Day Three.
1430 Words
At Kevin's room, he was on the bed, staring at the ceiling, smiling because today was the happiest day he had ever experienced, thinking about how his new father and mother reacted when they heard he was disease free. He had finally told his two sisters the reason why he visited the hospital. He held his chest as he could audibly hear his heart beating hard in the quiet room.
“Today. I will never forget the smiles on their faces,” he sighed softly, letting the memory play in his head a moment longer. He blinked at the ceiling fan slowly turning. “But… this—this is not my life. All this is for the boy.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Anyway, the world needs to be saved from whoever wants to destroy it.”
He glanced around the well-furnished room with its shelves of books, neat desk, and the twin beds his sisters sometimes invaded when they had nightmares. His eyes fell on his phone on the desk.
“Second day in this world,” he muttered, getting up and picking it up carefully, as if afraid to drop another person’s life.
He pressed the power button. A picture of Feyi smiling was on the lock screen wallpaper. He swiped up.
“Nice. No password,” he muttered. He went straight to Contacts. Surprisingly, the boy had only four saved: Daddy, Mummy, Feyi, and The Twins.
He hesitated for a second, then went to the browser and searched about reincarnation.
He found some articles—old debates about belief, non-physical consciousness, scattered tales from religions and mystics.
“Reincarnation… belief… non-physical...” He scrolled slowly, the words feeling surreal to read while living them.
Suddenly the phone rang, making him jump a little. On the screen: Feyi. Kevin blinked, then gently picked it up.
“Hello. Feyi. What’s up?”
“I’m good,” she said, but her voice was quiet, almost strained. Kevin sat on the edge of the bed.
“I have great news to tell you. I’m disease free, Feyi! Dad and I went to the hospital this evening. The doctor said I was cured for some certain reasons.”
“Alright,” she answered in that same low, flat tone.
Kevin’s eyes went wide.
“Alright? Is that your response? Feyi, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why did you call?”
“I said nothing, you hear!!” she suddenly screamed over the phone.
“Hey there… Feyi? Feyi? Hello?”
Kevin removed the phone from his ear.
“She cut the call. Is she alright?” He redialed. It rang for a while but she didn’t pick up. He tried again, this time it was switched off.
Kevin lowered the phone onto the bed and stared at it, scratching his head.
“What did I do?” he whispered.
He fell back onto the pillow, eyes half-shut. The room seemed bigger, emptier. The silence pressed on his ears.
---
Few moments later, in his sleep, Kevin found himself in the endless white light. He looked around with an exhausted groan.
“Really? Every time I sleep, I end up being here.” He sat down and lowered his head onto his knees.
Chinue playfully flew to him, flickering like light through a prism.
“Great to see you again, Silly,” she said with a bright grin.
Kevin didn’t even look up.
“Huh? Silly is sad because of a girl?”
“You knew. Do deities see and know all things? If yes, I would have changed the world into a better place already,” Kevin muttered, voice dull, still staring at the white ground.
Chinue gently landed near him, her glow dimming a little in sympathy.
“You might be right. But on the other hand, deities actually don’t know or see everything. Like the day the world will be destroyed, the wills of you humans, what the Creator looks like, and a few more. We only see or do what He tells us.”
Kevin let out a dry, humorless laugh.
“Hmmm. Is that all?”
Chinue c****d her head.
“What’s gotten into you, Silly? Your questions seem so… direct.”
Kevin slowly stood up, looking at the vast emptiness.
“Yeah. As things go on, whenever I try to understand why I’m here, there’s always another hold up. Most especially stealing this boy’s life and lying to them. I know—I know you told me before I chose this body.”
“Lying? You can tell them the truth. Nothing is stopping you from telling them.”
Kevin sighed. His eyes closed, voice trembling just a bit.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have given in to my emotions.”
Chinue chuckled softly.
“Kevin, don’t be. I understand. You’re confused. The fate of the world is on your shoulders.”
Kevin managed a small smile.
“Hmmm. You said my real name for the first time.”
“Ah. Don’t let it get to your head, Silly.” She stood and brushed herself off with exaggerated flair.
“You need to know this, Silly.”
Kevin’s brows drew together.
“As from today, things will be getting harder, even for you to handle. Be strong to face it.”
“Another mystery to solve,” he whispered, then raised his voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll be on guard. I promise.”
Chinue nodded solemnly.
“That’s all for now.” She snapped her fingers.
---
Kevin woke up in his bed, morning sunlight slipping through the curtain in narrow golden lines. He wasn’t floating. Just warm, heavy with sleep. He blinked, raised his upper body.
He glanced at the door. Gillian and Jennifer were there in their school uniforms, watching him quietly.
He sat up fully. This time he was less frightened. After all, he'd given them the best news of their lives the night before.
“Good morning, Big Brother. How was your night?” the twins asked in perfect synchrony.
Kevin smiled, walking toward them.
“Good. It was good.” He bent down slightly. “Seeing my lovely twin sisters are good at keeping secrets… Let me show you a trick.”
Gillian and Jennifer looked at each other, then back at him and nodded.
Kevin grinned. He peeked behind them quickly to see if Daddy or Mummy were coming, then opened his palm. Slowly, one of his butterfly swords materialized in his hand with a shimmer.
The twins’ eyes widened.
“That’s not all.” He waved his other hand, and the other butterfly sword appeared.
Kevin puffed out his chest proudly while holding both blades, their green glow catching the morning light. Gillian and Jennifer’s eyes were shining with wonder.
Then both butterfly swords dematerialized before their eyes with a soft hum.
“What do you think?”
Gillian lowered her eyes, her lips trembling.
“Big brother…”
Kevin blinked, worried.
“Are you really our big brother?”
He hesitated.
“I…uhm…”
Suddenly Gillian lunged forward and hugged him tight.
“No—don’t answer yet. I don’t want to know,” she whispered with a sniffle.
Kevin swallowed hard, patting her gently while looking at Jennifer.
“Jennifer…should I answer your twin sister?”
Jennifer shook her head, eyes glistening, then hugged him too.
“Okay. Okay. I won’t tell,” Kevin murmured, wrapping them both in his arms, feeling them tremble just a bit.
“Kevin!! Wake up, it’s time for school o!” Mother’s voice called from downstairs.
“Honey! Where are the twins?”
Kevin cleared his throat.
“Go now. Let me dress up.”
They nodded, breaking the hug reluctantly, wiping their faces as they slipped out and gently closed the door behind them.
Kevin let out a long sigh of relief.
“That was…slightly intense,” he muttered, staring at the door. Then he turned and went into the bathroom to get ready.
---
A short while later, Kevin and his twin sisters were dropped off in front of the school gate from their father’s car.
“Bye kids! Take good care of yourselves! Bye, bye…love you more…love you hard…”
“Daddy, you’re embarrassing us!” the twins said in unison, hurrying after their big brother into the school premises.
Kevin glanced at the sky, sniffed the cool morning air, and exhaled slowly.
“Day three,” he said quietly to himself, feeling the weight in his chest but forcing himself to smile.
- Writer
