Reincarnation Beyond Expectation

The world had turned to static. One moment, the cold rush of wind, the desperate grip on a breaking railing, the ground rushing up. The next, a blinding flash, a sensation of falling through nothingness, and then… a profound, inexplicable discomfort.

It wasn't pain, not exactly. More like a crushing pressure, a primal agony that stretched on for what felt like an eternity. A muffled cacophony of sounds, indistinct voices, and then, a faint, rhythmic thumping, like a distant drum.

Then, silence. And the overwhelming urge to simply... sleep. I let it take me, the strange, new exhaustion pulling me under.

When I awoke, it was to a profound sense of warmth and an unexpected softness. My eyes, still blurry and uncooperative, struggled to focus. A gentle swaying motion, a faint, sweet smell. A woman’s face, framed by cascades of black hair and striking red eyes, came into view, blurry but beautiful. Her skin was incredibly pale, almost ethereal. She held me close, her chest a soft pillow.

"Hello," she whispered, her voice like soft chimes. "You're awake now, aren't you. My baby boy Michael. I am your mommy."

Michael. Not Henry. Michael. My name, it seemed, had changed. And with it, everything else.