Those scientists that discovered that you are conscious even after five minutes of death were right!I died a few minutes ago, and I can still see the doctors, nurses, friends and well-wishers as they shake their heads, gawked at me and began to humiliate my dead body. Unknown to them, I was seating at the edge of my bed, peeking at my stationary body, and hearing all the bullshit they were saying after my death.My eyes darted around the room and fell on Leah who had been my childhood friend, and also the one to hoodwink me into the surgery. And I was shocked when she hissed and let out, "vanity upon vanity... Despite her beauty and fame, so sad she wasn't contented and had to die during a buttocks enlargement surgery.""Jasmine is filled with self-importance, and the fact that she won the contest as the most beautiful lady in the world made her lose her head," Jesica who is the third of our team announced, hissed and smack her wide lips, and then resumed her speech, "I wish she rot
My environment is warm, and the liquid around me made me believe I was inside an ocean. But during all my earthly sojourn, I have never heard of a warm ocean. I tried to open my eye, but it appeared it was glued together, and none of the parts of my body respond to the instruction from my brain.'What's is happening to me?' I asked in total resignation to my condition and was about to drift into unconsciousness when a large hand jerked me by my two legs and began to pull me out."Let me go, please," I cried out, then tried to escape the hard grip. Realising fighting against the hand is useless, I sighed and relax my body, then looked shocked when I was pulled through some warm flesh, into a blinding light."Hooray!""It's a baby boy!""But why is he very ugly?""Ahh, That's cruel. You should have congratulated the mother first.""Cut the placenta and stop gawking at a newborn baby!""I'm so happy for the safe delivery, doctor. This boy had given us a tough time since yesterday night
As the ugliest baby in the orphanage home, I was the least of the nun's favourites. They cleaned my soiled pants once a day, feed me last, and never sing me a lullaby as they usually do with other babies. And this made me the saddest baby inside the Calvary orphanage home.Since I hardly smile and never laugh, other babies avoid me like plague, and I learnt to be my companion in a few days of my existence. "Who will bathe Ugly-face? He had been making that horrible sound since morning!" Alice who seemed to be the only nun who is indifferent towards me asked when I didn't stop crying because of my soiled pant. Alicia who hated me and never hide the fact answered back, "I have chills whenever I stepped near him, please attend to him yourself.""Come and attend to ugly-face, Betty."Alice called another open enemy of mine to attend to me, but she shakes her head and mumbled, "I can't, Alice. I always have nightmares whenever I touch him."Alice seemed to be angry when the other two nu
All my efforts to kiss the three nuns failed and the fear of death and being thrown back to hell made me keep trying.Yet, it seemed my best is not enough to accomplish my targets. Since I have been told that smiling is my greatest strength, I always make sure it's planted on my ugly face daily. A few months before I clock a year old, one of the babies in the orphanage home was celebrating its second birthday anniversary, and a party was arranged to mark the day. As expected, our large hall was thoroughly cleaned and decorated with balloons, purple linen and ribbons, and impeccably white chairs were arranged in a line. "We need to make all the babies look good because of the dignitaries that will be visiting us today," Mother Maggie who is the head of all the nuns announced as she stepped into the midst of several babies, peeked at each of us, and halted at my cot, and then mumbled, "Ugly-face seemed not to be changing despite various creams and medication given to him."All nuns
"Betty, wait!" Alicia cried out, stepped closer, placed the baby in her hand inside a bathing bowl and stood with arms akimbo and then let out, "I just want to be sure you are kissing him... And also note that I will have your weekly allowances if you failed to kiss him."Betty smiled, shrugged and mumbled, "it's a deal. Now watch me as I kissed his pink lips.""That's my babe," I mumbled and smiled broader. "He is not bad when he smiles... Have your first kiss, Ugly-face," Betty announced, giggled, close her eyes, and brought me close to her lips, and then, the most horrible thing happend.It was for an instance, the nastiest you could ever imagine. It started a cough, followed by loud sneezing, and mucus flew out of my nose and mouth, and then splashed on Betty's face."Holy Madonna! What the hell is this?" Betty opened her eyes when something liquid splashed on her face. And when her fingers touch something sticky, all hell broke loss.'Gush! What a dirty and ugly baby.""Hahaha.
As soon as Alice's lips touched mine, a ding-ding sound boomed beside me, and I turned and peeked at the holographic display in the air."Congratulations! The first section of the mission is accomplished. Few more days to complete the remaining two sections."I ignored the message from the system, suck on Alice's lips as if my life depended on it, and then yelled louder when she pulled me away."You see... He is not that bad when you close your eyes," Alice mumbled as she held me close to her chest, she peered at me, then at the two nuns in her front and asked," hope you both agreed that I won the bet, and your weekly wages belong to me?""Yeah, sure. Enjoy yourself," Betty answered back, hissed and announced, "I hope you won't be traumatised whenever you remember kissing him.""Damn you, Betty. You almost kissed me some moment ago," I said with a smiling face. The three ladies keeps conversing among themselves, while I still glowed from Alice's kiss. As the most beautiful among the
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
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
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