Having no other choice, Alicia picked me up, gawked at my face, close her two eyes and chewed on my tiny lips. And the whole hall erupted with commotion when she did.
"Alicia had kissed Ugly-face. Hahaha!" Betty announced.
"What's special about kissing Ugly-face? Just close your eyes and chew his lips," Alice mumbled.
"Wow!" Madam Maggie exclaimed as she turned towards Alice and asked, "truth or dare?"
I was so happy that I didn't hear Alice answer. Among the three nuns, Alicia seemed to be the most difficult for me to kiss, because she hates me with passion, and rarely gets closer to me.
'Boom!'The holographic picture suddenly popped up, and the familiar automated voice whispered into my ear, "second task achieve, perform the last task to unlock a new power, and save yourself from death and the torment of hell."
"You don't have to keep reminding me of my fate," I babble back, and the image disappeared after.
After the game of truth and dare, Mother Maggie declared the floor open, and all the nuns raced into the middle of the hall and began to wiggle their waists to the song from the speakers nearby. And it was when the sun left the sky for the stars to take over that they finally retire from their body twisting.
All my effort to come closer to Betty proved abortive, and she always ignored my bewitching smiles.But the fear of death and hell is the reason why I smile and giggle and never give up.
My chance came a few days before the deadline. I heard Alicia and Betty chattering close to my cot.
"Please, Alicia. Just do this for me, and I will forever be grateful to you."
"I can't, Betty. Only me can't give attention to fifty babies through the night," Alicia answered back.
"I know, Alicia. Let's just put all of them to sleep before I sneak out."
"If they all fall asleep, then you can go. But you must come back early and don't forget what you promised me."
"I won't, Alicia. I will bring you a nice gift," Betty answered back, giggled and let out, "we will be lodging in a room after the party, and I will have Jack for the whole night."
"Aww! Betty. You are so lucky. Good thing Alice is not around."
"Don't mind her," Betty mumbled amidst her giggling, shrugged and let out, "Alice is a hypocrite and a snitch."
"The babies ought to be sleeping by now. Let's check."
"Okay, Alicia. You are very kind and understanding."
I watched as both ladies chattered among themselves, walked into our midst and peered into our faces.
"Danny is not sleeping," Alicia let out, sighed and resumed her speech, "but don't worry, I will take care of him."
"Danny is your favourite baby and I am sure you won't mind rocking him till he falls asleep."
"Of course, I don't... Oh! Ugly-face is awake."
"Can you take care of him as well?"
"Not me, babe. I hate that baby with passion and I can't go close to him."
"Is he the only one awake?"
"Yes."
"Can I go if I sing him a lullaby until he falls asleep?"
"Sure, Betty. You can go as soon as Ugly-face fall asleep."
I smile when I realise I now have the leverage to make Betty kiss me. No matter how long she sings or dances for me, I am not ready to sleep until she kisses me.
Betty stepped closer to my cot and glared at my smiling face.
"Stop smiling, Ugly-face. I need to go and meet my lover, so you must sleep now."
"Not a chance, Betty. I won't even bat my eyes until you kiss me with that succulent lips of yours," I babble back, giggled out, and stretched my two arms towards her.
Betty snorted as she picked me up, placed me on top of her two big breasts and began to sing me a lullaby.
"Sleep, Ugly-face. Sleep, please. Anty Betty needs to go out and have fun."I ignored her pleading look, resisted her tempting breasts and keep smiling as I used her long ponytail to pull her face close to me.
"You need to sleep, Ugly-face. I don't have time to spend with you."
"Kiss me, Betty. Kiss me, and I will sleep with contentment," I babble back, pulled her hair and tried to leap at her face.
"Is he sleeping?" Alicia who had already put Danny to sleep asked.
"Not, yet. Alicia. He is just smiling like a moron."
Alicia walked closer, peeked at my face and sighed, "his face is shining like crystal. Did you think this baby has the plan to sleep tonight?"
"Help me, Alicia. Help me to take care of him."
"No, Betty. Put Ugly-face to sleep and you can go... I need to take my bath, please."
Betty glared at me when Alicia left, and if murder is not illegal, I am sure she will slay me instantly.
"I will not forgive you if I miss this chance to spend a night with Jack."
"And I won't forgive you if I die and go to hell," I babble back with my usual smile.
"Please sleep, Ugly-face. Sleep and let me take my leave."
"No, Betty. Not until you kiss me."
Betty sing for a while as she cradle me to her chest, and the evening breeze seemed to be sending me to sleep when I heard the ringing sound of a phone and I quickly pulled my eyes open.
"Hello, Betty. I am waiting for you at the car park. We need to go, it's getting too late," Jack's voice boomed from the other side of the line.
"I need to put Ugly-face to sleep before coming out. Give me some minutes, please," Betty muttered back, glanced at my face and sighed.
"Ugly face, again," Jack cried out, hissed and announced, "I will need to strangle that ugly baby whenever I have the chance."
"You won't do anything like that, Jack. I will put him to sleep and join you in the next few minutes."
"Okay, babe. I can't wait."
Betty sighed again as the call was disconnected from the other side of the line, peeked ar my face and asked, " when will you sleep, Ugly-face? This your smiles are becoming annoying."
"I will sleep when you kiss me," I babble back, and then giggled out loud.
"I think I should allow Jack to strangle you. You are becoming a thorn in my flesh."
"I don't care. I will be dead anyway," I muttered back, pulling her face closer with her ponytail, opening my mouth and looking as cute as I can.
"I think you want me to kiss you!"
"Yes, babe. That's what I want," I babble back.
"Unfortunately, I can't. The memory of your dirty habit still lingered in my mind."
"That was a mistake, Betty. Kiss me and you can go and do whatever you like with Jack. Otherwise, I will cry and wake the other babies up."
Since all my babbling fell on Betty's deaf ears, I became annoyed at her, opened my mouth wide and burst into a loud cry."Shh!" Betty put her wide palm over my mouth to hush my hysterical cry. She shakes her head in anger, frowns and lets out, "you are evil for trying to wake all the babies with your stupid cries."I ignored Betty's insult, inhale deeply and cried louder as Alicia's footsteps stepped closer to my cot."Ugly face hasn't slept yet, has he?""No, Alicia. He is crying like a banshee and trying to wake everyone up... What can I do to make him sleep?""He is pulling your face towards him with your ponytail. I think he wants you to kiss him.""Yes, Betty. That's exactly what I want," I mumbled and immediately stop my insane cry."Hmm... Did you think he will sleep if I kiss him?" Betty asked with her usual angry look."Yeah, Betty. Kiss me and I will fall asleep instantly. Otherwise-.""I am not talking to you, Ugly-face," Betty cut into my babbling, sighed when Alicia shru
I was as sad as doom after hearing that I will soon be adopted, and the thought of death and everlasting hellfire made me miserable throughout the day. "What's wrong with Ugly-face? He seemed unhappy since you took him to see Madam Maggie," Betty who seemed to notice my grief asked Alice. "I have no idea. Maybe he is sick due to his golden pupils," Alice responded, shrugged and glanced at me. "Mother Maggie said he may be adopted anytime from now." "Really? That's good news. At least we will be rid of his ugly face." "That's cruel. Don't tell me you won't miss him." Betty batted her eyes, hissed and let out, "no, I won't. Why will I miss Ugly-face?" Alice glanced at me and muttered, "he is a kind-hearted baby, and just unfortunate to be born ugly. I have grown some kind of likeness for him." "Why won't you? When you don't have a boyfriend." "Ahh!" Alice exclaimed, stepped closer to Betty and asked, "have you forgotten that we are nuns, and under the oat of celibacy and chas
My mind was busy with plans on how to suck Mother Maggie's nipple, and this seemed to rob me of my well-deserved sleep. Poor me, I tossed from one edge of my cot to the other edge through the night, and it was when the day was almost breaking that sleep finally take hold of me. My dream was filled with fire, thunderstorms and lightning. And I was soaked with sweat, despite the chilly atmosphere that is always common during this time of the year. Because I slept late, my eyes were red and still heavy with slumber when Alice picked me up and carried me into the washroom, and I nodded off as she removed my soaked clothes and pampers, and then pour hot water on my body and washed me with sponge and soap.The cries and moaning of babies boomed louder inside our orphanage hall, and this made me sigh with annoyance at their unnecessary whimpers. 'I need a silent place to brood on my task. But it seemed this baby won't allow me to enjoy the peace I so much desire,' I whimpered to myself a
I was in a deep sleep before the service came to an end, and it was when I was laid in my cot at the orphanage hall that I opened my two golden eyes and peered around. After several yawning to attract the attention of my chaperones, I burst into uncontrollable howling and then moaned loudly when Alice hurried closer to my cot and peered at my face."Why are you crying, Ugly-face?" Alice asked as she picked up my feeding bottle, prepared my baby meal and began to feed me."Thank you, Miss Alice," I mumbled, gulped down the cereal and smile to ease her furious face."I will be taking you for a medical check-up today, and I hope your health is not threatened and you won't be admitted to the hospital," Alice mumbled as she peered into my golden eyes."Can't it wait till tomorrow? I need to suck Madam Maggie's nipple tonight," I babble back.Since Alice didn't understand my babbling, she brought me closer to her breast and began to sing me a lullaby. And then danced to rock me back to sle
I waited for a moment, and it was when I heard Mother Maggie's snore that I crawled out of the under of the bed frame and stood on my two legs.To me, Mother Maggie is not pleasant to the eyes. Not as beautiful as I was in my former life. Because she doesn't appeal to my eyes, the thought of sucking her breast doesn't arouse me. Not the way the memory of kissing Alice always does. 'Just suck her nipple and hide under the bed frame until tomorrow morning," I mumbled to myself, smiling at the sight of the naked woman on the mattress in my front, walked closer and then leapt onto the tall bed."Ouch!"I quickly used my two palms to cover my mouth as I groaned in pain. Out of excitement, I had leapt at the mattress and then bruised my knee on the wooden frame.'Grr... Grr!'Mother Maggie's snore become louder as the binding pain from my knee subsidized, and I promptly laid closer to her breast, placed my palm on the nearest one and began to search for her nipple."Hmm!" 'Don't wake now,
In truth, crying is part of my strength. The whole hall became alive when I burst into a scream, and I can hear some of the babies as they stirred awake and joined my hysterical noise. "Shh, Ugly-face. Did you want to wake all the babies with your cry?" Betty asked as she hurried closer to me, pushed Jack off her way and let out," it's okay. Nobody is attacking you, so keep your mouth shut." Jack glare at me and let out, "you can't escape your fate, Ugly-face. I will kill you whenever I have the chance." "Go to hell, Jack," I hissed out, stretched my two arms towards Betty, and then grinned with contentment when she picked me up and carried me towards my cot. "Go now, Jack. I don't want our colleagues to meet you here." Jack promptly sneaked out of the hall, and I was left alone. Moments later, a holographic image appeared, and the automated voice boomed out. "Congratulations once more. You have achieved the second mission, and now have a year of survival." "I hope you guys wer
I had been to Mother Maggie's office before, but this time around, her office was more silent than usual as I stepped inside. On the director seat sat Mother Maggie, and two gentlemen sat on the two cushions in her front. And three cups of hot tea were placed in front of each of them. All eyes darted at me as I walked inside, and the two gentlemen grinned among themselves. "Welcome, Ugly-face. Meet Mr Cameron and his spouse. They want to adopt you as their son," Mother Maggie announced, picked up her cup of tea, sipped it and then let out, "I hope you will be a good child and won't give them any reason to regret this decision." Mr Cameron was a tall and huge man with a chest as wide as a barrel. He is dressed in an impeccable white suit and pants, and he turned towards me with a fixed smile and let out, "hello, young man. How are you?" I ignored him, hissed and blink my eyes rapidly. "I thought you said he can talk?" Cameron asked with a confused look. "Yes, I can," I answered
After my failed adoption plan, I was ignored by the nuns and Mother Maggie, and I was left alone to whimper in nervousness. My fear was my incoming task, and the fear of this unknown seemed to be robbing me of my joy. At last, Alice notices my sad mood, and she sat close to my cot and peeked into my face."You have been quiet for the while. Are you sick?"I shake my head sideways to signify no, glanced at Alice's homely face and close my eyes feigning to be dozing. "I know you are not sleeping, Ugly-face. You can talk to me, you know?"I know I can talk to Alice. She had been nothing but friendly to me since I arrived at this orphanage home. Yet still, my predicament is the one that I had to solve in silence. I mean, how will I explain to her that I was reincarnated, and needed to achieve some task to stay alive and escape hell?"I am talking to you, Ugly-face.""I'm okay.""You are not.""I want to be left alone," I muttered when Alice keeps bothering me, and I frown my face as she
Thanks to Nana's timely arrival, Brown would have snuffed the life out of me. I picked up my gadgets and ran out of his room in fright. "What is wrong with Jasmine? He looked like someone who saw a ghost," Nana asked as I hurried past her. "He is a strange baby. We were having a chat when he heard your voice and scurried out. I thought he was on his way to meet you." "No. He almost collided with me and he ran off before I asked him what is wrong." Without waiting for Brown's answer, I ran as fast as my tiny legs could carry me, arrived at my room and banged the door after. 'He knew that I am after information. What should I do now?' "Hey, System. Are you here with me?" The holographic image appeared instantly, and the automated voice sounded after. "Yes. I am here with you." "I already copied all his information into a USB Drive. I need the mail to them too." "Good. The entity in charge of exposing him will message you soon. You can forward all the information to him." I
My chance came a day later. Brown returned home drunk and slept through the day, so I sneaked into his room, replaced my laptop and my phone with his own, and scrambled into my room. 'All I need is some minutes to access this laptop. I am sure I will get all the necessary information if I can hack his mail.'"Hey, Jasmine. What are you up to?"Mary's voice jolted me out of reverie, and I promptly frown my face and answered back. "None of your business. I have something important to check online, so I suggest that you go away.""You are a weird baby, Jasmine. A baby of your age ought to be obsessed with cheaper toys, and not expensive gadgets.""Thank you, now go away."I quickly locked my door and get to work. Each time is precious and should not be wasted. Brown can wake up any moment from now. Since I don't know Brown's password, I pressed the forgotten password button, received the code on his phone, and then log into his mail. In a few minutes, everything was copied into a USB
The drive from the government reserve area to the centre of the City takes almost an hour, and I peeked through the car window as she raced through the crowdy community. Despite my pilgrimage around the world, I was surprised that I had never visited any of the cities around here. And the fact that I was reincarnated on the other side of the earth made me despise the entity that sent me here.'The system promised that I can see anyone I wish. Should I ask to see my mother?'I wonder if she is still alive. Wonder if she still hated me, and wish she had grown old with no one to cater for her. Indirectly, my mother was responsible for my death. She was the one who always tell me that I am not good enough, not beautiful enough. And it was her negative words that made me lose the belief I had in myself. Even when the money is flowing in, and I have thousands of suitors seeking my hands for marriage, I still believe I can be more appealing, and richer. I wasn't satisfied because I want
Thinking about Alice and her mysterious disappearance robbed me of a well-deserved night of rest, and it was when the day is about to break that I finally drifted to the dream world. As usual, my dreams were filled with demons and hell, and I woke up with a scream and a horrific look. "Good morning, Jasmine. You must have been dreaming."I opened my eyes, smiled to welcome my foster mother, and then rolled to the edge of the bed and let out, "Yes, Nana. I was having a bad nightmare. Is it daybreak already?"Nana giggled, pointed at the reflective sliding glass and let out, "Stand up lazy bone. The sun is about to come out.""Ouch. I feel weak and exhausted," I muttered, stretched my arms and yawned out loud. "Where is Brown?""He is getting dressed up for work, and he will be going without me.""Why is he in a hurry? You always drive out at the same time.""Yes, Jasmine. I have a presentation at a university in another state, and then another presentation at a seminar. I won't be bac
The following day was the worst since I was born, torn between my loyalty to my new family, and my dependency on the system, I was unable to decide my next step of action. 'How will I get the documents needed to convict Brown for exploiting and using illegal immigrants?' I asked myself aloud and then moaned softly when I realized that no answer is forthcoming. I wish I can eat my cake and still have it. I want to achieve the special mission, and then save my family from the impending shame and punishment.Realising I have to forgo one for the other, I sighed, shrugged and shakes my head at my resolution. I have no choice but to stand for truth and fairness. If Brown had been using illegal immigrants, then he must be punished for his crime. My emotions can stay aside. I was lost in thought through the daytime, and my wandering mind denied me the pleasure of sleep afterwards. As soon as the sun peeked in the sky, I leapt out of my bed, stepped out of my room and arrived at Brown and
After failing to find her among the new intake of the high schools in Barbados, I decided to track her through her phone number. It was an easy trick. One that I had done several times in my previous life. All I need to do is to send a spam message to her line, and the moment she opened it, her location will be visible to me. Unlucky for me, I don't have her phone number, and worse of all, I don't have a phone. Realizing that I will have to wait until Nana comes back, I stood up and went to my room, and I was enjoying the breeze from the Air Conditioner as I lay on my king-size bed.Perhaps the system senses my restlessness or just a sheer coincidence, I was surprised when the circle of light appeared beside me, and the automated voice boomed out."Host found, merging activated... I checked for hours before finding you. Barbados is such a large city.""Sorry, pal. I was about to summon you when you appeared. I hope finding me is not much trouble for you.""Yes it is, but never mind.
'Boom.' 'Where am I?' The room was painted white, the roof made with a white POP, and the floor perfected with impeccable white tiles. And when I caught sight of the white bed cover, white duvet, and my white nightgown, I burst into tears. 'Where am I?' Despite achieving my task, the system had betrayed me, and now I am dead and back in heaven. 'Of course, that is the only reasonable explanation -. But wait, how did I die?' I hopped down from the bed, walked towards a white-framed standing mirror, and then gawked at the image standing in my front. 'Oh my gosh! I am not dead." From my experience during my time in the gathering of the dead and purgatory, I discovered that the soul of a human doesn't possess a human shape, but looks like a ball of light. Luckily for me, the image before I possessed an oblong shape head, big golden eyeballs and a weird-shaped mouth. 'If I am not dead, then where am I?' I frown, put my right folded palm on my chin and look lost in thought. 'I w
"We heard you get adopted, and the driver of your new family is on the way to pick you up.""Oh, What a lucky baby!""Hey, Alicia. Did you hear that his foster parents were rich and influential?""Geez! How lucky you are, Jasmine.""Let him breathe. All of you are now acting like his friend because of his good fortune.""Enough, Betty. We all know you are his greatest adversary."I watched as the nuns fussed over me, smiled when they all struggled to dress me up, and then sighed when Betty carried me like a crate of eggs, hurried out of our washroom, and caresses me as she walked towards Mother Maggie's section of the villa. "Put me down and let me work with my legs. Why are you treating me like fragile materials?"Betty ignored my pleading, and with her free hand, she jerked Mother Maggie's office door open and stepped inside. "Here he is, Mother. Don't he look cute?""He sure did. You can seat down, Betty," Mothed Maggie mumbled. She stretched her hand towards a young, good-lookin
Agatha didn't bring me more chicken as she promised. Rather, she keeps avoiding me. Since I don't care, I ignored her and the rest of the nuns, spend my days on the grassland, and never bothered to make a friend with any of the orphans. After what seemed like weeks of living a lonely life, I eat my grub which keeps reducing as I grow older, took some glass of juice, stepped out of the orphanage hall, and then walked toward my sanctuary. "Hey, come here, Ugly face," one of the bullies of the orphanage shouted at me and then waves his hand as a sign for me to walk close to them. Since I am not in the mood for chit-chat. I ignored them, hissed and change the direction of my movement. A moment later, the three of them raced closer and stood in my front. "Johnny. I don't have the time for your pranks this morning, please excuse me.""Stay there, Ugly-face. We have some questions to ask you," Benny announced. "What questions?""Where did you see the chickens, sweet and biscuit that we