章 1: Beginnings
Reincarnation is a weird thing. It's like a bout of déjà vụ at weird times. Watching TV and seeing a familiar face or just knowing shouldn't know. That's how it was for Adrian Delgado. Born on August 18 1995 at at 8:18 in the morning, with a head of black, inky hair and a pair of the chocolate brown eyes, Adrian was a cute baby. But what worried his parents was a lighting shaped birthmark, running from the back of his left ear to the nape of this neck. Javier said it was cool and Gloria's mom assured her it was good luck, but Gloria knew her son was special. He'd always observe the room quietly with intelligent eyes. Eventually he outgrew the observation period and entered the constant questioning period. Gloria and Javier was patient with their son, answering his questions one by one, and overlooked the weirder ones.
"Mama, are you a movie star? I've seen you on TV before" "Silly Papa, it's not 1998, it's 2023!" "I remember when I lived in New York!" "Mama, Papa, lighting hurts… a lot"
The firmness of some of the words spooked his parents. But they catalogued it as one of his quirks.
One day when Adrian was 3, Javier and Gloria had a rare day when both of them were free, so they took Adrian on a hike. What was meant to be a joyous day turned bad quickly. The sky was covered in dark looming clouds and Gloria could sense the tension from her son. As the first droplets of rain landed on their heads, the small family went to find shelter quickly, Adrian clutching onto his mothers's neck like a lifeline. Thunder started rumbling and Adrian's small whimpers turned into full blown crying. From the position high up in the hills they could see the lighting striking the horizon and with each strike Adrian screamed louder. Not a whiny tired cry that he'd do but a more horrified, anguishing cry. He pressed his head into Gloria's shoulder shaking and Gloria's heart sank. Her stomach twisted in a way she never felt before and when she saw the look on Javier's face, she knew he felt the same. His screaming turned hoarse as his cries turned into hiccups and small murmurs of "hurts" and finally he drifted off.
After that day, Adrian caught a horrible fever that paired with his nightmares made it harder for his parents to see.
"Javier, that's the most logical explanation!"
"What? That our son remembers his previous life? Gloria, this isn't one of your tv shows where is the logic in that?"
"My great grandfather's cousin remembered his past life and he went crazy!"
"What so you're saying our son is going to go crazy?"
"No- I want him to know that we're there for him"
"Gloria, he's our son of course he knows we're there for him. And if he does remember his past life that's up to him to tell us."
…
Adrian thinks he became "aware" that day on the hills. What was once a cloudy haze of memories became more clear. He knows these memories are from a different version of him, one where he's much older and his name is different, not that he remembers. One moment he'll be feeling a sense of déjà vụ and the next a new memory would be given to him. That's why, in between moments of feverish consciousness seeing his new parents (he only remembers vague sillouhettes of his old parents, that leaves him feeling empty) so worrried for him, he knows he's got to treat them right.
That isn't to say, reliving your death is a happy memory. Every moment in his dreams, he'd be wondering in a field (why is it so big, where is everyone?) and a painful light would strike him on the back of his head, causing his to scream in agony. Even out of the dreamland he'd cringe at anything reminding him of lightning and thunder. He once shared his dream to his mom (not dad, because dads are distant and gruff) and she pulled him into a hug and promised to protective him. He knew logically she can't do that but the thoughts counted, and in turn he promised to protect her. She laughed delightfully and they made a pinky promise.
…
Adrian welcomed his new baby brother a year later on February 19, 1999. With wide, brown eyes, Manny reminded Adrian of a chipmunk. So for the first years of Manny's life Adrian only refered to him as 'Chip' and would poke him on the cheeks as he does so. At first Gloria was delighted by how loving Adrian was, but she grew worried when Manny only responded to 'Chip'.
…
"Puddin" Manny babbled in his seat.
Adrian peeked over his book to look at Manny.
"Maam, I don't think this is safe…" an older man worriedly says from the back seat.
"Nonsense! Sir, when I was in Columbia, Taxis was always full of people! My uncle would always drop me and my cousin to school with his passenger and their kids! It was good for the comm, um comity"
"Community mama." Adrian added.
"Yes community. Adrian give you brother his pudding please it's under the seat."
"Yes mama"
"Maam, this is America. I don't think driving with two kids on the front seat with you is very safe…"
"Oh would you like them both to sit at the back with you?"
The man stopped complaining after that.
Adrian loved taxi rides with his mama. When there were no customers she'd crank up the music and her and Adrian would sing their lungs out. He knew money was tight and this was the only way for her to earn money and look after them, so instead of thinking it as a chore, he tried to enjoy it as much a possible.
When the man stepped out of the car, Adrian was there next to him, holding it his bag. The man accepted it from the 5 year old awkwardly.
"Sir, my mama really needs the money…" Adrian began with watery eyes, then a whisper, "I'm not supposed to that, so don't tell anyone."
The man hesitated.
"And if… if she loses this job because she busy taking care of us, we won't have a home… it's not nice without a home right?"
The man shook his head.
"So please don't tell anyone… please"
The man sighed and nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a $10 bill. "Buy yourself something nice kid." With one last look at the taxi he sighed and left.
Adrian got into the car with a smirk and hi fived his mom.
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