Rebirth

Twenty First Century 2021

Leofric stands on the streets of New York in front of a coffee shop, dressed in black jeans and white button up, looking like he stepped out of a fashion magazine, spotting tattoos under his clothes. "He's so cool" he hears girls giggling. "Tsk, pathetic" he mutters under his breath before checking his gold Rolex watch.

He feels a presence behind him and stretches his hand catching the leg heading for his head. "you're late " he says to the owner of the leg before letting him go. "hold your socks old man, it's just a few minutes" the person says turning out to be his friend Mark, a fellow werewolf he met in 1978.

"Whatever, let's just go" Leofric says walking towards his car. Someone bumps into him. "I am so sorry" a female voice apologises. "well, watch where you're going..." Leofric stops halfway meeting the gaze of the person who bumped into him and seeing the ghost of a long lost past. He stands in front of her, his eyes unbelieving.

"Um, I'm just gonna go, I'm sorry once again" she says before jogging off. Leofric still stares at her trying to comprehend what had taken place.

Mark puts a hand on his shoulder, jostling him "are you alright man, you look like you've seen a ghost" Mark asks. "I think I just did" he replies before stalking to his car getting in and resting his head on the steering wheel. A while later, Mark joins him in the car.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mark asks again. "The girl I bumped into just now, that Freya" Leofric says. Mark stares blankly for a moment. "Dude your old age is making you delusional first of all, you killed Freya. Second of all, that was a damn long time ago, maybe they just look alike".

"sure sure, you're right" Leofric tells Mark before pulling his shit together and driving off.

Sitting alone in his penthouse his mind goes back to the occurrence that happened earlier that day. "She looks so much like her" he thinks "same face, same body, same hair. She must be a reincarnation, I need to find out" he concludes before sleeping.

Throughout that week, Leofric goes to the same spot he met the girl and makes some discoveries. She jogged past everyday, attended the college two blocks down and lived in the apartment around the corner. She worked in a coffee shop not too far from her house and walked all the way home everyday

The next Monday though, there was a change to this routine, it was night-time and past the time she usually walked home from work but there was no sight of her. "what's going on" Leofric questions before deciding to head to the shop where she worked. On getting there he hears a scuffle in an alley then hears a girls scream being cut-off.

He heads into the alley and what he sees sets his blood boiling. There she is in the middle of two guys. One holding her mouth preventing her from screaming and the other fondling her breast. She struggles and kicks the one fondling her in between the legs and elbows the one behind her. She tries to run but one grabs her hair and slaps her face.

"ahh" she screams, falling to the ground. Leofric then sees red and before anyone could react holds the one that slapped her by the neck and slamming him into the wall, making him pass out.

For the other one, he kicks his head breaking his nose and knocking him out. Satisfied with his work, he turns to her and sees her staring wide-eyed at him.

"Here, let me let you up" he says stretching his hand towards her. She takes his hand and he helps her up. "Thank you so much mister" she says. "It's my pleasure " he replies. "What is your name?" He asks. "Freya" she replies and it's like his heart stopped.

"What a pretty name" he says making her blush "thank you, what's yours?" she asks, "Leofric" he replies "I really need to start going home now" Freya says. "sure, sure let me walk you home" Leofric says. Before leaving, he feels a presence and looks around but finds nothing and brushes it off.

They walk back together. On reaching her apartment, she turns to him "thank you once again for helping me" Freya says "it's alright, goodnight" Leofric says "goodnight" she responds and heads inside.

Leofric reaches his penthouse and heads to his room. "This has to be faith, she's definitely a reincarnation, she's as pretty as ever but she doesn't remember me. What am I going to do" he thinks. He then decides to call Mark and question him.

He takes his phone and dials Mark number, "yo what's up" Mark voice rings from the phone, music booming just the background. "She's the one Mark, well not her but her" Leofric says. "What are you saying man?" Mark asks. "Okay, remember that girl that bumped into me earlier this week, well guess what, she's Freya's reincarnation, they even bear the same name" Leofric says happily"

"Are you sure?" Mark asks serious, "yes, I am damn serious" Leofric respond. "Okay then what do you intend to do" asks Mark. "well, she doesn't remember me but I want to get to know her" Leofric says. "Okay then, be careful though, talk to you tomorrow". Mark says ending the call.

The next day, Leofric goes to Freya's working place and orders a cup of coffee. On recognising the person standing in front of her, she cracks a big smile and waves. "Hi, nice seeing you again" she says. "same here" Leofric replies smiling then places his order and takes his seat.

Leofric stays even after being served and finishing it. He stays till Freya's shift is over and walks her to her apartment again. They make small talk on the way. What do you do for a living? She asks him, "I own clubs and gyms" he replies. "that's cool" she says. "yeah, it's cool, what are you studying?" Leofric questions her. "Veterinary medicine, I love animals and hate seeing them in pain so I'm studying this to help the ones I can reach feel better" she responds.

"still the same" Leofric thinks to himself gazing fondly at her. They reach her apartment and she thanks him for walking her home and they part ways.

It's becomes a normal routine for Leofric to walk Freya back from her workplace every night. They become close friends and always look forward to spending time together.

One day they're chatting in front of the cafe when suddenly, "Freya!" a male voice shouts. They both turn to the sound of the voice and see a man dressed in jeans and a t-shirt heading their way "So this is why you're coming later than usual?! You're going out with other men, after all I've done for you, you ungrateful..."

Leofric punches the man in the face not allowing him finish his statement. "Stop!" Freya yells surprising him by running to where the man had fallen and tries to help him up. He slaps her hand away. "we'll meet at home" he shouts before stalking off.

"home?" Leofric thinks confused. "why did you do that!" she yells at him "he was being disrespectful" Leofric shrugs, "yeah well, that's my boyfriend, you just punched in the face, his name is Peter" she says.

"Boyfriend or not, no-one should talk to you like that" Leofric replies. "Ugh, let's just go" she says walking away, Leofric following her. They walk in silence before Freya asks if he has a girlfriend with which he replies with no.

"I find that hard to believe, are you sure you are not lying?" she questions "I'm not" he says "why do you think I am?" he asks her, "well you're good looking, who wouldn't want to date you" she replies offhandedly. "oh" he says, feeling smug and they continue walking.

That night Leofric lies distressed in his bed thinking "so she has a boyfriend, what am I thinking, of cause she would, I don't own her" he sighs before going back to sleep.

"Funny how we've been talking for a month now but we don't have each others contacts" Freya says one day when they're walking in the park. "well we just met and I didn't want to seem like a creep so I didn't ask... hey isn't that Peter?" Leofric cuts off spotting Peter, "where?" Freya says excitedly before frowning when discovering he has his arms around another girl.

Leofric pleased with what's taking place nudges her "let us go somewhere else" he suggests, "okay" she replies. At the end of the day when he walks her back to the apartment, they exchange contact.