5 Rebirth (Part 2)

Twenty-six weeks have passed, and Anthony is a few days away from being born. In this time he has learned a few things. First, he has a twin. Second, that twin is an asshole. What baby tries to kill his brother by choking him with its umbilical cord. Anthony was fortunate enough to have the ability to sense his surroundings. He was able to maneuver out of the way and save his life. Third, the voice and Anthony became very close friends. She was no longer just the voice anymore; Kris was the name she picked for herself. The name just sounded right to Anthony.

Kris and Anthony talked about all of the things that he has forgotten over the forty weeks he has been stuck in captivity. Sure the womb was comfortable, but Anthony knew if he did not have Kris around he would have gone insane a few more times.

Speaking of insane, Anthony tried to talk with the other aspect that split off from the collective. However, that magical connection Anthony felt to the universe, well Mr. Crazy felt that connection as well and was able to use that to cut himself off from Anthony and Kris. That's right that connection Anthony felt was indeed magic.

Kris told Anthony that this was another reason why the Presence needed him to reincarnate into this world, and for the past ten weeks, Anthony has been trying to connect to this new magic.

"Okay, explain it to me again, what is this magic I'm supposedly supposed to have," Anthony asked for the thousand and third time, "I mean I can tap into some magical essences and its fun to mess with my younger or older brother, but this other magic I do not get."

"Okay, according to Lady Death, your magic comes from your bloodline, a race called the Laughing Magicians. The Laughing Magicians tend to rebuke and outsmart Gods, Demons, Spirits, and just about everything else. Laughing Magicians have existed for most of humankind's history in this universe. These magicians can control a force known as the Synchronicity Wave, and that wave is an instinctual ability, guiding you by taking two or more events, random events, pleasant and unpleasant coincidences, and controlling the outcome. By taking control of this wave instead of just flowing with it, you are essentially making your own luck."

"Fuck, how is Death expecting me to control something as intangible as luck," Anthony shouted out with frustration. "Why couldn't it be something practical like shooting lightning out of my fingertips."

"Well maybe it's because it would have made you look like a Sith Lord, and last I can remember they were evil," Kris said.

"The Sith were right," Anthony said to himself.

"Evil villain origins say what again?"

"I'm not turning evil; I don't think. I'm saying the Sith were kind of right in philosophy, kind of. I mean if it's between that and the Jedi, in giving up all emotions to keep away from the "dark side" fuck that noise," Anthony stated. "Anyway I'm done now with trying to learn this wave thingy, I'm ready to get out of here."

"Lady Death said that the reason why we were drawing the Presence, well presence, over to our old world is because we could not control this wave and we were tapping into it unconsciously."

"Well, we are over here now so that shouldn't matter anymore. Plus I want to hurry up and see my mother. She has been a constant beacon of happiness to me, and I want her to see her little ball of joy. Oh, yeah, and the other guy as well."

"You, know what, ever since your brain developed I believe that your thinking has downgraded somewhat. I'm glad I got out of there early," Kris said.

"Yeah, by going insane."

"No, you went insane, I brought myself back."

"Anyway, I'm going to use magic to see if I can make my mother go into labor early. All I have to do is speed up the metabolic process, tighten her womb and break her water, bata boom bata bang; a baby is born."

*Two*

In the city of Katmandu, Nepal in the Indian subcontinent, within a wooden hotel, a man is seen packing his belongings as his wife is sitting by the fire, reading a book, and humming to herself.

"Hey sweetheart is there anything else we need to pack," the man asked his wife, "We need to leave soon. I don't want our sons to be Indian. I mean sure the British took a lot from them but they can't have my sons in return."

"You know your not funny," the woman said to her husband, "the doctor said we have about two weeks before I go into labor so we will be fine. Also, there is an embassy nearby if we need to go there."

"I'm going to be honest with you; I don't understand why my grandfather wanted you to come here right before you gave birth. We don't believe in that old pagan stuff. Rituals? What kind of crazy person does that."

"Well I didn't want your side of the family to hate me, so it was either have owl feathers rubbed on my stomach or goodbye good first impression."

The man walked over to his wife, helped her out of the chair and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her on the forehead as she began to hum his favorite song. They moved around in circles keeping in rhythm with the melody. The man pulled back from his wife and looked deep within her pale silver eyes, leaned in, and kissed his wife.

"Careful there Tom, that's how we got into this mess in the first place and didn't somebody say we need to hurry to catch our flight back to Merseyside."

Tom looked at his wife with regret, put a hand on her stomach and said, "You're right, I'll go get the car."

But before Tom could pull away, his wife started to scream. That scream was not the screams of childbirth, but the cries of a tortured woman.

"What's wrong," Tom asked his wife as he tried to lie her down easy. However, the more he wanted to move her the harder she would scream. Tom knew his wife must be going into labor and that something was wrong.

Tom took out his phone and dialed the emergency service number. He explained the situation, and he was told that they were sending medical personnel to the hotel.

With the help of the medics, Tom was able to transport his wife to the British embassy. There all he could do was wait as the screams from his wife echoed throughout the building.

*three*

Twenty hours past, but to Tom, it felt more like years. His wife had gone hoarse from screaming, and he could no longer hear her. Tom sat there in agony, boxed in by the white walls of the medical center of the British embassy. Why is time so against us, Tom thought to himself? We are forever running away from it, trying to find ways to gain more of it, or we want to freeze it so that moments would last forever. Tom was trying to run away from this moment. He tried to find more time to spend with his wife or freeze that moment near the fireplace, her angelic voice echoing throughout all eternity.

Tom, felt a magical wave spread throughout the medical wing of the embassy, and a few moments later a doctor came up to Tom and informed him that his children John and Anthony were delivered just fine. However, his wife did not make it through the delivery. The doctor escorted Tom to see his children.

"Which one is which," Tom asked the doctor.

The doctor pointed to one of the babies, "The one that is sleeping is the first born John. The one that is crying is Anthony. Your wife told us that you all had already picked out the names."

"Yes, we did," Tom said to the doctor as he stared at the infant Anthony. "Hey doc, can I see my wife."

"Sure....."

Tom could no longer hear the doctor, all he could do was focus on his son. He could sense magic around him. This magic he knew was not the new magic of a mundane infant but directed controlled magic.

Tom walked into the room where his now deceased wife lied. She was still so beautiful. He reached out and placed the back of his hand on her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her forehead as tears began to run down his face. He put his hands on her still swollen stomach. Tom could still feel the magic lingering inside of her.

"This magic did not come from an outside source but from that boy instead. That boy killed my wife," Tom whispered to himself in anger.

*Four*

"Anthony, I think something is wrong."

"I know, she shouldn't be in this much pain."

"Stop it, cut off the flow of magic," Kris yelled.

"I've tried, but if I do my brother and me will die in here. I'm going to hold it until we are born. I'll let my brother go first, and as soon as I'm out, I will cut the magic."

*Five*

My mother lied to me she did not say that childbirth would hurt this much. The doctors only tell me to push and push. Can't they see I'm trying? Where is Tom? Tom why aren't you here, don't you know I need you. Oh my God, one is out, but I could not feel any relief. I tell the doctor his name; his name is John. The second one is named Anthony, and they are so beautiful.

Wait why can't I feel anything anymore. Is that me lying over there? What is going on?

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but you are dead," a voice called out to me.

"Who are you," I asked the pale woman dressed in a black tank top with ripped black jeans.

"I am both life and death itself. I met you twenty-nine years ago when you took your first breath, and I am here now as you take your last. My name is Death, but you can call me Dee. I can only let you talk to one of your sons, Anthony, for reasons outside of your control. Would you like to speak to him? He would understand everything you have to say."

*Six*

On May 10, 2018, Anthony Aims Constantine was born. He could see death talking with his mother. Anthony looked from his mother's soul to her lifeless body lying on the bed. He did not care about the blinding light from his eyes adjusting to sight again. He did not care about the ringing noise in his ears from the multitude of sounds rushing at him, all at once, all he cared about was his mother; his beautiful mother walking towards him with Lady Death.

"Hey son, I'm your mother, Mary Anne," Anthony's mother said to him. Her voice was all he imagine for months. "I'm not going to be around to watch you grow up. Just remember to do good things. Be kind. Love your brother. Protect your sister and remember to think past the moment. I love you son. When you are old tell your brother all the same. I have to go, goodbye Anthony. I love you."

Anthony felt something once again for the first time. This sensation was something he could not ignore. It was the feeling of a wave. This wave had been pushing him in two directions but it was at that moment Anthony felt one of those paths being cut off from him, forever.

Anthony could see his mother being carried away by Lady Death. It was at that moment he remembered the final thing Death had told him before he reincarnated. He was destined to ride a wave; to become a superhero or villain. That wave could push him, or he could make a choice. But, when he does come to that choice tragedy would soon follow. His mother was a beacon of hope that kept him sane for nine months, and now she was dead, and he had to make a choice. Would he show the same love his mother showed? Would he be a beacon of hope in despair, as his mother was for him at the end of her life? Or, would he sit back and watch the world burn? He would not decide now, because now all he wanted to do was cry, sleep and rest.