Olivia Carter sat in her rocking chair by the window of her small, shack like home, gently stroking her belly as she gazed outside. Her stomach had grown quite large; she was nearly eight months pregnant. Heavy snow fell endlessly beyond the glass, blanketing the world in white.
Her eyes lingered on the narrow path leading through the mountains.
Michael still hadn't returned.
He was out gathering firewood to keep them warm through the night. They were poor there was no denying that but they were happy. Perhaps they were the happiest family an unborn child could ever hope to be born into.
Olivia slowly rose from the chair and let out a deep sigh.
...
Morgan Anderson was one of the most prominent scientists in the world.
A two-time Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, he was admired by countless researchers across Britain. To many, he was a living legend.
In truth, he was nothing more than a fraud.
The inventions that had brought him fame were not truly his own. They belonged to his closest friend Marcus.
Morgan often told himself that if he were sent back in time and asked to recreate those achievements, he would fail completely. Perhaps that was his punishment. The guilt had never left him. His betrayal had destroyed Marcus's life, driving him down a path that ended in death.
Taking a deep breath, Morgan exited his laboratory.
As he descended the spiral staircase, his thoughts drifted far from the present. One image dominated his mind Marcus standing on the edge of a skyscraper, smiling sadly before stepping into the void.
That moment had haunted Morgan for weeks, stealing his sleep and eroding his sanity. He had seen it with his own eyes. His childhood friend was gone because of him.
Lost in thought, Morgan's foot caught on a protruding step.
He tripped.
The world spun violently as he fell headfirst down the stairs.
...
Olivia stared anxiously at the door.
Too much time had passed.
Monsters were never found in cities or towns
special units dealt with them swiftly. But the mountains were different. Dangerous. Unpredictable.
Her thoughts spiraled.
Bandits were a possibility, though not the worst outcome. Michael carried no valuables; they might let him go once they realized he had nothing worth taking.
The worse possibility was monsters.
These creatures possessed terrifying forms and hides so thick that ordinary iron weapons were useless against them. Only firearms or specially crafted swords wielded by magical knights could pierce their flesh things owned only by nobles or the gifted.
Olivia clasped her hands together, silently praying.
2.5 Hours Later…
Knock. Knock.
The sound snapped her out of her thoughts.
She rushed to the door and flung it open.
Michael stood there, breath fogging the air, a heavy net of firewood slung over his back.
Relief flooded her completely.
She threw her arms around him, tears welling in her eyes. Startled, Michael dropped the wood and laughed softly as he hugged her back.
He gathered the fallen logs himself he refused to let his pregnant wife lift a finger and soon the fire was crackling warmly in the hearth.
...
Morgan heard distant sirens.
Then… nothing.
After a moment of strange clarity, he understood.
He was dead.
He felt his soul detach from his body, drifting into a vast darkness. Ahead of him shone a white light.
He had mocked such stories in life, but now he hesitated. Perhaps religion had been right after all.
If Heaven and Hell existed, he knew where he belonged.
With nothing left to lose, Morgan walked toward the light.
Blinding brightness swallowed everything.
Then darkness.
When he opened his eyes again, he was being held in someone's arms.
A beautiful woman in her twenties cradled him gently. Beside her stood a man of similar age, smiling awkwardly. They were speaking, but the language was unfamiliar neither English nor anything he had heard before. It sounded like a strange blend of Latin and Ancient Greek.
The surroundings slowly came into focus. A fireplace. A rocking chair. Old fashioned furniture reminiscent of the 18th or 19th century.
Then Morgan noticed his hand.
Small.
Tiny.
A baby's hand.
Fear and shock surged through him.
Is this… reincarnation?
The thought felt absurd, yet impossible to dismiss.
The woman's hair was a deep shade of blue. The man's eyes were unnaturally dark.
These were not traits found anywhere on Earth.
As the realization settled in, a single question echoed in his mind:
Are these people… my mother and father?