A New Life

The next morning, I awoke shivering under an off-white sheet, and a heavy black blanket. Though I could see that the window across from the bed I was currently lying in was closed and curtained, it was unbelievably cold. It must have been cold outside, I remembered Kirana mentioning that it's often the case in this town.

Still half-asleep, my eyes darted over to the mirror right next to the window in my room. Though she had been there last night when I first arrived here, and a couple of hours ago when I finally managed to go to sleep, Tiamat was no longer present in the mirror, having gone off to who knew where. It was a legitimate question, actually. Where did Tiamat go when she wasn't in the mirror? I had not asked Kirana, but I made a mental note to do so when I next saw her.

I forced myself to throw the covers off of me and get out of bed- still furiously shivering- and grab a jacket or sweatshirt of some sort from the closet.

"You'll find everything you need in the closet," Kirana had said the night before, "you can use this place as a bedroom, and I'll stay in the other one."

Though my memory of late last night was slightly foggy, I was aware of where everything in this room was. When you used the door to walk in, the mirror and window were on the right wall, and the bed was on the left one. Right across, there was a desk and a chair- most likely for when I would have homework- and a door to a bathroom joined with the other bedroom in this small apartment, but it was all mine since Kirana didn't have the same hygienic needs as I did, according to her. That probably just meant that she didn't ever have to go to the bathroom or shower or anything, maybe even eat or drink… It wouldn't make sense for God to make them like that, I suppose.

When I opened the closet, the first thing I spotted was a long, red jacket. It wasn't for winter and nor was it particularly heavy or warm, but it would have to do for the time being. I threw it over the extra-large white T-shirt I was currently wearing, which was obviously far too big to be mine, but I couldn't complain since it was the only warm thing in the room. I glanced back at the mirror, where Tiamat should have been, but still wasn't.

"You wore a lot of red and white, didn't you?" I mumbled, more to myself than to her, since I knew she probably couldn't hear me.

There were clothes right and left of where the red jacket I was now wearing had been hanging on its hook. On the right side was a uniform- a school uniform, and not a fancy-looking one, either. The skirt was a faded blue and the top was greyish-off-white, paired with a long, black blazer. Actually, it wasn't a blazer, it was more of a cardigan, which was strange to me. Though I had no recollection of ever going to school or wearing a school uniform, the ideal image of a school uniform was ingrained in my brain. There was always a skirt, even in the coldest of days, a blazer, sometimes a tie, sometimes a jacket... There was a tie for this uniform as well, though it was more in the style of a sailor uniform than it was an official, fancy tie. And to top that off, it was the color of a Robin's egg, exactly like the water in God's cave. I chuckled lightly to myself, wondering if this was God's doing.

"God may be praised as some almighty being, but they're quite emotional, really. They didn't like the way your last life played out, and they wanted to give you a second chance."

Kirana had made a good point, back then. It made me feel a little bit of guilt as well, since I had treated and thought of them so harshly, even knowing that they could read minds.

On the left were the wet, torn, and bloody clothes I had been wearing when I first arrived. It was strange, I thought to myself, as I searched the bottom for a pair of socks, it felt as though I had been here forever, even though I had only just found out about everything mere hours ago. It was unbelievably strange, how at home I felt now, but perhaps it had something to do with the Void.

Compared to those seconds- what felt like my entire life, yet I knew now had not been- anything would be better; anything would be more comfortable than that. For the first time since I could remember, I was surrounded by color... and that was for the best. I had to be thankful to God, for giving me this second chance, and to Kirana, who despite seemingly only being capable of one facial expression, had been so kind to me.

I continued to think as I made my way to the bathroom, turned the water on, and got into the shower. As I rinsed out the shampoo and conditioner I had put in moments before, a strange sense of fear washed over me. The optimism and thankfulness I had earlier was gone... and completely replaced with worry.

What if this was actually a trick? What if it was an incredibly well-planned-out, elaborate prank being played on me? What if I had been lied to, and I really would go back to the Void if I didn't do exactly what I was told. When I was there, I guess I had not minded it all that much, but now that I knew what it was like to be able to see, to feel, to do what I wanted... I could not have imagined anything worse than just being sent back. This time, permanently. Because I knew the secrets to the world, now... wouldn't there be consequences? Could I just be reincarnated as everyone else was? Or…

"Sora!"

This time, I actually did yelp. The sudden call had caught me by surprise, and even almost made me slip and fall. For a minute, there was absolute silence- the only sound for kilometers away being the sound of running water coming from the shower head above, falling through my hair and to the ground as I stood there with my head down, eyes wide, wondering who could have called out to me. It was not Kirana's voice, nor was it God's. It was a foreign, unrecognizable voice, and for whatever reason, it made my body resonate with fear, guilt, and... anger.

"Hey Sora? It's time to go, you'll be late otherwise."

It was a different voice this time- Kirana's. I blinked furiously, shaking my head and sighing loudly. The only people living in this place were myself, and Kirana. No one else. There was no one else here, besides us. There was no need to think negatively to the point where I would start hearing voices. Everything was going to be okay... it was all going to be fine.

Knowing that Kirana wanted me to hurry, I quickly finished my shower, blew my hair semi-dry, threw on my school uniform, and brushed my hair out as best I could. I had a lot of hair- maybe too much of it, going down to just below my waist- so it was not all that easy to get done. There was no real time to put makeup on or anything- not that we even owned any, as far as I was concerned, though it was entirely possible since the place seemed to be furnished with everything I needed so far. I didn't think the school would allow makeup anyway, though.

When I emerged from the room I slept in- my bedroom, I knew I should begin calling it- I noticed that like my room, the rest of it was nothing special. The walls were off-white, so was the ceiling, and it lacked any sort of charm. There was nothing along the walls, at all, and aside from a strangely-shaped hole next to the doorway into the kitchen/living area, it looked as if it had been untouched for decades, even though God had just made it the previous night. Oh well, I shrugged, since I was staying here for at least a month (according to Kirana), I could always add some things on later if I felt up to it.

"Good morning," I smiled- the fear I had felt earlier essentially ceasing to exist, but the nervousness still lingering in the back of my mind, "should I just... um... should I just leave?"

Kirana looked up from her coffee. I had to say, I was a bit shocked to see her with it. I thought she didn't need to eat. Or maybe she could if she wanted to... who knew…

"Take the bag," she instructed, pointing to the door leading outside, and to where a pair of black shoes I assumed went with my uniform lay, as well as a black bag, "you'll find a map inside of it. When you get to school, talk to the receptionist at the front desk, and buy breakfast from a vending machine on your way there. Your coat is also in there, along with your gloves, hat, and scarf. It's 3 degrees outside, you'll need them. Goodbye."

"3 degrees?!" I exclaimed. No wonder it had been so cold when I first woke up... but the look on Kirana's face- the same look she always had- said all I needed to know, "Okay okay I'm going, thank you for everything."

I slipped on my shoes, grabbed the bag, and ran out the door. However, little did I know, there was a small exchange about to happen, a millisecond after I was out of earshot.

"This is a terrible idea, and you know it." Said Kirana, staring after the door, which had now closed.

"Of course it is," God smiled, taking a seat in the chair across from her, "but if you're not willing to go along with it, you can just leave at any time. I already told you, I'm not forcing you to do anything."

"I already told you that I won't leave. You don't have time to look after the girl, Earth needs you."

"Good, then there should be no objections."