Author Becomes Character

Chapter 2: Family

Rattle rattle*
Rattle rattle*

Thinking about those two cute boys makes me excited to grow up. I've never had siblings before, but I've always admired those who did. Siblings grow up together, they tease and argue, but they still love and care for each other. Maybe, just maybe, if I had siblings in a past life, I wouldn't have felt so sad and lonely.

Oh before I forget, I am a girl by the way

Don't even ask me how I came to that conclusion. I'd like to forget about those humiliating memories.

Anyway, back to the subject of how I came up with my name. Every time they see me, they kept saying this word.

Are you curious what my name is?

Drum roll, please

ANYA

That wasn't exactly thrilling, was it? In any case, a lot has occurred in the last several months.

One day, as I was quietly sucking on my pacifier, I heard a booming voice, a man with a thick, deep voice. By the way, it's strange how their voice can reach up into my room despite the fact that all the doors and windows are shut.

Anyway, judging on the tone of his voice, he sounds excited and joyful.

My mother snatched me up and carried me out of the room as soon as she heard the mysterious man's voice.

Stepping out of that room for the first time, it hit me: we're not just in any old place; we're in a fancy house, maybe even a castle straight out of a storybook. Before we even reached the main door, we wandered through a maze of halls, stairs, and corridors—all covered in fancy red carpets.

Now, red carpets? They're famously tricky to clean, especially in the old days before vacuum cleaners were invented. But as we strolled along them, I couldn't miss the excitement in my mom's eyes. It was like she was a different person, trading her usual calmness for a giddy energy that matched the grandeur of our new home.

I think I have an idea of who this man is

As we descended the steps, we reached the grand double doors, likely the main entrance. Standing there was a remarkable sight: a tall, silver-haired man with piercing blue eyes and broad shoulders. He seemed surprised at our arrival, but as we approached, delight lit up his eyes.

With tenderness, he gently took me from my mother's arms. Tears shimmered in the corners of his eyes as he looked at me closely. Upon further inspection, I couldn't help but think he was the most captivating man I had ever seen!

A warm smile graced his lips, and I couldn't contain my own joy, returning his smile eagerly. His eyes welled up once more, on the brink of spilling over with tears again.

Is that what they call diamond tears?

Is this what a family is supposed to be like? Is this how they typically react when they see their children?

I can't quite recall how it felt back then, to have a family who eagerly awaited my return.

Perhaps this is why I turned to reading and writing novels when I was still on Earth. It was a way to escape the harsh reality of being alone in the world, with no one by my side.

As warmth enveloped me, I found myself lost in thoughts of my past life.

My father's embrace and words enveloped me, though I couldn't understand what he was saying. Still, his happiness and contentment were evident, so I nestled closer into the curve of his neck, seeking to soak in the warmth.

Now that I'm here, I'm determined to cherish this newfound family.

I'll do everything in my power to shield Anya from the trials of my past.

I refuse to disrupt the warmth and happiness of this family.

How else could I be so fortunate? This might truly be a gift from above.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

It's the middle of the night, and I woke up again.

I fell asleep shortly after meeting my father, so they returned me to my crib.

I was gazing about for anything I could see with my limited neck muscle strength. I then observed something crawling on the ceiling, and as I tried to adjust my eyesight to see what it was, all of my baby hair sprang up and I shook violently.

The creeping figure emerged, resembling a hairless human with a tail as long as its grotesquely thin, skeleton-like body. Its dark brown skin appeared charred, and the most terrifying aspect was its grin, stretching from ear to ear. Its crooked teeth were exposed, and its eyes bulged wide, as if they were on the brink of bursting from their sockets, all while it fixated its gaze on me.

I instinctively closed my eyes.

I was trembling hard,

yes, imagine a baby trembling!

I was scared I can't get its face out of my head.

I tried opening my eyes again after a few minutes thinking that maybe, I was just dreaming.

yes, I know I'm so stupid

And yes, I regret it, why?

The creature loomed before me, its grotesque face mere inches from mine, locking eyes with me as it grinned maniacally. Its chapped lips stretched unnaturally wide, almost consuming half of its face in a sickening smile. And then, with a voice that sent chills down my spine, it spoke. Each word dripped with a sinister undertone, sending shivers racing down my spine and filling the air with an aura of dread.

I began screaming and shouting at the top of my lungs, even though I couldn't comprehend the creature's words. Suddenly, a bolt of light shot out and struck the menacing figure squarely in the head.

The lights in the room flashed on, and the crawling creature remained above me but was now decapitated.

I cried even harder because its blood was dripping down on me.

I saw my father, who appeared outraged, and my mother rushed to me moments afterwards.

Father used some unseen force to blow the crawling figure out of my crib, and mother took me, in her arms and embraced me.

I have no recollection of what happened or why the frightening creature died; all I remember is screaming my lungs out till I passed out from weariness.

And that's the story of how I first discovered that humans can use magic in this world.