Chapter 5 Re-embodiment vista

In the final moments of Simon's coma, his soul was transcended into the spirit world. However, his brain, still functioning, interpreted the world around him as a series of dreams. He would whoosh with each new scene, and it would look as if his soul was being transported from one unfamiliar territory to another.

He saw a dark-skinned lady who sat idly on a rock. She wore creamy silk nightwear. She seemed entirely lost in the view of the turquoise blue ocean underneath the silvery moon and starry skies. Firewoods burned brightly in different parts of the beach that assisting with the glow of the night. The crackling sound of burning woods, the sounds of water patting the rocks, and the ringing of wind chimes filled the air. There was a guy with blue hair approaching the lady from behind. He was cladded in a casual light blue tee-shirt that accentuated his hair. He wore a pair of white shorts with black and white croc slippers. His steps were orderly and light.

"Hello, Steph," called out the guy softly. His voice was unexpected! She jerked, almost lost her balance, but then she steadied herself and turned.

"Oh! My love! You startled me," she said. She made adjustments for him on the rock, creating a space for him to sit beside her. "Baby, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't get some rest," he said, taking the space offered. "But I guess we're both here for the same reason."

"Which is?" she said, curling her arm around his waist. "I'm not feeling restless."

"Not that," he remarked softly. He placed his arm over her shoulder. "To appreciate nature. I bet neither of us wanted a distraction."

She smiled a gay smile, "You know me all too well!"

"But you see, you're a work of art! Nature doesn't even begin to compare with your beauty."

"That's a really huge compliment coming from you. You know I adore nature so much," she said.

Simon was watching the both of them talk. He circled around them, but they did not notice his presence. He tried to touch them, but an invincible force repelled his hands. He was surprised and watched them with a newfound curiosity. Who were they? He wondered. Where in the world was he? He called out hello severally, but they did not hear him. He saw a rock next to them and sat down on it as he continued watching the duos converse.

"I haven't even started," Simon said as he pulled her closer. "You've no idea what a compliment sounds like."

"Then you should start," she said, giggling.

Shane's tone dropped as he spoke, "The day I first saw you, I was restless just thinking about you. I felt hopeless. I thought about how yet again, I'll be the rejected one who has fallen in love. I never knew you would become the angel I have dreamed of all my life. I felt perhaps, like every other girl, you would see me as the guy who was too nice. You wouldn't want to hurt my feelings by saying yes to me.

"You remember that first day? I wished we could spend more time together, where the view wasn't as important as the person. Well, the view isn't important now. Nature doesn't begin to qualify when placed side by side with you. You are the only view that matters in my world. My wish has been granted, as I can now interrupt your view, but unfortunately, time has betrayed me."

He smiled a sad smile.

"For a guy who is on a clock walk, you sure waste plenty of time talking," she said, heaving a sigh. "So, are you going to talk all night, or do you want to kiss me?"

"I've never kissed a girl before. I'm not sure you'll like-"

She brought her palm to his face, cupped his chin, and said, "You don't need always to feel embarrassed when admitting something to me. I love your honesty. Kissing is not rocket science, you know."

She brought her lips to his, allowing hers to brush his slowly and teasingly. She planted soft pecks on his lips. She used her lips to part with his. His mouth opened for hers. She placed her other palm on his other cheek. She directed his head to tilt left sideways just a bit. She tilted her head slightly to the right. She caught his upper lips with her teeth and held them softly before releasing them.

She pulled away momentarily and said, "Just go with the flow. If I kiss your upper lips, you'll kiss my lower lips, and then we switch positions. Just follow my pace, capish?"

She did not care if he understood. She began kissing him right away, and he was responding equally well. Before either of them realized it, they were already locked in a french kiss. To Simon, it felt like he was watching a telenovela. Then suddenly, like someone had skipped the scene, he felt himself whoosh into another day. The night with starry skies had metamorphosed into an early morning. The rocks were now somewhere behind him, and he found himself standing on the ocean's shores. The guy with the blue hair was standing there too. He pulled his sneakers, set them aside, and glanced around. Hypnotically, the guy began to walk into the ocean. He was going too deep. Simon realized what was about to happen. He was watching a moment of suicide. His instincts to help kicked in. Simon ran toward the boy, and suddenly a vortex swallowed him up! He felt himself traveling light-years ahead.

Simon stood transfixed on the island he had now found himself in. He looked around him, and for a while, all he saw were tall trees, then he saw some ancient-looking men cladded in leaves. They were seated as though meditating on something. Although terrified, Simon's legs seemed to consider it best to move toward the strangers. He could now see what the men had been staring at. In their midst, a body lay frozen on the floor. At this point, Simon could feel himself wanting to wake up. Then all of a sudden, he collapsed again. The oldest-looking person amongst the men spun his head around!

"You there!" he said, his voice surprisingly filled with tremendous power for an old man. "Come and sit down for a while."

Like a character in a game, once again

Simon moved like he was being controlled.

As he sat, he said, "So you mean you can see me?"

"We all can see you, Simon Solomon," the older man replied.

"Wait! How do you know my name? Where am I? What is happening?"

They all pointed their fingers towards a signpost.

Simon read it, "The terra firma of no return? What the hell does that mean?"

The older man heaved a sigh, "It means you are in the spirit world."

"Bullshit!"

Simon got up. He started walking, but before he could take his eight steps, he felt himself whoosh right back and was seated amongst the men again.

"What type of magic is this?" Simon demanded angrily.

"Magic?" The older man grinned. "Not magic. This is the periphery between physicality and spirituality. You are simply transcending from one astral plane to another."

"So am I. Am I dead then?"

"Dead," the man seemed to consider the word. "Technically, you're unconscious. Your body is functioning at an all-time low. Every organ in your body is failing as your soul is here."

"Then, then send me back, please," Simon knelt and grabbed the old man's hand.

"So here's the thing!" said the old man. He snapped his thumb and middle fingers, and Simon once again found himself looping back in time as he seated. "This boy's spirit is not yet ready for the spirit world. His karma is so good that he has earned the right to resurrection or re-embodiment. He can't be resurrected. His body is cancerous, and as you saw earlier, it drowned. Oh, I forgot this is his natural look."

"Isn't my karma good enough? Why can't I resurrect?" Simon asked, sensing a foul play.

The old man responded patiently, "No, your soul is just not qualified. You have no strong reason to go back. Here is the deal, Simon, this soul needs a body, and your body needs a soul. Your soul can not make it back to your body. Your body, however, matches the weight of this soul. The merge will be perfect.

"However, you can not tell anyone about it, the reincarnation process, I mean. If you do, there will be grave consequences, not just the fact that you will surely die and that time it will not be a matter of technicality but finality."

"So," Simon swallowed hard. "It's already decided then, and what if I refuse?"

"You will die, and the opportunity will simply be passed on to someone else."

"Do it! I'm in. Anything but death, please," Simon said. The man snapped his fingers, and there was darkness.

There were scrambled lights, soft footsteps, things clattering, and voices. He felt disoriented. He tried to lift his head, but a force resisted him. No! I accepted the deal! Let me back into reality, you bastards! He could hear himself say but the words simply did not escape his mind.

"Just relax," a man said, and it was not the old man's voice.

"Simon," he heard a familiar lady's voice.

"Simon, it's me, Simone, your sister. Can you open your eyes? It's okay to look again."

Simon's eyes opened, and he saw for a moment only shapes hung over him. The man in white was telling the others to give space so he could breathe. Then the shapes formed faces, the man in white was unfamiliar. However, he saw three familiar faces.

"Mom, dad, Simone?" he said, feeling surprised he knew these people.

"Oh my gosh!" Simone shrieked, giving him a hug. "You remember us; that's a good thing!"