“They say that when you’re done with something, it ends there. Never to be interacted again.” Said my teacher as we were discussing about the winds of change. Looking around, I noticed that all of the other children were listening intensely. So why was I the only one looking out of place?
“Melanie, pay attention! You’re not mediating with the rest of the class.” The teacher said as she was holding a sitting position as she stared at me. Her glare burned through me.
I closed my eye and let my mind wonder once more. I should be used to this, the only girl to be so analytic when we were supposed to be free minded. It was terrible when I was the black girl of the whole class.
After the mediation circle was over, we looked at the ceiling to see the patron saint of medicine and battle, Sister Anastasia of our order. Legends has it that she was a fierce warrior that let no man ever take her heart. She was truly devoted to the gods as they told her how the heal our fallen sisters. She was the best of all of us.
I look to my fellow sisters; they all had a trait like her. Fair white skin, long blonde hair, or even the common green eyes. They were the very symbols of being the best warrior sister. Whereas I was just a lost cause. I had frizzy black hair and brown eyes. I felt like a mistake.
“You are free to leave and remember younglings, strive to please the gods with your favors of good will.” Our teacher said as she let us go. My sisters all got up and ran to leave the room. Just I was standing up, I felt a hand on my shoulder.
Looking up, it was Sister June with a stern look on her face, “Melanie, walk with me.”
“Yes, Sister June. Did I do something wrong?” As I scanned her face, I saw a glint of secrecy behind her blue gems of eyes.
“No, I just feel I should share something with you.”
As she took her hand off of me, she led me to a different hall. We walked into the light and I felt a pang of regret. Was I being let go? In all of my 16 years of being with the Sisters, they been open with me about failing the simple stuff. I had nowhere to go if they turned their backs on me now.
“Melanie, as you know, you are a still a minor in the Sisterhood of our order. We had noticed that you been having trouble with the classes here. There is something the council wanted you to know, thinking it might help you.”
“What do you mean Sister June? So, I’m not being kicked out of the Sisterhood?”
“Heavens no, Young Melanie. I’m not at liberty to share what the council has to tell you Let them tell you themselves.”
We came to the council room. There was the Big Three. They were the wisest and more experienced Sisters of our branch. Pretty much their words were held in high regards. We walked right in front of them. They were sitting in their chairs, all staring at me like I was a plague. I was more or less used to the staring at this point. Still, it didn’t feel nice.
They waved their hands to Sister June, not wasting their words with her. Sister June smiled to me and soon left me in this room with the council.
I felt naked in their staring of me, I was about to speak up when they shush me. They stood up from their chairs and walked to me. I was now more nervous than I was before. What were they going to say to me?
They soon were looking me over, holding up my arms, my hair and looking at my back. They were scanning me all over. Just as it was odd on how it began, it stopped. They returned to their seats and looked at me once again.
The Sister in the center then spoke, “Young Melanie, do you know why you are here?”
“No, Sisters. Sister June told me that you had something to tell me.”
“She was right, we do have some information to share with you. Do you recall on how you first came onto our Sisterhood?”
It didn’t take long to remember, the other younglings would tease me about it, “Yes, I was found crying in front a fountain all by myself. Around the same time the leaves where falling into the water around me. I was just a baby at that time. Why do I need to remember this? The others remind me daily about it.”
“Never mind your other Sisters, this about you. Melanie, do you happen to have nightmares about fire and war whenever you go to that fountain?
I did, I avoided that fountain more than my sisters avoided me, “I do Sisters. I don’t go to that fountain at all.”
“What if I told you those nightmares that you have aren’t for you, but from the past?”
What did she mean by that, “Sisters, I’m at fault here, I don’t understand?”
“Did you ever care to try to find out why that fountain was built?”
I haven’t, I normally been scared of that place, “No Sisters, I have not looked into its history. I been avoiding it.”
“Well Melanie, its where your past life is buried. You are the reincarnation of Sister Anastasia.”
I was shocked, how can that be? Reincarnations were only made possible with the gods’ blessing over your soul. This must be a mistake, “Sisters I think you are mistaken. I’m an orphan that was abandoned. I look nothing like Sister Anastasia, I share nothing with her.”
They smiled to me, which seemed eerie now, “This may come to a shock, but you share more than you know with her. You know that we were alive when she was still fighting. She died young, but with the favors of the gods. When she was young, she too found learning about the history of the order hard, much like you. You both share a birthmark on the base of your neck. Some of the Sisters even say that you seem to glow whenever we mention her name. We spoke with the gods and they show us signs that you are indeed her.”
I was lost for words; how could I be the reincarnation of Sister Anastasia. I just idolized her, so I how can I be her? “Sisters, how can that be? Do you think the gods were mistaken?”
“You dare questions the gods in the presence of the council?”
“No, Sisters. I never meant disrespect.”
“Melanie, accept your status and become the best that you can be. You are indeed special. However, don’t share this information with any of the other Sisters. In the wrong hands, this could be your own undoing.”
I wanted to ask more questions, but I decided not to. It was already bad enough that I almost suffered the gods’ wrath.
The door opened behind me and I was allowed to leave. I walked to my room and looked to the wall. Was it indeed true, was I the reincarnation of Sister Anastasia?
When came, I slept in my corner and had a strange dream. I saw her, and she looked at me with a smile. It was Sister Anastasia and beckoned me to the fountain that I was found as a baby. She was a spirit and I saw our reflection in the water.
“Melanie, you are indeed me. I’m sorry for showing you my pain in the time that you visited me. I will begin to show you my most pleasant memories from now on. Now go back to your room youngling, it time you show the world that you matter.”
When I awoke that morning, I found that I was sitting by the fountain where my nightmares came from. Only this time, I felt a smile on my face. I was the reincarnation of Sister Anastasia. My life did matter.
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