.

With each day that followed my (great) nap, I dedicated myself to honing my newfound abilities with the focus of a stockbroker on the verge of a break. I learned to crawl. Indeed, I discovered that the more I crawled, the more coordinated I became. 'Twas training for the soul. Eventually, I received a message:

"Experience gained: Agility (+1)."

I was ecstatic! I had finally seen progress, and it felt amazing.

However, I still could not speak. Each attempt to communicate with others led to progress – from simple coos to forming quasi-recognizable sounds, but I could not say any words.

"Gahhhhhhhhh."

Oh wait. That actually sounded close to what I wanted!

....

Dad was on the floor, dying. Above him, mom had her knees pressed against his throat, choking him. Her tender, delicate fingers were wrapped around his ears, twisting them.

"I'm sorrryyyyy. I promise you, it was a massive fish. I would've brought it home... but well... it looked so tasty. I was almost home on time too! I ran a little late because I was eating it. And... Auggh!!!!"

I sighed. He was not doing himself any favors. 

Poor guy; everyday my dad left in the morning, full of hopes and dreams. He would spend his day chopping wood, making money. Then, he would go fishing. Probably to relax. Who could blame him?

In the background, I heard him scream again.

Well, I guess she does. To be fair, he would always run late whenever he decided to fish. And, he never seemed to bring anything home. A shiver ran down my spine. Maybe he's cheating on mom. I looked over at my parents.

Mom was choking dad, watching as his face turned red. He was gasping apologies. I don't think he would survive cheating.

I sighed and crawled over, plopping myself down next to them. Time to mediate. My diaper made a soft puff as I sat and Mom glanced at me, her grip on Dad's ears loosening slightly.

"Aww, hey cutie, do you need some food?" she exclaimed, releasing Dad with a shove.

Dad coughed, rubbing his throat. "Thank god you came here. I was moments away from dying. Anyways, look, he believes me, right? I would've brought the fish but..."

I winced. Be quiet dude.

Mom froze and turned around. Dad stopped midsentence. Slowly, she raised her eyebrow "Oh? You've been 'almost bringing home fish' for three weeks now."

Dad let out an awkward chuckle and, with a sudden burst of movement, lifted me into the air. "Ah, but let's not focus on such trivial matters! Look at this mighty warrior! One day, he'll surpass even me!"

Considering you just got choked by your wife, that's not a high bar to clear.

Mom sighed, shaking her head with a tired smile. "You two are impossible."

Dad grinned at her, cradling me against his chest. "But you love us anyway."

She rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitched. "Unfortunately." Then, she leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Mostly this one though."

I melted into the warmth, feeling safe in a way that I hadn't in a long time. I had missed this feeling on Earth. The feeling of being loved and being part of a family.

In the back of my mind, I wondered what had happened to my mom - the one who I had left behind, alone, on Earth. 

Suddenly, I felt a rush of grief hit me. I had left everyone behind. My family, my friends, my job. I had avoided thinking about all of these things, but something about being hugged brought it all back.

When was the last time I had been hugged in my last life?

It had been ages.

And yet, I missed them.

Dying hurt more than I thought.