Hey! New chapter! Finally (ﾉ ﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ

I was supposed to work on it earlier, but I, uh, kinda forgot? My bad.

Anyway, I changed the speech/thinking explanation a bit. Thought it might get confusing.

Now, onto the chapter!

" Speaking "

" Spells "

' thoughts '

' telepathy '

Chapter 2 - What snakes are good at doing sums?

Today may not have began all that great, but mom and dad really made it all better.

The visit to her cousins' was something that had been dreaded for weeks! Well, mostly by herself, but dad did admit he dislikes aunt Fiona's commanding personality, while uncle Mike was fun to be around. Personally she liked how strong her aunt appeared and made even grown men quiet down with only couple firm words, while uncle was really crude. He meant well, but sometimes his towering form and act made her think of an ogre or a troll.

But the problem wasn't aunt or uncle for her. What had changed the pleasant visits to Surrey into torture, were their kids. Her cousins looked cute as a button at first, but they were so chaotic! She couldn't keep track of how many furnitures were ruined by them or how many times she had walked into their room, only to find a pigsty! She was certain that she hadn't been this messy as a three year old. Having to watch them for even few minutes at a time has her running ragged. Her respect for aunt Fiona has only grown thanks to these experiences.

Thankfully it was now over and she was going home. Dad however decided to end the visit on a high note by visiting the zoo. This was a great chance to see many animals and also refresh her memory for the upcoming exam! The latest chapters in the biology class were mostly about reptiles, so while she did go around most of the zoo, she mostly was in the Reptile House reading the plaques and observing. Some of the animals were kind of creepy and made her keep just enough distance so the plaques could be read, while only giving a cursory glance for the things inside.

She was nearly done, just a big constrictor left, when mom called to tell they would would be leaving soon.

"Really?! is it already the time?". She really didn't want to leave just yet. Just little more time and she was done! After receiving permission to stay for tad bit longer, it was time to focus again on the task.

'Okay, let's see, "a reticulated python, average length is about 119 inches, weight about 33 lbs" '. Looking at the snake, it seems longer and must be heavier. Reading along the plaque, the general knowledge of the species ends and gets to the specifics of this individual. Named David, born November 2nd, 1988. This specimen is currently considered the biggest for it's age in zoos of England, measuring at about 150 inches at only 3 years old. It is notable that usually the females of many snake species are larger than the males and yet this one is already half the size of a biggest full grown reticulated python.

"You really are quite long for a reticulated python". Once again looking at the snake, she has to admit that it is impressive and despite finding snakes usually creepy, she very much would like to see this one reach it's full size. Now that she was paying attention on the snake again, she notices it is also very much looking at her. Having already noticed it's advance near her, she had put it of as idle curiosity. Now, the snake seemed to be holding an intense staring contest with her.

Suddenly remembering the things she heard Tony telling everyone in class, about how during an event held at the zoo, he and other guests were allowed to get a picture with "the longest snake I have ever seen", as he put it. Of course an assistant was always present holding the snake, but Tony had said the snake was very smart. If you were to believe all what Tony had told, the snake had apparently 'held hands' with him when he approached, meaning the snake had grabbed Tony's hand with its tail-end when being offered an arm ...maybe, just maybe, she would ask mom and dad take her to the next event. Surely she could 'hold hands' with a snake for a moment without freaking out.

Wondering about what touching a snake would feel like, she noticed the snake kept on staring at her. Almost like it was examining her, changing it's perspective by moving its head up and down, from side to side slowly. Funny. The first time someone, that is not either a teacher or related to her is, paying so much attention on her and it is a big snake.

"People at the zoo say you are smart. I wonder just how smart".

At this, the snake blinked, its eyes crinkling a tiny bit. Next it's body slid forward, lifting it's head to her eye level. Then it lifted its tail, brought it closer to the glass pane separating them. And knocked.

*dunk, du du dunk dunk…*

...

It took a half-a-minute for Hermione to realize what just happened and what the snake wanted. Fascinated by what was occurring, she gave her answer.

*dunk dunk*

Was the snake trained to do this? Perhaps a trick thought to it by one of the staff members. Or was it a part of some show? Before she could delve deep into her thoughts again, her attention was grabbed by the snake's tail, moving again. This time the snake came closer the glass, breathed out deeply, forming steam on the glass. Isn't the air conditioning inside of the tank supposed to prevent that? The snake breathed out more steam and started to draw on the glass.

Now more intrigued than ever before, she paid attention on the forming… calculation? On the glass read 13 + 29 = . Looking at it again, the snake just looked at her expectantly. Was… was he giving her a problem to solve? And such an easy one? She flipped to a blank page on her notebook and drew in extra large size the number 42, showing it then to the snake. He looked at it and formed a circle with his tail, as if an 'ok' sign. He then wiped the problem and started again. This time the problem was a bit harder, 2 x (21 - 3) / (14 - 11) = . She did the calculation quickly in her head and wrote the answer. Once again the snake gave his 'ok' sign and made up another problem. This pattern kept repeating couple more times with progressively harder questions. Taken in by the problem solving Hermione completely forgot to question how did the snake even know math.

Finally, when the snake gave her an equation she had never seen before and didn't know how to even start to unravel, she had to shake her head in shame.

The snake nodded, wiped the problem and drew a smiley face. She had felt no small amount of frustration and confusion in being outdone by a snake, but the drawing lifted her spirits a bit. Next the snake… maybe at this point she should just call him by his name. Next David drew a small 3x3 grid and a circle on the center of left column. Despite her growing confusion and fascination, Hermione had to smile at the development, even if the whole situation was extremely weird. Then again, she had been at the center of weird events for a while now. That bully's face starting to fill with zits or the angry assistant teacher's hair turning bright green were only couple examples of very unusual events she had witnessed, so she figured this could be counted among them.

When her mother finally came to retrieve her, she had had 12 games with David and she had recovered some of her lost pride by taking the lead with her 7th victory. Though she wasn't sure should she be feeling any pride in beating a snake in tic-tac-toe. When mom appeared, David wiped away the game, looking at her pensively.

"Hermione dear, it's time to leave. They are closing the zoo soon. Have you written down everything you need?", her mother inquired.

"Oh, yes, I'm done. I've just been… uhm, studying wi- the snake. It is a reticulated python and quite large for its age", she informed her mom, subtly glancing at said snake. David just lipped the air with his tongue like any ordinary snake. Even if he was far from normal.

"I see. It certainly is a big one. I think I have read about it in the newspaper. Seems if it keeps growing as large as its own popularity, it might be transferred into a another zoo. Hopefully it won't be too far away, the paper made big talk of it possibly growing to be largest of its kind in England and possibly even break some records", her mom commented while eyeing the snake curiously. Hermione certainly hopes so too, David seemed very interesting and she would like to see him again. "But now we have to go, your father is already waiting at the gate".

"Alright", she answered and started to walk beside her mom. She took one last look at the snake before exiting the Reptile House. She wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she saw David wave at her with his tail. Though at this point she wouldn't be too surprised, so she waved back. Hopefully they would visit again before summer ended. She could put up with watching her cousins a little if she got to see the mysterious snake again.

David POV

So that was a thing.

Initially I was actually nervous if she would try to expose me after seeing all I did, but it seems she decided to act casual. Or as casual as a highly intrigued 10-year old could. Perhaps she already has had couple accidental magic things happen around her.

Not that it would raise too much of a fuss. The staff knew I was smart. Not exactly just how smart, but they know I understand some simple words and the Shave and a Haircut knock. I can remember how one of the staff members got excited and wanted to make me do tricks in a show or something, but that quickly ended when I didn't do any of the stuff during practice. I'm certainly not going to end my laid back life by becoming a stage monkey. No offence to our delightful monkey troop Mason, George, Phil and Tina, they're nice. F*ck Rick though, he's an asshole.

I have to say, it was impressive for Hermione to solve the calculations so fast. She even could solve calculations meant for middle schoolers and couple high school ones. Though it was little frustrating to lose to a 10-year old in tic-tac-toe. I'll beat her next time she comes. I'm fairly sure she will ask to come to the zoo again.

The talk about possible transfer to another zoo is interesting. On one hand, getting into a bigger zoo and giant tank sounds luxurious. On the other, it would be noisy, I don't know if they'll force more tedious events with me as a show piece. I like the staff here and their no doubt more lax mannerism. It's not like I myself would get anything from my fame, other than bigger tank and better trained handlers. And I get well fed here without that big of diets planned by them at times. Frankly, I think they could feed me even more. I do feel peckish at times, even with their standard for "full stomach".

The zoo is closing down soon and the guests are power walking out. Then I heard the voice I had been waiting for.

"Mom, c'mon, quickly! They are gonna close and we haven't looked at the snakes yet!", yelled the boy from earlier, dragging dear mommy along.

"Well, if someone didn't get so distracted by the tigers and lions, we wouldn't be in such a hurry. We'll take quick look at the snakes, but then we have to go", reminded the mother. They took a brief look around of all the other reptilians in the house, before making their way over to me. "Hey there, my lovely~. How are you today?", she called for me affectionately.

'Quite well, my dear. Thank you for remembering me, I was afraid you had skipped me completely this time. May I say you look absolutely gorgeous today, as usual'.

This particular lady is one those snake/reptile enthusiasts I mentioned before. Ever since she had first laid her eyes on me during a visit, she had apparently fallen in love with me, declared me the most beautiful thing she has seen and started calling me 'her lovely'. I have to admit, at first I had to question her thought process of adoring a snake so much. But being stuck inside a tank, receiving so much interest and love from various people was endearing and made this existence not seem so bad.

"It's so cool! How big do you think it's gonna grow?", exclaimed the boy with a big grin.

"Hmmm, he is already really big for his age, so hopefully as large as the biggest of his own species. Make sure to eat a lot, so you'll grow into big boy~", she said with a happy smile. She truly was a beauty, especially with that red hair framing her pretty face. "The same goes for you young man".

The boy's face twisted into a disgusted frown. "But I don't like peas, they are gross". Aah, perhaps they had some in their last meal? I don't like them either, but if you just swallow them without tasting them, its okay boy.

"There are a lot of worse options for food, you know. While David here mostly eats rabbits, the smaller snakes eat mice and rats".

Hearing that, the boy's eyes widened a bit, while keeping the frown. He got a pensive look, staring at me. Attempting to encourage him a little, I gathered most of my body and raised my head up above him, slithering all of my body so he could see me in all of my glory. His mom was making a slight squeaky noise while holding her palms together against her grinning lips, with an awed look in her eyes. 'Yes, look upon my glorious form and awe at its magnificent size. Behold my shiny scales and mesmerizing eyes!'.

Yes, I do hold lot of confidence in my appearance. Unlike my more boring relatives, my scales aren't only especially shiny, they also have a ever so slight light-turquoise sheen in right light and angle.

It certainly took a while to get used to this visage. Getting used to having died was difficult in different sense…

3 years ago, The realm in between

After hearing my number being called, I turned my head to look towards the blond man. He was looking at me with a smile and waving for me to come.

I had a good while to think about my situation, even if it felt like a fleeting moment. After a moment of contemplation, I decided to just accept the situation, rose up and walked towards him.

"Good good. Just right on in and we'll get down to business", he said in relaxed and welcoming manner. I walked in, noting that the little girl was nowhere to be seen. Taking a seat in a relatively comfortable chair, I waited for the guy take a seat on the chair opposite of me.

"Would you like some tea? Milk? Sugar?", he asked.

"...um, sure. Just with sugar, no milk". He hmm'd in answer. This was… so normal. Like therapy meeting, or very chill job interview. He poured both of us some tea, added some sugar to both and milk on his own. After handing me my own cup and plate, he started sipping his tea quietly. Looking at my own cup a bit, I took a tentative sip. Hmm, it's good. Earl Grey is pretty safe choice for tea to offer.

"So Eric, how are you doing? Feeling woozy at all? Hitting your head in death usually leaves people with light headache or feeling dizzy", he asked with slight concern.

"So this really is… afterlife? Can't say I'm impressed with how much it looks like an office. Besides, I've only been here for… well a while, and already there are people disappearing", I stated, looking at him for confirmation with slight suspicion.

"You're half right. This is the 'in between' of life and afterlife. This building we are in, is the Reincarnation Enlistment Review Office for Languidly Lived. REROLL for short. And we are here to find out if you are qualified to be reincarnated. Or if we'll send you to another office for further processing", he finished the explanation.

"...that… sounds, um… good?". I mean, how do you answer to something like that?! Another office? Further processing?! Like, if I don't get accepted here, I'll be sent to another office that decides if I got to Heaven or Hell? Or somewhere else completely?

"Excellent. Now, it says here, that you have lived most of your life trying to support your family, not going to high school or vocational school, but straight to work. You have worked many different jobs at different or even at the same time. You never pursued your dream vocation, didn't leave your hometown except for business, didn't follow your girlfriend out of the town and got dumped some months later. Soooo, why is that Eric?". He just read all of that from the folder he has on his lap, then looks at me straight in the eyes, asking that question like he didn't just make my life till now seem like the dullest thing.

So they know everything about us, huh. Guess that's their job here, who knows. I took a sip of my tea, inhaled deeply to calm myself and answered him.

"Yeah, so? Someone had to help mom pay the bills, since we had such shitbag for a father. If I hadn't stepped up to look after Chris and Danny, start part-timing and working right out of middle school, shitbag would've just drank and gambled us out of a house".

...okay I might have raised my voice teensy bit at the end there. Miquel doesn't seem to care. He just looks at me for a while and nods his head.

"Then how come you were in a carnival drinking with other people? Surely someone as responsible as you wouldn't be so careless, as to get drunk and fall from a ferris wheel".

...yeah, granted, not my proudest moment. But still…

"Is it so wrong of me to have a small moment of reprieve? With my life as dull, my social life as boring as you described, is it so wrong for me to relax every once in a while? When my colleagues are inviting me to have wild night in the honour of finally finishing long and hard project, don't I have right to forget my worries for a while and have some fun? Especially when one of those colleagues asking is the super cute and fun one you have hoped to get closer to. No, I think I was perfectly within my rights to let loose for once, get shitfaced and hope for a enjoyable end for the night with a sexy glasses wearing brunette", finished my small rant and stared at Miguel straight into his eyes, daring him to challenge me.

Something akin to, -I don't know, understanding?- passed in his eyes, but was soon gone.

"Indeed. It is imperative that all of us take a moment or two for ourselves. It's only pure insanity to keep living for others all the time, without living for ourselves at all. What meaning does having a soul, mind and feelings have, if we only exist to please others? And what about your thoughts on leaving your family behind, now that you're dead? Any regrets?"

The moment he mentioned family left behind, my thoughts went from frustration to worry that started to gnaw at me. Mom, Chris, Danny.

"...of course I have. I wanted to be there for a long while yet. Both to see my siblings graduate, make sure they get by fine, make sure that mom can also finally relax and to get a chance to live my life without worrying about them. Instead, I ended up causing them even more trouble, more pain and more sadness…", my voice was already straining towards the end, until it just tapered of, dark clouds covering my thoughts.

"And if you were to get another chance to live, what would you do?"

I took a small moment to think about it. Of course I was still worried about my family, but I can't help them anymore, no matter how hard I want to. They will have to figure things out by themselves now. I have faith that Christopher will push on forward, not letting Danny or mom lose faith, and that Danielle will solve it somehow with her level-headedness. Mom is strong enough to look after them still, she got this far thanks to her iron will.

"In the end, all I can do now is to cheer them on from beyond and look after myself. To finally rest in peace or relax in peaceful life. That's all i can hope for". At least that's what I'll have to convince myself about. They will no doubt be plaguing my thoughts for a good while, but I don't think they'll just bring me back or reincarnate me back in time to redo some things.

Miguel kept looking me in the eye, left side of his lips twitching a little bit.

"I see. I guess that's a good answer", he said while writing something on the clipboard. Then he looked back on the files and what he had written for a while, before writing something more.

"Well I guess, congratulations are in order Eric. With this score, you are cleared to reincarnate".

Oh. So there was some kind of scoring system. And this short conversation played some part in it? It couldn't be all, there must be something else. We haven't been talking for even 20 minutes.

"Um, really? Was that it?"

"What? Were you expecting something more? Something grandiose?", Miguel just looked amused. I wonder how many people were as confused as me.

"A little maybe. But, okay. Aaa, so what now?"

"Now, you'll take this ticket here", he handed me small slip that was very smooth and had a slight golden sheen to it, "and you go through that door over there, talk to the lady waiting there and follow instructions".

I looked over to where he was pointing. I'm fairly sure there was no door there when I entered. When I turn back, I notice something familiar behind Miguel and his chair, on a shelf. Among a throng of books, various items and knick knacks, is a teddy bear. The little girl's teddy bear. The little girl who is nowhere to be found.

I guess Miguel noticed where I was looking, as he said with a somber smile, "Ah, and keep in mind that any items you bought with you, can't be taken into your new life, whatever kind of life it may be".

Damn, now I feel depressed. But I guess also happy that the kid got to live a new life. No one that young deserves to die.

Feeling into my pockets absently, I find my wallet. Nothing really precious in there, except for the folded picture of me and my family. Looking at it, I just had to ask, "Not even this?"

Miguel just shakes his head. "You can hold onto it till your departure, but it will disappear completely at that moment".

Aah. So that's why. I looked at the bear again and then at the picture. I don't feel like parting with it and it wouldn't hold any meaning to leave it here. I will take it along to my final- err, well maybe not final journey. Who knows what I get to do in the new life that awaits. Shoving the picture and wallet into different pockets, I sit up and make my way to the door.

"Take care now, Eric. And good luck to whatever life that awaits you. Make sure to enjoy it this time", Miguel waves to me, as he gets up, reading himself to another "customer" I guess.

"Yeah, thank you. You just, uh, keep doing what you're doing". A bit awkward, but I don't really know what else to say.

I open the door, go through and what hell is this?

"Welcome, welcome dear customer! Are you ready to spin the Wheel of Fortunate Life?!"

Adder snakes!

That's one fateful meeting done and over.

We also got more exposition on Eric's origin story. Or at least to a small part of it~

I made so many corrections on this chapter, 'cause I was testing different format for the text if it would read better. But ended up keeping it the same.

Again, don't hold your breath about the next chapter, might take a while. Or it might not. Who knows. I sure don't.

Thank you for reading! And remember to R&R!