"So you think I should believe all this? Rebirth and reincarnation?", Mia looked at Dante perplexed by this revelation.
"You're in Hell. Reincarnation should be the last thing you should be worried about.", Dante answered.
"Am I easy to trick? Do I look that gullible to you?", Mia asked and felt her voice rise up a few decibel.
"No. No, I do not think you are gullible or easy to trick.", Dante answered.
"Then prove it. You need to show me proof that whatever you're saying is true. I have to see it to believe it. Furthermore, let's say I was reborn and I lost my memories of us. How can I remember my past lives?", Mia challenged Dante.
Mia believed it; somewhat. The ideology of reincarnation. Somewhere deep within, her unconscious mind felt and knew things that she couldn't explain. The things she had seen so far in Hell, the twelve's 'Inferno' forms and the darkness within the walls of Hell. She was tired of not getting any answers, no one offering any answer, of having Dante pushing back on her wanting to know. She wanted answers and she wanted it now.
Dante looked at Mia unsure of his next move. He stood up after a moment, and extended his right hand. "Shall we start?", Dante finally spoke up.
Mia wasn't sure what he was offering but gave her hand anyways as she stood up as well. She looked at Dante with confusion.
"Don't worry. It won't hurt.", Dante reassured Mia and Mia's world turned faded into blackness.
***
"Stop it.", Mia heard a young childish voice giggling and rolling around the soft carpet in a well decorated home.
Mia was astonished, as the young voice came from a 4 year old Mia. She noticed her surroundings were different, somewhat archaic and traditional, yet her senses were familiar with the overall settings. Her eyes teared up as a rush of memories came flooding back. This was her life. So different from her current life.
'Can they?', Mia started but Dante finished her sentence, 'hear you? See you? No. We are in a suspended time, a time when you existed once, long ago.'
"You're tickling me. Haha. Stop.," a four year old Mia continued with laughter in her words.
"I can't. You're a little monster.", came a manly voice Mia recognized as her father's who was tickling the little Mia. His reply was met with squeals of delight and more laughter followed.
"Did you eat my chocolate croissant?", her father's voice came out stern.
"I tasted a little." Mia replied with a cute voice. "To make sure it taste good. For you, papa!" Mia spoke a little white lie which her father knew of course.
"A little? There are only crumbs left.", her father replied with a hearty laugh and tickled her more.
A beautiful lady walked into the room and as soon as Mia saw her, she jumped out of her father's arms into hers. "Mama!", Mia was delighted.
"My baby. I missed you so much.", the beautiful lady carried Mia up, hugged and planted a kiss on her chubby baby cheeks. "Did my baby miss mama too?" and Mia squealed with delight and nodded her head vigorously, earning more kisses from her mother.
Mia reflected that her previous life was blessed with such warmth with a loving family. She was on her way back home to her life earlier on and now looking at it, she pondered why she was born an orphan in this life and unconsciously turned bitter. Oh she wished she was born with the same parents with her current life but unfortunately, one doesn't choose family. She didn't even know who her current parents were as she was left in the orphanage as an infant.
Dante sensed her sadness and placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed it gently.
Mia turned to look back at Dante and questioned him, "Why are you showing me this? What does this have to do with you?"
Dante simply put his index finger to his lips to indicate a shush.
Little Mia was tucked in the bed by her mom and she shut her eyes slowly. Her mother looked over her shoulders once to check on her and turned the lights off. As soon as she left, Mia opened her eyes and waited for her mother's footsteps to recede down the hallways.
When Mia could no longer hear her mother's footsteps, she got out of bed, took an apple she had saved from dinner and opened the large window. Little Mia lived in a huge cottage and her room was located on the second floor with a large window. By the window, there were a living wall with pockets of the wood meant to hold the plants. Mia's father had brought a foal and she wanted to make her way to see it. The apple was for the foal and her parents forbid her to go the barn as it was not ladylike as her mother put it, she went to see it at night after dark when everyone was asleep.
When Mia thought she was nearer to the ground, she left go of her hands from the wooden pockets of the plants, and jumped off.
"Owwww...", a little boy's voice could be heard as she felt she hit something when she landed.