"Urrgh.."
I woke up in a place devoid of color. The place was empty as far as the eye can see.
Feeling confused and unease, I look around the empty space to try and find a clue of what's going on. But soon my attention quickly went to something else. It was my body.
It wasn't the small body of a young boy I was in for the last 2 weeks but a body of a weak and frail adult. Looking at my body I panicked. I didn't want to return to this body. I didn't want to wait and die again.
However, I noticed something wasn't right with my body. Looking closely, my skin was made from a translucent mirror, it's color bright red. Reflected on it was the full body of a young boy with black hair and red eye.
"...Ken?" I asked.
No voice answered back but I could tell he was looking at me. The boy took one step forward and the mirror broke down. My body broke into a thousand sparkling fragments, all of them reflect the same image of that young boy.
I lost consciousness once again.
~•~•~•~
Feeling the hard bed under me, I wake up in annoyance. It wasn't a good sleep as my head is still hurting but I felt slightly better.
"Are you okey?" A soft voice asked me.
It was obviously from a kid. Turning my head around, I saw the kid called Layla. She has short brown hair and dull green eyes with a face permanently etched with excitement. She's very energetic kid.
"Sahra, Cen woce up!" She shouted loudly.
'Her pronunciation is wrong...'
"Alright, I'll tell mother." An older voice response back.
Laying back on the bed, I couldn't help but frowned a little.
'My back hurts.'
Unconsciously I thought about the hospital bed. It was soft and spacious. But soon I immediately shut down that thought. It was much better here than back there.
I noticed that Layla was still next to me, staring at my face with a curious look. Though I'm not bothered by her stare, I was still curious as to why.
'Is there something on my face?'
I turned my head and lock eyes with her, titling my head to the side. It was my way of asking since I still couldn't properly form sentences yet. I also couldn't walk properly much to my dismay.
Unfortunately for me, Layla didn't understood my action and continued to stare at me, with more intensity. The stare down went on for a good 20 seconds before I blink, which prompted her to scream happily.
"I won!!"
I look at her jumping up and down on her bed excitedly with a baffled expression. This is why I'm not good with kids, I don't get what they want.
A stern voice called out to Layla, startling her.
"Layla, I told you not to jump on your bed."
Walking inside the room was a grim looking Nasha.
"I'm sorry maa." She said in a small, barely audible voice.
"I'm just worried you'll fall." Nasha said, her voice now gentle. Layla nod and sit back down on her bed.
Watching Nasha approaching my bed, I started to think how to not get her angry. Though unintentionally, I did make myself faint which probably worried her very much considering her personality. I should apologize first before anything.
After checking my head with her hand, she look at me with the same grim expression from before.
"Are you ok?"
I nod my head. I was really fine at the moment beside my desire for a better sleep.
Silence descended upon the room. The silence only lasted for a second before I made up my mind to apologize.
"I'n.. s-"
"I'm sorry." Nasha's voice interrupted mine.
Surprised, I look back at her only to see her sad gaze. Her voice had a hint of guilt in it. She pulled me into her embrace and start patting my back.
"I should have warned you beforehand... I thought you wouldn't be able to use magic yet. I'm sorry."
At this moment I was truly in shock. I didn't think of it as her fault as it was my curiosity which got the better of me. But thinking how a child would felt experiencing that, I somehow understood how she was feeling.
"I'll teach you magic along with the others but remember not to use you magic now ok?" Nasha asked, putting out her pinky.
I lock my pinky with hers, completing the promise. After giving my forehead goodnight kiss, Nasha went back to the door, shouting outside the room.
"Children, it's time to sleep."
Soon, several kids ran into the room. One of them started to show off to the other kids.
"Look, look! It's my soul!" Excitement could be heard in his voice. Seeing that, the other kids got riled up.
"Me too!"
"Mine is orange, orange is the best!"
The dimly lit room was illuminated by several colorful lights. Blue, orange, cyan and yellow. Layla, who was obviously overexcited, said to me.
"Cen, you too!"
Hearing that, the other children look at me with expectant eyes. I gave Nasha a troubled look which she replied with a nod, telling me I can show my soul.
'That's not what I'm troubled with though...'
Taking a deep breath, I slowly 'reach' deep inside myself. A pronounced presence could easily be felt and I hold onto it, bringing it out. Not long after, bright red covered my vision. The red soul.
"It's red!" Layla shouted next to me.
"Unfair! I like red..." An sulky voice followed.
Looking at the happy expression of the children around me, a large smile involuntary appeared on my face.
'This isn't too bad...'
Though I still feel like an outsider, I felt less lonely than before.
'Perhaps one day, they'll truly be my family...'