Cradle of Destiny

What the hell?! I just died. I actually died from reading my favorite book! Who in their right mind would die just because they stayed awake reading for an entire week without sleeping? Apparently... Me: (*_*) “Hahaha...” I nervously pinched my arm. “Ouch!” I stared at the spot I had pinched. “Wait... if I can feel pain, does that mean this isn't real?” I pinched myself again. “Ouch! f**k!” Oh God. Why did you take me so early?! I wasn't prepared to die! I was planning to live until I was at least "a hundred years old!" And you took me at twenty-six?! “How could you do this to me?!” I wasn't even married! I didn't have a child! I didn't even have a boyfriend! ... “Wait.” I suddenly remembered something. “I'm gay.” I stared into the empty darkness. “...Well, that explains the no girlfriend part.” I sighed dramatically. “But still! It's terrible to die like this!” Just as I finished complaining, something suddenly flew toward my face. **BANG!** “AUGH!” My vision went black. Meanwhile, somewhere beyond the world of the living... A soul floated helplessly in the darkness. “Who the hell threw that bowl?!” A pair of footsteps slowly approached. A mysterious figure sighed. “How noisy.” The figure looked down at the wandering soul. “He deserves that for staying up so late.” The soul immediately shouted, “HEY! I HEARD THAT!” The figure ignored him. “Still...” The mysterious person paused. “I suppose I can grant him one wish.” The soul blinked. “A wish?” The figure smiled. “Something you truly wanted before you died.” The soul thought carefully. Then his eyes widened. “A wife?” “No.” “A million dollars?” “No.” “Superpowers?” “No.” “Then...” The figure looked amused. “You wanted a family, didn't you?” The soul became quiet. A family. A husband. A child. Someone waiting for him to come home. “...Yeah.” The figure raised a hand. “Then I'll give you exactly that.” Warm sunlight touched my face. I slowly opened my eyes. “...Huh?” I stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. “Where am I?” I sat up. My head was pounding. “What the hell happened?” I looked down at myself. “...What?” I was wearing strange ancient-looking clothes. I grabbed the fabric and stared at it. “Why am I dressed like this?” I frowned. “Did my mom dress me up while I was unconscious?” Then I froze. “Wait.” “I'm dead.” I slowly looked around the room. “...Then how the hell am I alive?” Before I could figure it out, a strange sound reached my ears. "“Waaahhh...!”" I blinked. “Is that... a baby crying?” I immediately stood up. “Why is there a baby crying in here?” I followed the sound into another room. When I opened the door, I froze. Inside was a small baby lying on a bed. The baby had chubby cheeks, tiny hands, and watery eyes. I stared. The baby stared back. “...Who are you?” The baby sniffled. I looked around the room. “Where are your parents?” The baby only stared at me. “Don't look at me like that. I don't know where I am either!” I cautiously walked closer. Then, without thinking, I reached out and poked the baby's cheek. "Boop." The baby went silent. I froze. Then— “Ehehehe!” The baby giggled. I stared at him. “...You laughed?” The baby reached toward me with his tiny hands. I slowly pointed at myself. “Are you... talking to me?” The baby giggled again. My heart suddenly skipped. “Wait.” I looked around the unfamiliar room. The ancient clothes. The strange house. The mysterious baby. And then I remembered the mysterious voice from before I woke up. “You wanted a family, didn't you?” My face slowly turned pale. “...No way.” I looked at the baby. “Oh my God.” I stared at the baby in front of me. “I have a child!” I couldn't believe it. I actually had a baby! If my friends were here, I would definitely show him off. *Look! Look at my baby! Isn't he cute?!* ...Unfortunately, my friends weren't here. Because I died first. “Damn it.” I sighed. “My friends can't even see how amazing my new life is.” I looked at the baby again. “But I have a baby!” I couldn't stop grinning. “Hahaha!” The baby stared at me with his big, innocent eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I leaned closer. “Do you think I'm handsome?” The baby remained completely silent. I raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?” I pointed at myself. “Do you think I'm funny?” The baby suddenly— “Ehehehe!” His tiny face broke into a bright smile. My eyes widened. “Oh!” I laughed. “You're laughing at me now?” I gently poked his cheek. “You really think Daddy is funny?” The baby giggled even harder. “Ahahaha! You're so cute!” For a moment, everything felt strangely peaceful. Then— “WAAAAAHHH!” I nearly jumped out of my skin. “What?!” The baby started crying again. “Why are you crying?!” I hurried over. “Are you hungry?” I looked at the baby helplessly. “Do you need milk?” I paused. “Wait.” I looked down at myself. “...I don't have milk!” I stared at the baby. The baby cried even louder. “Okay, okay! Don't cry!” I desperately tried to remember everything I knew about babies. Then it hit me. “Wait...” I slowly looked at the baby. “Babies cry when they poop, right?” I sniffed the air. “...Oh.” I covered my nose. “You definitely pooped.” I sighed. “So that's why you're crying.” I picked him up carefully. “Come on, little guy. Let's clean you up before you destroy the whole house.” I carried him around the house, finally realizing just how small it was. It wasn't fancy at all. It was a simple little home. But there was enough space for about three people. “Hmm...” I looked around. “So this is where we live?” I glanced down at the baby. “You and me?” The baby stared back at me. “...And apparently your mysterious other parent.” I still had no idea where that person was. But there were more important problems. Like the smell. “Okay, buddy.” I pinched my nose. “Bath time.” After finding a basin and some water, I carefully washed the baby. At first, he looked suspicious. Then he started splashing his little hands around. “Hey!” I laughed. “Don't splash me!” The baby giggled. “You're enjoying this, aren't you?” After a while, I finally finished cleaning him. I wrapped him in a cloth and lifted him up. “There.” I sniffed his hair. “Much better.” I smiled. “You smell amazing now.” The baby yawned. “Aww.” I carried him back to the bedroom. “Let's get you dressed.” After struggling with the unfamiliar clothing for several minutes, I finally managed to get the baby's clothes on properly. I stared proudly at my work. “Not bad.” Then— "Grrrrrrr..." I looked down. The baby's stomach rumbled. “Oh.” I laughed. “You're hungry now?” The baby stared at me. “So you poop and then you eat?” I tapped his tiny nose. “Wow. What a wonderful life you have.” The baby blinked. I chuckled. “Stay here, okay?” I placed him safely on the bed. “Daddy is going to make you some milk.” I walked into the kitchen. Then I stopped. I stared at everything around me. “...What the hell is this?” There were unfamiliar pots, containers, utensils, and ingredients everywhere. I picked something up. “What is this?” I put it down. “...And what is that?” I looked around. “There isn't even a manual!” I suddenly realized something else. “Who am I supposed to ask?” I scratched my head. “Excuse me, random historical person, how do I make baby formula?” That would be incredibly awkward. Especially since I didn't even know where I was. So I decided to work with whatever I could recognize. After some trial and error, I managed to prepare something that looked like milk. I carefully tested the temperature. “Okay.” I nodded. “This should work.” Just as I finished— “WAAAAAHHH!” My eyes widened. “Again?!” I grabbed the milk and rushed back toward the bedroom. “I'm coming!” I pushed open the door. “Why are you crying again?!” The baby was sitting there, crying with tiny tears rolling down his cheeks. I hurried over. “Didn't I just tell you Daddy was making milk for you?” The baby suddenly stopped crying. He looked at the bottle in my hand. Then he looked at me. And— “Ehehehe!” I froze. “...You stopped crying?” The baby giggled. I stared at him suspiciously. “You little schemer.” I sat beside him. “So you were just waiting for me?” The baby reached toward me. I smiled. “Do you like Daddy that much?” The baby giggled again. I couldn't help laughing. “Hahaha!” I gently tapped his nose. “You really like Daddy, huh?” The baby grabbed my finger with his tiny hand. And for some reason... My chest felt warm. I looked at the little hand holding mine. “...I guess dying wasn't completely terrible after all.” Then I remembered something. “Wait.” I looked around the unfamiliar room. “Where the hell is your other parent?” The baby just giggled. “...Right.” I sighed. “I'm going to have to figure that out too.” The baby smiled at me. “Don't tell me...” I swallowed. “I'm his father?!” The baby giggled. And somewhere in the distance, thunder rumbled. “...Oh, fuck.”