Big brain

Some believe death is the end. 

Some believe in an eternal cycle of reincarnation. 

Some believe in hell and heaven, an afterlife. 

When his first day in the new world ended, Alex or Aru couldn't comprehend where his experience fit in. 

Death was not the ending for him. 

It was definitely not a reincarnation. What he did was possession of the body of a dead child, like a ghost. 

Was this his hell or heaven? His very own afterlife? 

Those questions remained unanswerable for the foreseeable future. Unless he meets a god, Aru knew he couldn't get the answers he wished to hear. 

The thoughts that churned inside his mind slowly intensified as reality struck him. It was his second chance. 

Something that many wished for. 

A second chance in life.

A new starting point. 

But he had his doubts. 

It was in his nature to doubt. 

To question everything. 

To question his very own existence. 

So, it was reasonable for him to doubt this stroke of luck. 

After all, this second chance was a freebie, a windfall, a gift he received. It was not something he got through hard work. 

Something like that always comes with a price, right? 

What price would he have to pay for receiving this impossible gift?

Thoughts and questions barraged his mind. 

'Shut it.' Suddenly, a thought pierced through his doubts and disbelief. 

'Shut the f*ck up.' He told to himself. 

Instantly, the murmurs in his mind quietened. All thoughts disappeared. 

'Shut it and get some sleep. Do something productive rather than worry about something you cannot control.' 

That was Aru's last thought as his mind slipped into a deep slumber. His tensed muscles relaxed as his body snuggled a pillow. Embracing the coldness of the winter, Aru slept peacefully that day. 

Although, for a moment, his mind spiralled out of control, he immediately regained its reign. Aru was, after all, a pragmatic person, he knew he had to stop thinking. If thinking can't help him, he should just stop it. That was his reasoning. And that was exactly what he did. 

According to Aru, the whole point of life was to experience it. It was not to doubt and second guess every action.

He often forgot that in his previous life. And because of that, he lived a life of regrets.

He was unwilling to commit the same mistake again. 

The second chance. He was going to take it seriously and live the life he desired.

No one, not even God can stop him this time. 

—

The night turned to day. The darkness disappeared as the light from the morning sun shone over the mountains. The snowy terrain glistened as it welcomed the morning sun with open arms. 

Suddenly, a person ran through the northern gate of the village. Panic was visible on his face as he made his way into the village.

Soon, he reached the shrine at the centre. And there, he saw people waiting for him. Immediately, he heaved a sigh. 

Fortunately, he reached the village in time, he thought. 

"Elder, the migration has begun. They will reach the Kurma lake in a day." He spoke to the people standing near the shrine.

Dam was a young and talented warrior of the tribe and a scout. He was sent to the northern mountains to observe the movement of the migratory animals. His mission was to scout the emerging situation and report back. 

After verifying the sudden change in the movement of the migratory animals, he returned quickly to relay the information.

"It's early." The shaman spoke. 

"It is…" The chief added. 

The chief and the shaman agreed that migration happened quicker than they expected.

They were waiting for the scout to appear. But they never thought that he would come bearing bad news.

Winter hunt was supposed to take place a week later. 

Every year, the migratory animals move south to warmer areas. And usually, it should have happened a week later after the beginning of the winter. But this time, something changed making them move faster.

This was not good news for the Boulder tribe. They had to tweak their plans to cope with the situation. In a large-scale hunt involving hundreds of people, even small changes could lead to confusion and chaos.

The shaman and chief knew this fact. But they had no other option but to move forward. The food for the entire tribe to survive the winter depends solely on the hunt. Not hunting was not an option. 

"How is the preparation for the winter hunt going?" Shaman turned to the chief and asked. 

"It can be quicker." The chief said. "I will send someone to inform the warriors of our tribe. We can set out tomorrow morning at the earliest." 

"I will prepare for the ceremony. I have a feeling that the freezing wind will sweep the north early this year."

They quickly decided on the next course of action. Even though the early migration surprised them a little, it couldn't hold them back. 

They were warriors. They always risked their life for survival. A slight change in plan would not force them to cover in defeat.

"Dam, you return home and inform your father. Ask him to gather the warriors and bring them to the tribal hall. We will meet there to inform everyone about their duty. Inform them to expect a slight change in the plan." The chief gave the order to Dam. 

Dam immediately nodded and ran towards his home.

"He has already grown to become a great warrior." the shaman said, watching Dam's figure fade away.

"Yeah, I remember when he was just a little troublemaker. Luckily, he turned out fine. Nowadays, he looks more like his old man." the chief recalled.

"Is that a good thing? Did you forget how his father was when he was young?" 

"Ha ha… But they have grown up, haven't they?"

"Hmm..." The shaman nodded. Then the face of a child popped up in his mind. There was one in their family that had yet to grow up, he thought. "Remembering about them takes me back. We've both grown old." He said reminiscing. 

"That's true. You were a handsome kid in the past. But now, you look like a bag of bones. You should exercise a little more or else your muscles will rot." The chief added a snide remark as he looked at the thin body of the shaman. At the same time, he flexed his biceps to show his better physique. 

"Who is saying that I don't exercise? I train every day. My muscles are like this because my brain's using up all the energy." 

"How old are we? Can't you come up with something better? It feels like I have been hearing the same lame excuse for an eternity." 

"It's not an excuse. It's the truth. Try becoming a shaman and you will realise my pain." 

"..." 

"I have a big brain."

"..."

The chief looked speechless. 

Finally, they decided to end their conversation and go separate ways to complete their task. They had a lot to do before the hunt. 

—