Somewhere on the American continent

He was struck down twice. The first time, when he heard the whispering husky voice echoing in his head. The second time, when he could not dodge his opponent who tackled him to the ground. He stayed laying on his back a few seconds before a helping hand appeared in front of him.

“Are you alright boy?” Asked a man wearing a stripped cap

“Yes coach, all good.”

The man ticked something off on the writing pad he was holding.

“What happened? You could totally have avoided him.”

“Dunno, I got distracted I guess.”

“You better not be distracted on Saturday. We have a game to win.”

After helping out to tidy up the gear, the young man headed to the locker room to get changed. Thirty minutes later, he walked toward his second-hand car and sat in it, not directly starting the engine. He rubbed his eyes, still thoughtful about the voice. He did not hear the full message. Suddenly, he froze uneasy. He felt his own mind had been invaded. The voice was back again to deliver its message.

“Here are the rules…soul collected…reincarnation.”

When the voice shut, the young man was covered in sweat, his hand restraining his heart as it was trying to escape from his chest.

“I need sugar. I have low blood pressure right now… that would explain the voices, thought the young sportsman.”

He drove carefully to a small upper suburb of his town and stopped in front of an art centre dedicated to children. A bunch of running children were exiting the building, hurrying towards their posh well-dressed mothers. They were glancing at his car, annoyed that such a vehicle could be allowed to circulate on their roads. The last child to leave the art centre was a small girl carrying several rolls of paper and a large canvas under an arm, a crutch under the other.

He laughed and went out to give her a hand.

“Hey Annie, need some help? How do you manage to be so loaded each time I come to pick you up?”

“Hey Big Brother! Take this, she said handing him on of her rolls.”

They stored everything in the trunk before jumping back in the car. He drove them back home and started cooking dinner.

“Arthur, do you know when dad is coming home?”

“Not really, but late. He called me to tell that he had some job left at the hospital before coming home.”

They were used to having dinner just the two of them. Their parents were working late, as it was hard to make ends meet. Their mother was quite a renowned surgeon and she often worked out of state, while their father was a nurse to the local hospital. Even if being a surgeon paid well, it was not enough to cover the medical bills of their youngest child Morgan, called affectionately Annie by her brother. She had muscular dystrophy, her legs could not support her weight for long amounts of time. Thankfully, after long and painful sessions, she could now walk a little, with the help of a crutch. However, she was not strong enough to avoid being chair-bound in the evening yet.

The siblings enjoyed their dinner in front of a children movie the girl has chosen. After some chatting about their day, they say good night, before heading to bed, and long before their father came back from work.

Just like every other day, Arthur drove his little sister to her public school before going to college. He managed to enrol at his local university thanks to a sport scholarship. He was a good enough player to have been able to aim for a more notorious university, but he wanted to stay close to his family, especially his little sister. He had no regrets when it came to having turned down the offer of a quite prestigious university the year before. His mother was not happy with his decision, but enjoying moments with Morgan was worth more than anything else in the world.

When he came back to pick up his little sister in the afternoon, he saw her seating alone on the schools stairs, crying.

“Annie, are you alright?”

He had jumped out of the car and was now holding her in his arms. What´s wrong? he asked.

“Some girls, they made fun of my crutch and how I walk.”

“Did you use it to punch those brats in the face? He asked with a serious look.”

“No, she answered frowning, while looking at him.”

“Next time, do it and I guarantee, there won’t make fun of you anymore. And if the teacher says something, tell her than you slipped from your hand, replied Arthur, breaking a smile.”

The girl laughed, her sadness forgotten.

“Fancy some an ice-cream? Said the boy, a tender smile on his face.”

“Oh yes please, Arthur! Thank you! You are the best big brother in the world. Except when you win tickling wars.”

Arthur snickered before driving away to a place they could get ice-cream.

The cold air conditioning of the shop increased their appetite a bit more.

“What can I get you today, my pretty young lady?, inquired the cashier with a large smile. ”

They placed their order before sitting at a table outside the shop. Morgan was explaining to her brother, her future art project. She had been admitted to the art centre thanks to a painting she did last year that won first prize in a competition. Had she not won the prize, their parents would have never been able to afford such a thing. Arthur sincerely thought his sister was talented enough to join a major art school one day and revolutionise the art world. And it was his duty to encourage her in the path she had chosen for herself. While listening to her small chatter, he felt a pain in his chest. His vision got blurry, he tried to keep his balance but couldn’t, and fell to the ground.

As the darkness took possession of his body, the last thing he heard was his sister calling for him.

Somewhere within the British Isles

He did not recognize the voice that pulled him away from his sleep, but he was certain of one thing. It did not belong to any of the occupants of his house. As it did not seem threatening or gratifying, he chose to do what he was always doing when something of no interest bothered him: to treat it with contempt. And thus, he went back to sleep. When the time was up, he did not see the darkness, as he was already surrounded by night.