Triiffic-Soul: Can I Be In Control?

Chapter 2 – Who are you... two?

“George,” Jen spoke–a woman in her thirties with her black hair tied in a bun. “We need to talk.”

George replied, “There’s nothing to talk about, everything will be fine.” He was a little shorter than his wife and had short spiky black hair–not as dark as Jen’s though.

Both were very tanned from working in the sun for long hours on the farm. 

“George,” Jen demanded her razor-sharp glare from her green hazel eyes stabbed into George’s soul and stepped back.

“Yes…?” His light brown eyes snapped shut. He was afraid, not of his wife but of admitting the realities of the situation. 

“Anna barely talks outside grunts and groans. Barely moves without being pushed and can barely feed herself.” 

“She’s just a late bloomer.” 

“George.” Jen sadly said. “Maybe we should see someone…”

“NO fucking way!” George yelled, for the first time in their married life. “We are not taking her anywhere near those quacks!” 

This wasn't the first time they brought up this topic, but this one was far away the most heated.

Jen cried, “But George–” She didn’t want to but she didn’t know what else to do.

Taking Anna to anyone would most likely lead to one of three outcomes. They tell them to remove her; She would be taken away; Or they will supply some sort of expensive medicine that wouldn’t work.

They had heard the horrors of what happened to those who didn’t have any clear physical or mana problems but needed help in their poor country. And from their own experiences trying to get help as a farmer wasn’t going to be useful at all.

George stood his ground, “No.” In his mind, he had to stay firm, but he was bloody terrified.

“She’s five years old, all the other kids are running around.”

He replied, “What did our parents say, don’t judge your kid on other children?” 

“I know, I know…” Jen moved closer, “I want our child to be happy, but she barely moves, only existing to breathe…”

Jen looked straight into George’s closed eyes, “We need to do something.” 

The two parents were at their wits end both only wanting the best for their child, They were ready to do anything for Anna, but they didn’t know where to start.

However, today was the day the lucky roll of fate finally landed in their favour.

Three individuals awoke in a strange white space, each possessing a semi-transparent figure. And within the centre of this weird unknown space was a pool that showed the image of a corner of an old wooden house. 

Memories of five years of doing nothing had entered their minds, well mind. The more correct answer was that their souls were catching up on all the information that was contained in their mind. 

A tall mercenary woman with bright red hair and crimson eyes awoke first but decided to not do anything. Having no idea what was happening but decided to go along for it.

Then the nun, with light pink eyes awoke in a sweat–without the sweat part. She patted her chest and found that her hand had accidentally gone through it when she applied force to where the wound was.

“I’m dead? Of course, I’m dead imbecile, I was stabbed.”

The mercenary laughed, “You died too? Neat.” She wanted to walk over but stayed to examine this world first. It wasn’t every day one could be a ghost and trapped in some unknown place. 

The nun asked, not as panicked as she felt she should be, “Whose the other one?”

“No idea. Probably going through what we just went through.”

The nun turned back to the mercenary, the mercenary was clearly older than her by at least ten years in the nun’s mind. 

The nun sighed, “What happened…?”

The mercenary shrugged, “Umm, we died and got a new body and roommates?”

“Souls don’t work like that…” The nun sighed again.

“So how do they work, God’s child?”

The nun's eyes flashed in anger, “They get cleansed. New slate. Previous lives don’t exist.”

“But here we are?” 

“I… don’t know…” The nun sighed. Conflicted in her feelings, she was happy to have died but now she was alive? Again? Worst of all, still wearing these disgusting clothes. 

Weirdly the mercenary could understand what the nun was feeling, nothing exact but a little smidge of something, “How I see, we all died. And now we are here. Does that mean we are sisters or something? No idea! But it's not every day one gets a second shot at life, not that I needed it, but I’m not one to turn not such an opportunity.” The mercenary had a wide grin across her bright red lips.

The Nun scratched her head, “Sigh. Wherefore couldn’t I just die and go to hell?”

“Didn’t you just say souls get cleaned?”

“Yes ma'am. Tis so wrong to wish there was a place I could’ve known those I hate went to suffer?”

The mercenary laughed, “You’re my tenth favourite religious person.”

“Ex…” The Nun replied, "Death is a great reason to quit.”

The two were calm. But they felt oddly comfortable with each other, probably due to the fact their souls were next to each other for five years but neither really understood what actually happened after their deaths, especially these last five years. 

The red-haired lady looked away from the nun and asked, “So who are you, little girl?” Causing the nun to turn around to look at the third member as well.

The brown-haired girl had awoken not long after the nun looked away from the mercenary. She had decided to stay quiet when she awoke, scared but understanding of the situation by listening to the ongoing conversation.

“Lilly’s my name…” The short teen had crouched down making her look extra small. Normally she wouldn't have replied to a stranger but this scary lady felt like a long-acquainted decent neighbour to her, so she asked. “Yours?” Looking at the other two.

The white-haired nun spoke first, “I have no name.” And then looked towards the mercenary. “Thou?” 

“Yeah, my name ain’t important! That me dead! New life new me” The red-headed woman laughed, “Just call me Red. You, fine with White?” 

White grumbled, not too fond of the name but didn’t want to use her old one so decided, “For now, yes.” 

…

After that, there was silence for a good few moments. 

White asked, “So, how are we supposed to proceed?”

Lilly didn’t respond and just stayed seated. She was enjoying this place, it didn’t feel cold. 

Red on the other hand, “Well to start something, you got to at least try!” Red walked forward into the pool. “Let’s see if I can drive this body!”

“Erha, arh, murah.” 

[Man, it’s hard to talk.] (Red) 

Anna flopped forward.

[Oww!] (Lilly) 

[I didn’t feel anything?] (White) 

Lilly was hurt by the fall, Red ignored the pain–as it barely counted as pain to her–while White who didn’t feel anything, was left confused that Lilly felt anything at all if Red was supposedly controlling the body.

“Mu–u.”

“Hmm?” Jen–who was still debating with Geroge–turned after hearing a thud. 

“Oh, Anny…” She quickly moved over to help her child, worried that she injured herself. 

“Mar-u-. Murma!” Anna flopped back over. 

Red pointed at Jen, “Murma!” 

“George…” Without looking, her left hand went back looking for her husband to grab it, while she crouched to pick up their child. 

“Murma! Murma! Mumra!”

“Jen…” George's eyes flooded with tears and he ran to Jen’s side. These were her first words and they were both so happy she was saying anything! The light of life filled Anna’s eyes, something Jen had never seen from her before. 

A complicated set of feelings flowed through two of the three. While Red was excited. A new life, new opportunities and from what she had seen, she had some great new parents. A new experience from a now former orphan.

““Anna!”” The two cried in joy, at their child’s first everything. Actions, words, she was moving! 

“Murma, Daba!” 

[Why is speaking so hard?] (Red)

[I don’t think this body has ever properly used its vocal cords.] (White)

“Mama, Dada!” Anna cried. 

[?] (Red) 

Red was confused.

[How did, who?] (Red)

She phased back into their own little world and saw White crying away.

White, who in an act of curiosity entered the pool and was now knee-deep in it, became overwhelmed with the body’s emotions.

“Muma, Dada, I’ve missed you!” Red could feel an intoxication from White, as she stayed within the pool, strengthening the shared feeling they currently possessed. 

“Well, this is going to be a weird life.” Red smiled and lay down in the shallow but deep pond. 

As her new sister and parents cried away.