Chapter 1 - Meeting the Reaper

Whether or not you die when you are 1, or 100; one can't help but say that it would surely be scary for virtually all beings. And so It was for Henry Wright when his time wrinkled 109 year old body finally gave up on him.

Just like in the movies, his soul came out of his body, detaching itself quickly, and Henry felt a strange feeling as he was pushed over off of the bed, finding himself standing beside his body.

The life support alarms started going off. Henry frowned that they were even on. He has an active DNR. His wife Sarah had died almost 10 years before, and he hadn't even attempted to try to replace the love he'd shared with her by looking for another. He didn't have grandchildren or close family to live on for.

Finally, a nurse and doctor came rushing into the hospital room, and quickly silenced the alarm. The doctor checked Henry's pulse manually and listened to make sure his heart wasn't beating. He then wrote down on a death paperwork; time of death. 3:01 AM.

The nurse pulled a sheet over his bodies head. Standing beside the bed, he wondered what was next. The doctors left the room, yet Henry didn't have a desire to follow after them.

It was then that the air began distorting, with waves of energy concentrated in a 7 foot diameter of the room. The air seemed far denser, and visibly swirling.

Moments later a white robed figure walked through, with their head covered by a white hood as well. They spoke with a voice that gave away nothing.

"Greetings Henry. I am Reaper Hexaso. If you haven't noticed by now, then I'm sorry to inform you that you have died. Probably not a surprise for you since you made it to the old human age of 109."

Henry said "uh I guess Hello Reaper Hexaso,uhm So.. what happens next to me?"

Reaper Hexaso said "well, please come with me back through the portal. From there you will be transported to a random universe, world, and new infant body. You shall keep your memories of your past life, naturally. Congratulations on becoming a Reincarnated being."

Having no reason to doubt the reapers words, Henry shrugged his spiritual shoulders, and said "alright then."

He walked forward without hesitation. After all, He had charged against much deadlier enemies in his youth; during the Second World War.

As he passed through the shimmering portal, his body felt powerful shocks of electricity. He felt as if his body was sucked into an infinitely long tube, and felt as if he travelled as light for an eternity. The reaper didn't join him in going to a new world of course.

With nothing else to do, Henry worked on recalling his memories, as it's good practice to periodically remember things so that you don't forget or struggle to recall.

Henry had been born June 4, 1915, a year before America entered World War One. He had lost his father in that war, with his mother working hard days and nights as a nurse, and receiving a death pension, as well as a dependents allowance for me and my siblings.

Most important to him was Meeting his beloved Sarah when he was 18, as a college sophomore at West Point New York, and marrying her within 9 months. She was a librarian at the public library where Henry had enjoyed studying.. primarily because of meeting Sarah there.

He majored in many degrees at that time: in Mathematics, Physics, Science/Medicine, Military Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace engineering, Naval engineering, Geology, and the various Military Studies and applied technology courses offered. It was a very high credit load.

With a 165 Iq, the scholarships had been enough to get unlimited scholarships, and he got perfect grades in school.

Upon graduation with his many doctorates, done in the same time all other students get one degree and a bachelors at that. He had also taken many specialization officer classes, like the leadership courses, marksmanship schools,and more beyond what it takes simply to graduate.

Henry signed an officer commission for 5 years, on September 2, 1941. Of course, on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked America at Pearl Harbor. And the war would end on September 2,1945.

Henry was quickly assigned to the 2nd Armored Division, with General Patton being our training commander.

His tank company was supposed to be 17 M4 Sherman medium tanks, divided into 3 platoons, with Henry having 2 extra M4 Sherman tanks in reserve. Also his command hq staff, maintenance section, and administration and supply section. Henrys company command HQ additionally had 1 M4A3 105 mm cannon.

The Louisiana maneuvers were highly successful, with Henry commanding his company through the operational challenges quite well, with good leadership skills helping to offset challenges.

More training occurred afterwards, and then we invaded French North Africa in Operation Torch. As part of the western task force, he helped to take Casablanca.

Many more operations and battles followed. The allied invasion of Sicily. The invasion of Normandy. The Siegfried line campaign. The battle of the bulge. Finally to end the German war, The invasion of Germany.

The division landed in Normandy 3 days after the infantry captured the beach.

Battlefield promotions and good performance led to Henry receiving promotions, until reaching Lieutenant colonel and commanding a medium armored batallion of the second division.

It had 3 medium tank companies, and a light tank company, with my command structure having even more firepower. Henry commanded from the frontline, and was an important piece in each battle the second division fought during ww2.

The Soviet Union shed the most blood and bullets to beat the Germans, but I think the Americans invaded purely so that many European nations wouldn't end up conquered by the Soviet Union; who had already been pushing the Nazis back for many months by the time of Normandy.

The supplies sent from America to the Soviet Union most probably made the larger difference, tho still important. The battles Henry fought were quite important.

Henry was.. still hurtling through space. He must be traveling a very large distance indeed.

After the war ended, Henry had returned to West Point, New York. His wife Sarah greeted him warmly. During the war they had discussed where they would like to move and live permanently, starting their lives. Henry had been of the opinion that he wanted to continue learning in college, but also learn the engineering skills he has learned to higher levels doing jobs.

So, after his military service had come to and end, Henry moved with Sarah to Eugene Oregon. Once there, he'd gotten a job working for the Eugene Water & Electric Board, and helped to manage water treatment plants, power infrastructure and increasing advancements.

This included assisting new factories power and water networks, treatment, as well as residential areas with their power needs. Wastewater treatment plants, sewer system, water tanks. Henry's job had been quite extensive.

He had also attended college further, getting new degrees in things from business, art, music, teaching, finance, economics, politics, history, and far more over his life. It wasn't just college studying either. Traveling, and learning things like new languages, reading massive numbers of books: non-fiction, fiction, science fiction, romance, and more. Martial arts were something he learned passionately, and managed to achieve high level mastery of over 2 dozen during his life.

Sarah and Henry never had children, and it was something they were okay with. Their numerous yearly vacations were spent traveling around the country, and the nation.

During his time in the military, many of his battle buddies had become good friends with him, and so quite often their trips met with others. Several times they visited famous World War Two battles, where they had lost good friends during the war.

Sarah supported Henry through his sorrows, as it's hard not to feel like men under your command dying are your fault.. even when everyone says that your command helped keep many more alive.

He had nephews and nieces from his 3 brothers and sister though.

Henry retired from the Water and electric company, only after 50 years of steady employment with the water and electric company, with the last 20 years being its ceo. He decided to retire at 80 years old. His pension was quite large, and Sarah and he had invested heavily into the stock and military bond market, from his first military paycheck on.

He also received the maximum social security benefits once he retired. From the stock market contributions he had a lot of money. After his wife's death, Henry had sold their house and spent the rest of his life traveling, until a few days beforehand when he had gotten pneumonia, which killed him due to his very old age. It hadn't been the first time. During his childhood once, and during war he had gotten pneumonia; as well as getting malaria in the North African campaign.

Henry finished recollecting his life long before he stopped traveling in the light.

Eventually, he saw a blue water and green covered world approaching rapidly, as well as being able to see large snow filled areas of the poles, and mountain ranges, barren deserts, and then Henry entered the atmosphere. He didn't feel any pressure on his soul body the whole trip, including now. Henry hurtled into a valley, with a wide and winding river.

His body slowed down somehow, and Henry saw a large camp along the river, that extended for miles along the river on only one side, and which bulged outwards about a mile. Hundreds of white tents were set up, with a golden tent being near the center of the force, in both its depth and width.

Henry saw many beasts that look like incredible tigers that some of the people were riding on. They weren't humans, but another species entirely, with beautiful black skin.

Finally, his soul approached a golden tent in the center of the camp. It had 2 guards outside of the tents flaps, which Henry passed through with no difficulty. He wasn't controlling his body at all, but it didn't feel like he had to worry.

Henry saw a beautiful woman with a small round pregnant belly, and his spirit entered her stomach. An infant was inside, which was Henry's new body. His soul settled into it easily, and he didn't feel like he was upside down, even though he had seen that he was, just before settling into his new body.

Several months went by before he was born, during which Henry spent about 95% of it sleeping, recalling his life memories like a series of vivid dreams.

The feeling of time passing was much slower now than when he had traveled in the light. Soon Henry began feeling a force pushing him out of his safe space. It became more intensively within an hour, and there was a lot of pressure on his body before he felt fingers touching him, and then grabbing his body gently and pulling him the rest of the way out fairly quickly. He felt his umbilical cord get snipped off and freed. He felt uncomfortable cold air hitting his amniotic fluid covered wet body.

His chest was not used to breathing, and it was a struggle trying to take his first breath. He felt a warm feeling that passed over his body, leaving him feeling clean and dry. A warm cloth with a hand holding it started rubbing his back.

Finally, Henry managed to take a gasping breath in, taking the first breath of his new life, quickly followed by a cry, irritated at the painful squeezing of birth, and his discomfort now that he was born.

And while it's true that he kept his memories, after being born they were quite dull, and Henry didn't think of them much, due to his new life being more important.

Henry felt himself moving after that. He saw the beautiful woman, his mother, again. With his infant vision he could barely see well for about 1 feet, but her face was brought close, and she looked at him. He saw a bright smile take the place of pain on her mouth, though her eyes had the dark rings of being tired and worn out.

She made the sounds and motions of talking, and Henry paid attention to it, but it was totally unintelligible to him. After paying attention for a moment, he lost interest, and made crying noises. He was hungry.

His mothers breast quickly arrived in front of him, and Henry began to feed. It didn't take long before he was full, and began falling asleep while held to his mom. It had been such a long time since he had a mother.

And so it goes. From dying on earth, to being born in this new world a long distance from it.