Tragedy

Earth, 2016.

When I was a kid, I was told to study hard to get into a good school.

So I did.

They told me I have to get a good job. They decided I would become a nurse.

I helped others and saw life die and be born. My life was what they wanted and needed. However, the more I grew up, the more I realized something was wrong.

I might be sick; I don't see the world as normal people do. I never had ambitions or dreams; it's not like I asked to be born into this dirt planet.

I was raised this way, so I lived the way I needed to, yet it felt like nothing. Not wanting them to be angry with me was my only goal; it was survival in a way.

Some in the hospital loved me, others hated me to the bone, all because of how I acted. I never understood. People loved, cried, hated, and more.

Yet I could never understand it. They told me that I am sick.

My last memories were the annoying sound of chatter in the hospital, coughing, and the disinfectant smell everywhere.

I was moving a patient in a wheelchair. Today, her family was going to visit her. She chatted with me, but I only replied with a smile, not bothering to think about it.

I do remember that she was happy. Then, the ground started shaking. Slowly, fear struck the hearts of everyone, yet I wasn't included.

I moved us both next to an interior wall, then, locking her wheelchair, I took off my coat and covered her head.

Like usual, I waited for it to be over, but today it didn't stop. People started panicking and screaming, but it all felt like a blur to me.

Looking at my hands, I realized they were covered in blood.

The building moved, and chunks from the ceiling began to fall. The floor moved beneath me, throwing me to the ground.

I looked beside me at the terrified girl.

I guess I should've been better; now she will die because of me.

In the end, she wanted to live.

Darkness... that's all I felt after; it was quite calming.

I was a coward in my life. If I did want death so badly, I should've done it already.

However, I guess even I was scared of what came after, but it was relaxing. I lived my life the way they wanted, and so I deserve this.

My quiet end: I didn't do anything bad, so I am going to be happy for once. I can finally rest forever.

Yet life likes to play jokes on me. Opening my eyes, an unnatural sensation hits me. I felt like I was back in my body, yet different.

I looked down to see a stone ground. Looking up, I saw a lot of people walking around, chatting or hurrying, laughing, and in thought.

"Huh?" I couldn't help but let out a cry of surprise as I fell to the ground.

Getting up, I realized that I was holding a rather huge bag since I had lost my balance and fallen.

The confusing feeling didn't leave me, but on instinct, I got up fast and slung the bag over my shoulders, somehow knowing that someone might snatch it at any moment.

Walking, my legs knew the route automatically.

Then I looked in front of me and saw a bakery; the door had a 'Closed' sign. My hand went to my pocket, finding a key I didn't remember having. On instinct, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

I heard the bell of the door chime.

Getting inside, I went behind the counter. Seeing the kitchen, there was the smell of ash and dough. I put down the bag, which puffed out a small cloud of flour.

Automatically, I went to the bakery's door and used the key that was on me to close it. Looking at the people outside through the window, I realized that memories came flowing into my head slowly.

I was an orphan living in the streets until the old lady who owns this bakery came and took me in exchange for me helping her.

I put my hand on my head, realizing the difference between my old hair and this new one. I was now a teenager—oh, how pitiful. Living all of my life to an end, only for me to wake up again.

Life doesn't teach you without suffering, but if that suffering never ends, what's the point of being taught? Tears won't help me, nor any of those useless feelings.

All I could do was keep going and see what my fate would lead me to. But I couldn't help but let out a laugh; maybe it was at the absurdity of my situation or at the irony of fate.

Walking to the back of the bakery, I saw one room that had two beds, one to the right and the other to the left.

An old lady was sleeping in the right one, facing the wall, as she let out a small cough.

Then she turned around and looked at me, saying, "Oh, Marik, you are back?" The old lady's name was Dorothea, a lonely widow who inherited this place when she was young.

After the death of her husband, she couldn't bring herself to marry again, which made her lonely. The world didn't have mercy on her. As she grew older, her eyes became weaker until she was completely blind, yet she still takes care of the bakery.

"Yes, Ms. Dorothea, I got the flour you asked for."

She smiled, then went back to facing the wall. "You should rest; tomorrow will be long." I stood here looking at her.

Dorothea's health seemed to be declining, which is not surprising since this world is similar to a medieval one back on Earth.

I took off the shoes I was wearing and went to the harsh bed.

Why would I come to this world? It was so sudden; the memories of Marik were slowly flowing in.

This world is an undeveloped one; beasts roam the land, yet they are not really an issue since humans are the ruling race in most of the continent.

As for where I was, it was a city called Nerton. The second biggest, only to the capital, Carleone.

Marik was a lean boy with black hair and bronze eyes. He was above average in looks, but he gave off a delinquent feeling.

I am surprised at how calm I am right now, but I guess it's normal since death was more shocking to me. So this all feels like a dream...

Closing my eyes, I started to sleep.

Nerton, 1873. Dorothea's bakery.

Standing in front of the counter, I wore my work clothes as Dorothea was in the back.

Even with Marik's memories of her, seeing her work so hard with my own eyes was still impressive.

But at the same time, I can't be surprised, for as long as I've lived, I've seen the sick and the healthy. And both had the same goal: to live. This goal was ingrained into the deepest parts of humans; we all want to be happy, even if we can't.

The doorbell chimed, and a middle-aged man with a kind face walked inside. He was wearing a long coat to shield himself from the cold of winter. In one hand, he was holding a bag full of supplies that he seemed to have bought. On the other hand, he was holding the hand of a little girl who was looking around with curiosity.

This guy's name was James, a merchant who was also a regular at the bakery. Walking to the counter, he let out a small smile.

"Good morning, Marik. How's Ms. Dorothea today?" I smile back as I go to get 3 loaves of rye bread, James's usual order.

"She's doing well; it seems like her health has improved a lot." I wasn't lying.

Dorothea had been sick since Marik had known her, but lately she was better and even making extra bread every day!

"Heh, that's great. She's a kind lady; take care of her well!" James smiles. I nod as he puts the bread in the bag and hands it to him.

He looks inside his pocket to search for coins.

While he was doing that, the little girl beside him looked up at me.

Am I really that ugly?

Then I heard the sound of the coins falling on the wooden counter as James let out a small laugh.

"Don't mind her; she always looks at people she doesn't know to remember them for the future." James looked at her. "Introduce yourself, Violet."

"Ah—" She looked at her father, then at Marik, before stepping back and bowing down a bit. "Hi! Nice to meet you, sir; my name is Violet. I like flowers and storybooks, oh, also! I like monster stories."

Violet said with excitement, and James then laughed, "She's a unique girl, isn't she?"

I didn't drop my smile as I replied, "Indeed." After giving James the change, which was a few copper coins with a crown drawn on them.

The father and his daughter left the shop, and I relaxed my expression.

"..."

So this was my life; for a few weeks, I kept working. Helping Dorothea and going to the market, looking around the city. Getting used to it wasn't hard.

I was human, after all. We all strive to live, even when death seems more merciful.

One day, I was in front of the counter, reading a book I found in Dorothea's collection back in the day when she could read.

It wasn't anything special, a book about different legends. What surprised me was that its myths were mostly similar to those on Earth: ghosts, vampires, orcs, and the phoenix.

However, it was the most interesting thing here since this world has no form of actual entertainment for the middle class.

Then, the doorbell chimed in. I put the book down and put on a smile.

"Welcome! How may I help you?" However, there stood the little girl who usually came here with her father.

Violet's mouth was wide open, and tears were flowing down as she looked at me. She ran up to the counter and opened her mouth, words forced to come out of her mouth.

"P-please—my father... he's, someone is attacking him! Please help!"

The girl was young, her vocabulary wasn't rich, but I understood that something bad had happened.