I died?

I was sitting on a bench. Probably because I know what's to come, I just stayed there, eating the pork buns I bought off near a convenience store. 

"Bland"

I can't taste it anymore, it was…. Tasteless. I looked at the dimly lit road and breathed carefully. 

"Haha.. I'm pretty sure I already gave all the inheritance money and my college notes to her…"

I stood up, finished the bun and started walking. The road is empty as it's late at night. As I was immersed in peace when walking I got hit by a bike. Who was sliding akira style. 

"Wha—"

Thankfully it instantly killed me, no pain at all. But that wasn't all. I was soon placed in a white space. 

"uh… is this hell?"

[Not quite]

"OH MY GOD!!"

[Yes, it's me]

"It spoke again!"

[Hello Hirohito Kenneth]

"Uh… hey?"

[I'm terribly sorry about your situation about your life, although your story was one of many I can assure you that your choice was the right one]

As it said those words, it's not hard for me to guess that it's a god before me. 

"So… you're truly God?"

[Yes]

It said calmly, the voice is directly speaking in my head, as if I'm talking to my own mind. 

"Oof… well am I going to hell?"

[There is no such concept of Hell… nor Heaven. Everything goes Into a full cycle, a reincarnation and death. That's how it is]

"So it's close to Buddhism huh"

[Quite]

Talking to the god before me makes me feel at ease, it feels like I wanted to be here forever. The peace and tranquility makes me euphoric. 

[I'm sorry but your previous story was done, it's time for your second one]

"C-can I just stay in here? P-please?"

Alarmed I spoke softly as if begging, the peace I felt in here won't amount to any pleasure I felt back when I was alive, no. Not at all. 

"I-i don't know what my soul's worth but please let me stay here..!"

[I'm sorry, But I can't. As it will defy natural law]

It's saying that I can't stay in here no matter what, I could understand that but still the peace I feel here is addicting! Even though my body is gone I wanted to be here. 

[Then I have a proposal]

"Yes?"

[You could live peacefully but I could choose your world]

As if reading my mind—no it did read my mind. Yes! I would like to have this kind of lifestyle. I would like to let go of everything I had in the past and live anew! 

"Please… Then!"

[Hirohito Kenneth is no more, please.. Live a life the way you want it. You deserve it]

As if pulling me away I saw the white space disappear till I woke up. I was laying down in a dirty alley. Bruised and tattered, I remember my first life— or as the god said probably one of many. 

Since it's a cycle of Reincarnation. I probably had other lives. I just forgot it. 

Well it didn't matter. 

"Ah! Mothers waiting!"

I looked at the garbage dump that was on the same alley. A half uneaten bread! I grabbed it and ran. 

The slums was an area familiar to me, but not only that, 

Carefully opening a worn down wooden door and looking inside the cold narrow room, what was before me was my mother who was in ragged clothes but when she saw me she was smiling.

"Samuel!"

"Mom!"

In this world I… I have my mother. And that's all I need, if this is peace then I'm fine with it. 

I ran up to her with my three-year-old legs and gave her my bread. Her abdomen was big but not because she is fat. 

"Oh… is this bread for your little sibling?"

I nodded happily, when I showed my teeth it was missing a tooth. 

"When did you lose your tooth?"

"ah!"

I can't tell her the kids took the potato bread I found and beat me up. 

"I slammed myself against the wall running here!"

"Really?"

She asked suspiciously as she raised her brow, but then I declared. 

"Really!"

My mother has black hair and dark eyes which I took after, she looks skinny, she really can't fend for herself.

It makes me angry as the father I have in here was a complete bastard, he hits mother whenever he's drunk and only makes mother do jobs that makes her uncomfortable. 

Well it doesn't matter, last month I took the chance and killed him, how? I picked up a ton of mushrooms in the forest, crushed them and placed them on water. 

As I have knowledge of my past life. I took some blueberries and crushed them, making some blueberry juice. Added with toxic mushrooms. 

Then I made sure to make my timing right. I showed it off to mom and made some noise, the bastard came in the house and grabbed it away from me. 

He drank and wouldn't you know it, three days later he died. And I'm the only one who knows why. 

"Okay, let's eat Samuel~"

I shook my head. 

"I'll find more for me, you and baby eat!"

I lightly patted her stomach. 

"How thoughtful of you Samuel"

She patted my head with a smile, I smiled with a bit of blush on my innocent cheek

"Alright I guess me and Anna would eat first"

"mm! Mm!"

I nodded approvingly before I patted her stomach again and left the house. 

"I'll be back mom!"

The slums are on the outermost part of the city, so it won't be hard to go near the forest. 

As I walked through the cold soil of the forest I started foraging. From edible mushrooms that I know and some edible berries. 

I have watched deer eat the same thing so it won't be bad to eat them too! Using my ragged shirt as a storage, I quickly went to the nearby river and started washing my clothes along with the berries and mushrooms I have. 

I can't stay here for long, it's dangerous as animals also roam the area. I immediately went back after cleaning for a bit. I made sure to avoid people as they may take it away from me. 

After coming home I placed down the berries and mushrooms I have beside mom, I quickly ran up to the door and closed it. 

"Mom, let's eat!"

"Oh~"

She smiled beautifully even though she's flesh and bones. I made sure she got more than enough meals, the bread isn't going to cut it. 

We ate together, I ate slowly as my mother also taught me manners. At the end of the meal my mouth and my fingers are purplish blue. 

"Woah"

"Oh wash yourself Samuel"

My mother always managed to cleanly eat even though we both eat with our hands. With my straight posture I stood up. 

"I'll wash off, I'll be back!"

"Okay~"

I walked my way back to the forest where there's a river, the only cleanest water source I could find. 

It wasn't bad walking here, it gave me a childhood that I liked. The atmosphere makes me somehow happy. 

But the moment I came back to the house mother wasn't there, but only a trail of blood. 

"mom?"