2054, Month Of Selune, 7th

  I packed my stuff up, still somewhat denying the truth. The desk clock read the time 00:35. I switched the lights off, got out of my cabin, and walked towards the exit in the passage, and I heard the phone ring.

  Ring-ring! Ring-ring!

  Tch, I forgot it in the cabin. Why did I forget it?

  I went back to pick up the phone, and it displayed the name "Shona" on it.

  Should I pick it up? What should I do? Think calmly... Why am I panicking? It's just Shona.

  My thumb hovered over the button, still hesitant. It felt like I knew her but also not, and I hesitantly clicked the green button and placed the phone next to my ear. I heard Shona's voice, it was as if it was the first time I was hearing it.

  "Hello, luv, have you gotten out of work?" she said in an unflappable, sultry tone with some sparks in it.

  I held the phone. I didn't know what to reply.

  "Hello? Can you hear me?"

  "Uhh, yes, I can."

  Wait, how do I address her? How do Mom and Dad address each of them? Dad calls Mom by her name. Should I use her name too? Wait, why am I thinking about them? How do I call her?

  "Luv, are you okay?"

  "Uhh, yes, honey, I am fine, I just got off work."

  "Oh, that's why I called you. Did you buy the bread yet?"

  "Not yet. I was on my way, and you called me."

  "Your tone is pretty blunt. Did you get shouted at work?"

  "Ah ha, no, no, nothing. So what did you want, honey?"

  "Yeah, I also want you to buy half a kilogram of meat too."

  "Ah, okay, got it. Anything else?"

  "No, nothing. How long will it take you to reach home?"

  "Umm, about an hour or less," I said without thinking.

  "Oh, okay, come back faster, waiting for you, luv."

  "Sure."

  There was silence on the other end for a moment, and then Shona spoke.

  "I am hanging up. Love you."

  "Yeah."

  I ended the call and let out a loud exhale. Why is talking to her so hard? and love you? feels weird.

  *****

  I left the office soon and made my way to the baker's. It felt as if I were a foreigner, but somehow I knew what the next turn was.

  Thistle & Grain, that's the name of the bakery. it had quite the looks. A large striped pattern awning with the striking colors of gray, blue, and red. the signboard hanged from it with the name Thistle & Grain in white calligraphic text. The building emitted an ambient light in the color of gold, hitting the dim street. Bread cost a lot; it was four hundred Lumes, and meat was thousand Lumes for half a kg. I feel this is the norm around here. But it's still expensive regardless.

  I looked at the clock tower as I made my way to Block U. I saw a familiar gleam of light. the exact same light that I saw before dyeing as Alyss.

  No, you are not, Alyss. Don't think about it, Duncan.

  The clock read 1:07. A trickle of sweat ran from all the way down my neck, I wiped it off with my shirt cuff with unease washing over me.

  "I should get home fast before something happens."

  I made my way through Y Block and reached W Block. I was sweating like a dam; my entire face was wet.

  "Calm down, calm down, calm down, it's nothing. Don't fear, it's nothing." I reassured myself and walked through W Block and crossed the bus stands towards V Block.

  I saw a figure. No multiple figures ahead of me, nothing but the silhouettes of them. I stopped for a moment in my tracks and tentatively took some steps forward, my mind thinking in a whirlwind of thoughts about how to cross them.

  I crossed the road and moved from the correct walking path to the incorrect one, but who cares? It's the damn night, and I continued to walk with a rush in my feet, sweat trickling down my hands tightening around the bag with the meat and bread, my knuckles turning white, and my head looking at the pavement without casting a sight towards the right.

  "Now our little swirless of sc*m won't escape."

  The words echoed in the barren street, followed by the cry of a boy, his words frail and barely heard from the sound of the stomping.

  "Aargg! Stop! Please stop, you idiots! Stop it, it hurts, it hurts." I knew what he said even though it was almost inaudible.

  I looked over my shoulders, I could see everything clearly, all five of them kicking the boy, taking turns.

  I stared at them for a moment. I saw my own previous self being killed. I tried to deny the fact, but the truth was right in front of me.

  I didn't know how long I looked, but the guy with long hair gave a glance at me with his violet eyes, his gaze blunt from intoxication, yet still had a scent of terror in it.

  I ran, and the movement made our gaze meet. Clutching the bags tightly, I ran away. I need to get out before they kill me.

  "This isn't happening. No way this is happening, it's just a dream. It's just a dream. Alyss isn't real."

  I tried to deny the fact but failed no matter how hard I tried. I ran all the way to Block U without stopping. It looks like adults have better stamina than a nine-year-old. I climbed the staircase to the third floor and rang the bell of door no.sixteen.

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  I impatiently rang the bell in a frenzy.

  Ding-dong! ding-dong Ding-dong, ding-dong!

  Open up, open up.

  "Luv, I am coming. Stop ringing the bell already." I heard the sound of Shona from the other side.

  I was impatient. I was scared, I didn't know what to do, but I needed to hide.

  The door opened. The emitting light lit the corridor, I could see Shona clearly now. She was quite shorter than me. She was leaning on the doorframe in a black nightgown with yellow polka dots on it; her hair was long and wavy, hitting the front of her face. Her eyes were sharp in the color of light turquoise. The eyebrows furrowed, the cat-like eyelashes flowed, her face was chiseled with puffy cheeks, her face was sun-kissed, and she had a cynical look on her face with a tad bit of annoyance. Her hair was relatively short, till her shoulders; it was the color of turquoise, flowing down her beautiful figure.

  "Luv, what's wrong? something the matter?"

  I stood there stupefied, drenched in my own sweat.

  "Luv, what happened? why are you drenched in your sweat? Why did something happen?" her face etched with concern

  "Move aside." I pushed her away and dropped the bread and meat on the floor and made my way to the bathroom.

  "Duncan, what's wrong? Talk to me," she yelled, following me.

  I didn't turn around or reply, but I made it to the bathroom and shut the door and fell to my knees, leaning on the door. Shona banged the door; her voice came with concern from the other side.

  "Duncan, what's wrong? Is something happening? Tell me; I will help you."

  I had to shut her off, I need to think for some time alone.

  "It's nothing, honey." I said putting on act

  "Then what is it? Why are you behaving so weird?"

  "I just had to vomit; I will come out any moment."

  "Vomit? vomit. Did you almost push me because you needed to vomit?"

  "I might have puked on you. Don't worry, honey, I will be back."

  "Don't take too long; I am making the bed. If you need help, call me."

  "Sure."

  I finished saying the last words with a shaky breath. I exhaled heavily, and tears started to flow down from my eyes. I tucked my head between my legs, holding my head, and started to cry and whimper in fear and confusion.

  "What is happening? Was I the one who was stomped in that alley? "No, it's not true, it's not true."

  "Alyss, you are just dreaming. You are still in the basement sleeping peacefully. None of this happened. None of this happened."

  My breath became raspy as I continued to cry.

  "I need to wake up; I need to wake up from this damn dreaming." I hit myself in the face.

  "Wake up, goddammit, wake up!"

  I hit myself, but I didn't wake up, and reality started to sink in.

  "Geez, why is this happening to me?"

  "Someone help me."

  "Luminaries, you damn Luminaries do something, Luminaries do something," I cried out.

  "Gosh, why me? Why me? Why did I become a random guy? Why did I have to see myself getting killed? I couldn't do anything about it, I am so useless."

  "Why, Mom and Dad? Tell me why. Why did I have to die? Why didn't you save me? You could have saved me. Gods, why didn't you save me? Answer me; you could do miracles, right? Why didn't you save me? You saved others, but why not me? What did I do to deserve this? Did you hate me?"

  The tears soaked my shirt, the sleeves damp.

  "No, this isn't happening, Alyss. You are in deep sleep, just dreaming, nothing more, nothing less. You are still Alyss; you will wake up soon. Till then, I have to do something here, got it?" You are a strong boy; you can do it? It's just a dream. Even if it isn't, you will somehow do it. Remember all the novels you read? You read right? Mom always yelled at you for doing so. Without doing your homework, you will be good, okay? You are just dreaming; you just need to wake up."I thought to myself.

  I stood up slowly, my trousers slightly wet and the shirt all wrinkled, and I looked at the mirror. My face reflected, no, it's the face of Duncan. I am Alyss Moreau, and it's just a dream, nothing more. Tomorrow morning I will wake up as Alyss back at home.

  No matter how much I tried, I couldn't sink the thought of "this is a dream" in my mind. I knew what reality was, but denial was the better option, but I failed miserably.

  "Ugh, why? Why why why why?"

  "There is no other way; I need to face reality. Yes, I need to face my cursed reality," I thought.

  "I died and transmigrated into Duncan Kerr," I said out loud.

  "My miserable swirless self died and got transmigrated into Duncan Kerr. This is my new life, and I need to make use of it. I can do it. I am Duncan Kerr from now on, simple as that. I took this lucky guy's body."

  That's the truth, no denial in it.

  "Alyss, you know what to do, right? Remember what Dad said: "Whenever something bad happens, if we want to cry, cry out all we want, cry our hearts out, and then do something about it."

  "You can do it, Alyss. You can live as Duncan Kerr. After all, you are Alyss Moreau, son of Theo and Lina Moreau. You can do it, Alyss."

  I cried for a few more minutes, whimpering and cursing myself.

  I wiped my tears away, forced a smile, my heart still aching, brain still panicking, and put a facade on and left the bathroom.

  I changed into the clothes that were set for me at the table, drank some water, and made my way towards the bedroom with little to no idea on what to do.

  Wait, what should I do? I should give Shona a possible explanation. I can't say it's nothing, and Mom and Dad usually sleep in the same bed. Does that mean...? No, that's impossible. I can do something; just calm down, Alyss. It's nothing; it's just Shona. Duncan knows her just put on an act with the memories of Duncan you have, and everything will be alright. You can do it, Alyss." I gave myself false hope.

  I stepped in the bedroom, Shona was leaning on the headboard of the bed with a book on the bed.

  "Oh, luv, you came back. Are you alright?"

  "Uh, uhm, I, uh, yeah, I am alright."

  "You are looking pale. Is something wrong?"

  "No, it isn't. I am gonna sleep."

  "Ah, sure, I was also just waiting for you."

  She closed the book; I saw the cover with the name SSSS-grade Infinite Regressor written on it.

  It looks like Duncan's wife is also into novels.

  She turned back with a slight frown.

  "Luv, what's wrong? Why are you standing? Come, let's get to bed."

  I gulped. Should I lie down next to her? No, it's bad; I should refuse it.

  "It's alright, honey; I will sleep on the couch."

  "Is something wrong, Duncan? You are acting strange today. You made a mess with the bread and meat, and now you don't want to sleep in the same bed? Are you sick?" Her voice became rigid.

  "No, it isn't like that, honey. I just blurted out, 'Sure, let's get to bed.'"

  I hesitantly climbed into the bed and lay next to her without twitching a muscle; she leaned over, her face hovering inches over me. She bent down to kiss me, and I instinctively blocked it and pushed her aside with my hand.

  "Don't you want our good night kiss? is it because you just vomited?"

  "Yeah, that's why."

  "Though you don't reek of the smell vomit."

  Tch, she found out.

  She leaned in and kissed my cheeks and said,

  "Well that would do. Good night, luv. Sleep tight.

  "Good night," I muttered out trying my best not to blow the act.

  She threw one hand above me and lay in my arms and dozed off, and I stared at the ceiling, lying on my back without moving a muscle.

  Gosh, this is embarrassing. Duncan must have had it rough.

  I need to sleep. Just calm down, Alyss. You are just sleeping next to a woman, nothing more. You slept next to Mom when you were a child, right? This is it nothing more. Just calm down.

  I calmed my thoughts down i tried to shift away,. I but Shona held me tighter, preventing me from moving.

  "God grant me sleep," I mouthed out and soon or later fell asleep next to Shona on my arms, wishing to adapt to this new life faster.