Bailey

FOUR DECADES AGO ON EARTH.

Samuel slams his eyes shut and grips his chest to contain the unimaginable pain he feels. His heart raced with unutterable sorrow as he held tightly onto his chest.

Everything happened within seconds. One second she was right in front of him, and the next she was gone.

Samuel couldn't describe the pain he felt as he saw her collapse on the floor like a log of wood. Samuel acted quickly on impulse after it happened and took her to the hospital.

"I'm very sorry, but Bailey Potter is dead." Samuel's heart pounded violently against his ribcage. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Bailey? My Bailey? No, doctor, you don't know what you're talking about. I promise you, she looked fine a minute ago." Samuel's voice cracked as he spoke.

"My apologies, son; I know it's very difficult to understand. But even before you brought her here, she was dead. And the main reason it all turned out to be like this is because she kept delaying her treatment, and as a result, her condition deteriorated."

"What sickness?"

"You don't know? She had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." With a cold pat on his shoulder, the doctor left Samuel alone in misery. Stunned and overwhelmed, Samuel wondered aloud how he had not noticed the signs of the serious heart condition his lover had been struggling with.

Samuel's entire world implodes. His lover is dead. It was at this point that he realised how much the rest of the world despised him.

All through his life, he has never committed a crime that would warrant such a severe penalty. How did everything turn out like this? Samuel mused, distraught.

His pounding heartbeat drowned out the shrill sirens and Bailey's family's cries. What should he do? He lost Bailey.

"Sam...."

All he had was Bailey.

"Sam...."

Without his lover by his side, he wouldn't last a single day.

"Samuel!" His train of thought was cut short as his name was called. Bailey's older brother, Lucas, caught his eye immediately. "Do I have your attention?" Lucas inquired subtly. The young lad shocked Samuel because he wasn't supposed to be there.

Because Lucas, it turned out, passed away long ago. "How are y-" Lucas shushed him before he could say anything else. "Look, everything will be explained later, but right now I need you to do me a favour." He said it calmly.

"I don't understand how... How are you even here? Have I finally lost it?" Samuel shook his head.

"No, Samuel, I promise you haven't. The reason you can see me is because of a friend's magic. There's this world that no one knows exists, but I've been there, and that's where I met this friend. Their world is called Mujaro, and... Shit, you know what? Forget that; that's not why I came here." Samuel blinks.

"I know about the book," Lucas continued.

"What book? I don't understand you. Can you speak more clearly?" Samuel frowned, as he wasn't understanding anything Lucas was saying to him. He jumped from one word to another.

"The book you found on a camping trip when you were a small kid. I know you still have it." Lucas reveals this, shocking Samuel. "You mean the spell book? How do you know this? I didn't even know you back then," Samuel replied.

"That's not relevant. Look, I don't have enough time, so I'll get to the main reason why I've come to see you." Samuel pauses as he listens. While he thought what was happening was all an illusion, he nevertheless played along with it.

"Look, Samuel, I need you to cast a spell for me."

"Spell?" Samuel asked for clarification.

"Yes, in the book, on its last page, there is a resurrection spell written on it with a headline that says, Whoever speaks this spell, he must be determined, strong, and pure in heart. You remember it, right? Please, I need you to cast it. Only you can change this fate, so please cast the spell." Samuel was taken aback by what he heard. But in seconds, his face morphed into an angry bull. Why had Lucas waited so long to spill such nonsense? He thought to himself, infuriated by Lucas' nonchalant manner. "Lucas, your sister's dead, and you are here telling me to cast a dumb spell that doesn't even work!" Samuel raged. "Are you kidding me right now? As you see, I don't have time to play your childish games." Samuel took a step back, breathing deeply to calm his temper. Lucas looked at him pitifully. "Please believe in me, Samuel; do this before it's too late. Please just do it; I'm not going to last long in this form," Lucas said, looking down at his lower body. Samuel followed his eyes and became perplexed by what he saw. Lucas' lower body was fading in an unbelievable way.

"This is completely fictitious," Samuel said after some minutes of silence between the two. He was still digesting the fact that he was indeed having a real conversation with a dead boy.

"Samuel, please, you need to cast the spell." Lucas pleaded quietly.

After some time passed, Samuel cooled down. He knew he had nothing to lose, so he slowly nodded. He closed his eyes, concentrating deeply. When his mind became calm and clear, he breathed in and out before letting the words flow out of his mouth: "Novus orbis, vita nova, amoris nostri renascent."

Samuel couldn't deny the tingling sensation he felt.

He waited for a moment before opening his eyes, and as he looked in front of him, he noticed that Lucas was nowhere in sight. Had he imagined things? Samuel shakes his head. He then looks around and realises that the hall was deserted, everyone had disappeared, and the atmosphere was eerily quiet. This was except for the beeping noise coming from Bailey's ward.

He slowly walked towards the door, hesitating for a second before opening it. Taking a look around the room, Samuel paused. There she was, lying lifeless on the bed. And then it hit him-she was really dead. The love of his life was dead. He felt his heart (lub-dub) slowly rise as he consciously walked towards her. He sat down on a seat beside Bailey's bed. As he stared at Bailey, he noticed that she looked pale as a ghost.

After some minutes of silence, Samuel stated, "It was a shock when the doctor revealed to me you had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." "Why didn't you tell me about it, Bailey? That is the problem with you, Bailey; you never tell me anything; you always handle everything alone." Tears blur his eyes as every word escapes his lips.

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry for not being able to save you, Bailey; you... you promised to always be by my side forever." He began to cry, saying, "And now I'll never have the chance to hear your sweet voice or buy that puppy that you loved so much." He chuckled, tears dropping down his face as he reminisced.

"You know, that puppy-I planned to give it to you as a surprise on your birthday." He said it softly.

"And tomorrow... Tomorrow is your birthday, Bailey. And that was the day I wanted to propose to you. But now, it will never happen because you're..."

He bit his lips, trembling.

"Why? Why did you leave me alone, Bailey? Please return to me. Please, I will do anything." He raves incoherently as tears cascade down his face. He inches closer, locking his hand with hers, and for a short while, he feels warmth.

Samuel didn't expect what would happen next. Samuel thought whatever was happening around him was a dream. He thought the spell he cast wouldn't work, but it did.

AT the same time, in another world called Mujaro, a hooded woman chants a spell.

"Initium novum quaeris et dabo tibi vitam novam. Come, Samuel, come to me." The hooded woman clapped, and all the lit black candles surrounding her were snuffed out, leaving her in complete darkness.

BACK in Samuel's world

Instantly, the air in the hospital turned very cold, making Samuel shiver in response. He looked behind him as he felt a presence in the room, but to his surprise, no one was there. As he turns back to face Bailey, he jumps, seeing that her eyes are open and she is staring straight at him. "Bai... Ba... Bailey?" he stutters. He hesitantly extended his hands to touch her face. However, before he can, Bailey shrieks so loudly that the earth trembles. The whole building shakes like it's about to cave in.

Samuel looked up at the ceiling. His brows furrowed in alarm as his eyes widened like saucers. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. He jumps as a cold hand holds him, and as he looks down, he finds Bailey with tears in her eyes.

"Vocati estis a maga Melissa."

(Thud), Samuel collapsed...

TWO DAYS EARLIER.

Samuel's pov

I'm falling into an endless, dark pit. I didn't know how it started, but I just found myself here. I am surrounded by nothing, just complete darkness. The rush of cold air made my teeth chatter. The darkness was overwhelming. I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn't tell which way was up or down, and I was spinning out of control. I felt like I was in an abyss with no escape. There was no way out, and I felt like I was in a constant free fall. My mind couldn't make sense of anything; I was beyond terrified. My body was getting nauseated from all the spinning and turning, and I was getting dizzier by the minute.

I'm not sure for how long I've been falling, but it felt like an eternity. I felt so numb and empty. My mind was blank; I couldn't recall anything, and I don't know how I ended up in this situation. All I knew was that I wanted it all to end.

The air hit me hard, causing me to close my eyes. Through the rush of the wind, I heard someone whisper. Though I did not know what it was saying, the voice calmed me like a drug and gave me instant inner peace, as if I had been released. It felt like witchcraft. I opened my eyes, smiling, to see who it was that whispered to me in such a gentle tone. However, terror overtook my face as I saw a gigantic, hideous-looking monster. My eyes bulge with fright as it opens up, revealing its huge, razor-sharp teeth, and swallows me whole.

****

PRESENT DAY (IN A WORLD CALLED MUJARO)

"Wake up, Jeremy."

"Jeremy," An unfamiliar voice called, and I looked up, glancing at a blurry figure. I allowed my swollen eyes to adjust to the bright light seeping in through the window. When I sat up, I looked at her again, staring straight into a woman's warm brown eyes that twinkled with hope.

"Jeremy? Who's that?" I asked with a puzzled look on my face as I looked around me.

"You had an accident, so for now you won't remember anything," she explained with a smile. "Accident?" I froze up. Wait a minute, wasn't I falling endlessly into a pit just a second ago?

"Excuse me, but who are you and where am I?" I was perplexed.

"Look, like I said, you won't be able to remember anything for now, so I advise you to rest some more. Your parents will be here by..." She paused for a moment to glance at her wristwatch. "4:44," she finished.

"My... wait, did you just say my parents?" I was slack-jawed. I didn't know why her words sounded so strange to me. She chuckled at my reaction. "Yes, Jeremy, they will arrive at any time to pick you up," she said, smiling heartily. I was still in shock, but I tried not to show it. I needed to calm down to understand my situation.

After a minute of checking some files, she stood up to adjust her scrubs.

"So then, I'll take my leave, and if you need anything, press that button," she says, directing my eyes towards a red button.

"Ok," I answered shortly, and when she left, I hunched my shoulders, darting my eyes around the room repeatedly until they landed on an object.

My body was different; I felt like I just woke up in another person's body, and what is this strange feeling? I felt like a high school kid on drugs or something. I looked down at my legs. "They are so long," I muttered.

I swiftly got off the bed, swaying on my feet a little. When I was steady enough, I walked towards the only mirror in the room. When I stood in front of the mirror, I stiffened. I stared at my reflection with a cold curiosity because I didn't know who or what was standing before me. I slowly leaned forward to examine the image, and wow! What happened to me? I looked so young and had lean muscles. Taking a closer look at my face, I noticed that my eyes were light blue.

I was quite tall (about 6'2"), and my hair was strawberry blonde.

I felt so strange; it was as if every part of my memory had been wiped out completely. Although I could still recall the endless falling, I did not remember anything after that; my mind was completely blank after that.

The door immediately opened, startling me. My brows knitted as I saw who came in; it was a white-haired boy, and he looked very strange with big green eyes. And oddly, we both looked alike.

"I heard from the nurse that you woke up, but I didn't expect you to be fully healed immediately." His forehead furrowed as he examined me.

"Um, I don't mean to sound rude, but who the hell are you?" I gave him a once-over and watched as he raised an eyebrow. "I am your brother, Jade; actually, I'm your little brother, but people get confused because I'm more mature and smarter than you." He smirked, strutting towards the bed.

My baby brother? What was going on? I looked around me. Was I in another universe or something? ...

"Here, I brought you a change of clothes," he said, giving me a black turtleneck and denim jeans. I took it gladly; I was getting sick of the gown I was wearing. I watched as his eyes lit up. "Hurry up and put it on; our parents will be here any minute."

Everything he said and the way he talked to me, like we'd known each other all our lives, felt so alienating. But nevertheless, I shouldn't act out of character, so I silently nodded, getting ready to undress, but his smile quickly faded. "What are you doing?" he asked flatly. "Undressing," I replied nonchalantly, making him crinkle his nose. "That's weird; you never do that," he muttered to himself. Now I was confused. Never do what?

I didn't know where I was or who the people around me were. However, I needed to play along until I figured everything out. As a result, I had to be careful not to get into any trouble. Since the nurse told me I had lost my memories, I would use that information to my advantage and blend in perfectly.

I knit my eyebrows. "Never do what?" I asked quietly.

"It's extremely unusual seeing you suddenly shift overnight," he remarked. "Normally you'd burn the things I give you to crisp at first glance just to irritate me, then later you use your abilities to do it yourself."

When he said that I stiffened, "my abilities?" Jade scowled at my response, making me nervous. "You're acting so strange"

His eyes bore into me; I could tell that he already knew something because of the way that he was studying me intently.

Before I could make something up, his nostrils flared, causing me to tense. He leered at me with those round green eyes of his that spoke volumes. He seems to have realised that I was not who he thought I was. I gulped audibly.

"What's wrong, Jeremy?" His eyes glowed abnormally white. "You seem a little bit off." He said this,approaching me slowly. I was still thinking of a perfect response in my head as he inched closer. I took a little step backward, shaking my head at him. "No, I don't; I'm perfectly normal," I said, putting on my best poker face. "That's the problem; you're not meant to be normal."

The air around us was drastically getting colder by the second, and fear crossed my face as I noticed particles of ice forming above my head in the shape of a large spear.

"Who are you?" He asked quietly with a glowering gaze, and I quickly went pale. My eyes were glossy, and I couldn't tell if I wanted to cry or piss my pants. I flinched as tiny pieces of ice dropped on my exposed skin.

"I don't know how to-"

In an instant, the ice spear descended, and my body went stiff as if completely frozen, but as soon as the ice was about to slice me in half, it suddenly shattered into tiny pieces, scattering all over my head like tiny beads.

"...." I was puzzled. He didn't go on with it; what made him stop? I looked up at him. For a moment, I didn't know what to say; I was speechless. I watched as tears welled up in his eyes and began rolling down his cheeks like rivulets.

"Does this mean that my brother, Jeremy, is really dead?" I was at a loss for words because I didn't know how to reply to that.

"What exactly do you mean?" I asked abrasively, not quite understanding his sudden change in attitude. I expeditiously backed away as he approached; he emanated a powerful, brooding air. "You." "Do you know why your soul is in his body or how you got here?" I was bemused; his questions were simple, yet I didn't know how to answer them. I paused for a minute and watched him closely. He looked really sad, and I didn't understand why.

"I don't know; I can't recall a single thing, except for the falling part," I said thoughtfully.

"What falling part?" He urged "...." I didn't utter a word as I kept my eyes fixed on his every movement.

"Sorry for scaring you like that," he muttered. After a while had passed, he spoke again. "There are things that I need to tell you about,especially about my brother, whose body you're possessing." He walked toward the window before clearing his throat. "But before I can come to that, you can start by asking me questions if you want to." He said.

"Okay. I want to know more about where I am, how I can get my memories back, and also what my identity is in this world."I inquired.

"Do you at least remember your name?" He asked, "No." I replied, "Okay then. I don't know much, but I will try my best to explain this world to you in a way that you will be able to understand," he began.

"In this world, when someone dies, he or she gets reincarnated in another world in a new form, but I've never seen or heard of anything quite like your situation." My brows drew together. "My guess is that you didn't get reincarnated; I think your soul was summoned here by someone or something, and I don't know by what; there are so many mythical creatures lying around in this world." My ears perked up at that. "So you're telling me that every being in this world has magical abilities?"

"No, not really. I don't really know about others, but my parents are human,but they were cursed to never die, so..." He wondered

"To have immortality, that sounds pretty awful." Saying this, I leaned against the wall to rest my back. "Not everyone here has the same mindset as you. To everyone, immortality is like a blessing; you know,you get to spend an eternity with your loved ones." He frowned "Yeah, I guess you're right".

"But our parents... Jeremy I know it might sound strange to you to refer to my mom and dad as your parents, but you know you don't have any choice." I remained silent.

" Let's make a deal. I will help you find out who you really are, why you're here, and also who summoned you, if that's possible. Meanwhile, you help me by being Peterson, for the sake of my mom."

I could do that right? Pretending to be Jeremy Peterson "I don't want her to find out about this or you." I nodded my head "Could you tell me more about our parents and also about your brother?" I asked, "Okay."

"Our parents are always busy,so they're never home. I was surprised when I heard that they were going to leave their work to come see you; it never happens. As you should know, our parents' names are Diana and Paul. We are the Petersons. Diana's a lovable woman, and Paul, well, he's very observant and always curious.Mostly ninety percent of the companies all around this world are under their names." I was surprised. "Wow."

"Well, I think that's everything you need to know about them," he said with a sigh.

He was silent for a moment. "About my brother Jeremy,"