SIOBHAN

"James O'Connor, by the judgement and ruling of the court and jury of citizens for your heinous crimes, you have been sentenced to death to be carried out this day by means of hanging. Do you have any last words?" an official appointed to narrate my execution.

I've been quite a terrible person they say. In fact so much so, that my name has been spread as the Monster of Manhattan. But boy what a life I've lived! Wealth, women, drugs, worms for men crawling and begging for their lives at my feet... All over today... And to think they were able to put all my crimes together just because of a car wreck.

My name is James O'Connor. I've been an Irish Mob leader since my father died when I was 17. I've orchestrated many murders, thefts, and other heinous activities countless times over the last 20 years, but now it's all over. I have a noose around my neck and my feet are on a drop away deck. I'm now to meet my end.

"Is there a smoking section in hell?" I said with an evil grin to the crowd who were only disgusted more by me, but that made it so much more pleasurable.

"May God have mercy on your soul." the narrator stated before nodding to the executioner who's hand was already poised to pull the lever.

He pulled the lever and, still smiling like a Cheshire cat, I dropped into the rope and my neck snapped... this life was over...

I was so certain I'd wake up in some kind of burning hell or literally not wake up at all. This was supposed to be the end with no more to my story. I was wrong. Completely wrong.

I did see a white light. I know it's cliche, but I did. Everything I saw was white until the light started to fade to black. I thought surely this means I'm dead. but soon enough I felt the strangest sensation.

I felt weak, fragile, tired, hungry and wet... suddenly the black turned into the brightest light I'd seen, or so it seemed. The noises I heard were very different sounding.

"Oculs al mascu cheru!" (Looks like a baby boy!) a strange looking man stated excitedly in a language I'd never heard before. His face was slightly covered with a mask of sorts that resembled a raven's beak from the nose down.

It hit me exactly when I was placed into a woman's arms what was going on. I was an infant again!

YAGH!!! I can't believe this! I was supposed to be done! Now I have to start over!? And in a world that I can't even understand the language of!? What a horror! This must be my punishment!

I started crying in anger and hunger. Immediately the woman holding me began rocking me from side to side. This helped me feel unusually comforted. I finally let my eyes land on her.

She had dark hair and a youthful face. If time transpired here the same she was still in her mid teens. She had light freckles that spattered on her face over her nose and under her cheeks. her skin was ivory toned, and her eyes were an odd violet color. Back before in my first life - going to have to get used to that concept - this was an extremely rare eye color. I couldn't help but wonder if the same applied here.

Was this a different world? Same world, previous time? These things I didn't know but I would find out, and I would conquer this life too.

"ChChChCh Sase mara zu, Siobhan." (Shhh, mother loves you, Siobhan.), My mother cooed softly to me. I had know idea what she meant, but her words felt loving, comforting, and sincere.

"Siobhan Darensen, zu'r o hudae. Sase's hudae mascu bitte."(Siobhan Darensen, You're so handsome. Mother's handsome little boy.) she cooed again. I then figured out my name. Siobhan Darensen. How interesting... An Irish name. Well at least it was in my past life, but this language was far from Irish. I wonder who my father is?

"Tas iz nome?" (That's his name?) The doctor asked with a notepad in hand and an odd looking stick of material as a writing utensil.

"Yae, iz nome tis Siobhan Darensen, fo iz HaSe." (Yes, his name is Siobhan Darensen, for his father.) my mother replied.

I was doing my best to figure this language out but it was lost to me. In due time, I know it would happen same as an infant eventually grew to learn English in my first life.

The room we were in was plain with wooden walls and ceiling. The floors were simple as well, covered in what seemed to be a common ceramic. The light was by flaming torch which gave the ambience a warm cozy feel. The bed was a straw bed covered in a white linen. Definitely not high class, but the simplicity was still homey.

The warmth of my mother's arms, her skin against mine, and the warm linens made my tired eyes begin to lose the fight against sleep. I listened carefully to my mother's heart beat and her calm breathing. The rise and fall of her chest was lulling me deeper into an inevitable battle.

What a day! I started out a monster being slain, a terrible terrifying man, and then I ended up an infant, weak, powerless and in another world perhaps.

Siobhan... I like it. I always hated the plainness of James. Maybe this life would be different. Maybe I could be great. A god amongst men...

As these thoughts passed, my battle against the tide of weariness was lost, and I began to fall asleep. Yet as my consciousness began to fade I swore I heard metal clanging through the walls. It resembled the sound of blades being crossed. Just a moment before the black took over I heard a triumphant call, "HooSahh!!!"

Sleep...