I could feel a strange heat. It came from all over my body. I feel so uncomfortable.

Why? What happened?

With those thoughts, I tried to turn my head around, but a stinging pain came from my neck, which then came from all over my body.

It hurts so much...

But still unable to put down the question of what exactly happened, I move my gaze. It was then that I finally realized what happened.
I was hit by a car, trying to save a child out of reflex, like an idiot. But I wonder if he is safe?
Just as I thought such, I caught sight of a boy crying being held back his mother while trying to reach towards me. I think he was the child I saved. Although I thought what I did was rather stupid, at least I didn't waste my life away. Holding such thoughts, I tried to cheer myself up. It was then that the boy suddenly cried and struggled even harder. Was it because of me? What sort of face was I making I wonder.

Even though I tried my best to hold on to my consciousness with my silly monologue, I realized that I wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.
Ah, seriously, what is taking the ambulance so long? They better not be this late when the next accident happens.

Just as I inwardly snickered with those thoughts in my head, I heard the sound of the ambulance alarm blaring in the distance.
So loud, I really hate it. Just let me go in peace. You're already too late anyways.
As I continued my monologue, I could feel my eyelids becoming heavier and heavier, I guess it's time to go.

But just then, a purple silhouette of a person popped up in my sight. There is no indication whether it was male or female, only those pair of violet eyes seem to draw people in, yet no one in the surroundings seemed to even notice it standing there. Could I be imagining things right before my death? Or is it the reaper coming for my soul?

Before I could continue my ridiculous train of thoughts, I suddenly heard a voice ringing inside my head.

[Child, would you like to have a look at the world from high above?]

The hardly identifiable voice caused me to become wide eyed. Instinctively, I knew that the voice came from the purple silhouette.
I was curious, very much so. I was before death's door, so nothing else really mattered, I wanted to say yeah, sure, why not, but no voice came out from my trembling lips.
But the purple silhouette seemed to be able to read my mind and reached out his hand towards me. Although I could hardly move a muscle, I was miraculously able to raise my hand and put it on top of its palm.
In the next moment, I felt my consciousness cut off.

***

The next thing I knew, I was floating in space. Stars glittered all around, dazzling the eyes.
I was not really into space and such, but the sight before me could only be described as enrapturing.
I held no doubt that I was already dead, but before such a sight, being dead means little. Not even the pictures in the internet is enough to show the beauty I am current seeing.

It was at that moment that I noticed the purple silhouette standing nearby. Without much thought, I bowed my head and thanked it for showing me such a sight.
But the silhouette said nothing and simply stretched out its hand.

Tilting my head, I wondered what it wanted.
I had nothing to be used as a payment, then I thought about what happened right before I died and stretched out my hand above its.

In the next moment, the surrounding stars seemed to flash by, turning into lines of light before suddenly returning to normal.
Caught off guard, I could only blink my eyes and let out a small woah.

Looking at the purple silhouette, I noticed it gazing at the distance. Following its gaze, I saw a familiar planet, the same one I lived in when I lived.
In the next moment, the surroundings once again flashed by and I appeared at the sky of a city. It gave off a familiar air, but it looks so unfamiliar. Looking at a signboard, I realized that it was the city I lived in when I was alive, but a long time had passed.

...I wonder how my family are...

As if reading my mind, the surroundings once again flashed by, and I appeared in a graveyard. Looking at the tombstone before me, I realized that it was my family's grave. My mother and father had died. Just as I felt a sense of loss, I noticed someone approaching and turned to look.
There I saw my little brother approaching with a girl by his side while carrying flowers and a water bucket with a pail.

I watched as he silently cleaned the grave of my parents and I and put up fresh flowers. The pair then gave some prayers before finally departing. I could see my little brother constantly having a sad yet peaceful smile the whole time.

I'm glad. He was happy with a partner in life an my parents have someone to carry on their bloodline. Although it is a bit sad to see my parents in their graves, I knew that it was inevitable.
Although I knew that I am already dead, I still gave a prayer to my parents before returning to the purple silhouette who had silently waited the whole time.

Holding onto the hand it reached out, the surroundings once again flashed by, and this time, I saw a wide plain stretching over the horizon.
The sight took my breath away.

As the breeze blew, I caught a whiff of an unsettling scent unfitting for the current scenery.
Turning my head, there I saw a man throwing a dagger at a deer, leaving a bloody patch on its fur.

The man had a smug grin on his face as he leisurely threw dagger after dagger at the deer.
None of the dagger hit its vital parts, leaving the deer to helplessly struggle to escape.

The sight caused me to become inwardly furious, but I knew I can do nothing to the man. I am already dead, and even if I am alive, I have no ability to go against such a person.

It was at that moment that, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the purple silhouette raising one of its hand towards where the hunter is. Then, before I even had the chance to think, I heard a scream.

Turning my head, the hunter that had a smug grin on his face, as if he was the king of the world, is now screaming miserably, like a pig being slaughtered with his whole body bending weirdly, like a stick about to be snapped off.
Before I could even let out a sound, the scream was suddenly cut off and the hunter laid down on the ground. Dead without question.

I felt terrified at the sight, not because of how horribly the hunter died, but because I knew it could happen to me too. The thought sent me to a daze.
I did not fear the unnatural sight, nor the brutality of the death, only the fact that I could also fall into such harm. It made me realize how inhumane I am.
When I was alive, I never had the chance to see someone die in front of me. Even if someone died on TV, I had no feelings, thinking that it had nothing to do with me, and I felt it was all natural. It could be that the change only occured after I died, but my feelings seemed to be telling me otherwise, that I had always been like this.

As those thoughts continued to swirl in my head, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I turned to look and saw that it was the purple silhouette.
Without a word, the purple silhouette extended its hand once again, this time towards the bloodied deer. It was at that instant that I saw the deer which seemed to be at its last breath miraculously recover. The blood patches upon its brown fur faded away and the bloody wounds closed. It seemed that the deer itself was startled as it hurriedly stood up and looked around before escaping who knows where.

But it was the least of my care as I turned to look at the purple silhouette. I questioned it.
Why...

"Why are you showing all this to me?"

As it turned its head towards me, words, or maybe its intentions, seemed to enter my head.

[Do you wish to have power?]

I was shocked still at what it was telling me. But it ignored my shock and continued.

[I am able to give you such powers. Anything you want, you could have. You hold the right, to become what you call God.]

It sent me further into shock.
God? I never even thought of it. I'm no saint, I have no wish to save everyone. Having those close to me safe is enough. But based on what it told me, I could use it to do whatever I want. Good or evil, selfish or selfless. The offer itself is incredibly tempting.

But I came to a decision in a split second.

"No, I don't want such powers. Living ordinarily is enough." I said with a smile.

[Why?] It seemed to be telling me.

"Well... The view from the sky is beautiful, but I want to see the view from the earth too. I mean, if I want another chance to see the world from the sky again, you'll take me, right?" I said with a smile.

[...] The purple silhouette quietly stared into my eyes. And I too stared back.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company until the end. I mean, you must be pretty lonely, constantly having that look in your eyes. It's the least I could do for the view you showed me." I said as I approached him, a grin on my face.

The silhouette said nothing, and I too said nothing more.

We both then continued to spend the rest of the time quietly looking at the sceneries, high and low, from the earth and from the skies.

Finally, the time arrived.

"Looks like I have to go now." I told the purple silhouette with a smile.

It quietly stared at me, a sad look in its eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll come back, and you'll pick me up again, right?"

[...]

"..."

We were both silent as I continued to fade away.

"I'm sorry..." I said, breaking the silence.

"How many times has it been? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? Or maybe more?"

I could feel something wet streaming down my cheeks, but I couldn't be bothered to wipe them off as I turned to look at the purple silhouette.

"You should have left me, or maybe I should have accepted your offer. But I can't."

[...]

"I don't want to lose this feeling, nor do I want you to lose it."

[Laiya...]

For the first time in this life, he said my name. The name which I inherited from my numerous lives.

"I'm sorry..." I said again, reaching my hand to his face.

[It is also my choice, so please, do not blame yourself.] As he said those words, I could see the deep love and sadness in his gaze.

Without realizing it, I felt a smile creeping up my face

As my hand slowly swept through his face, the purple shadow which seemed to cover him faded away, revealing the face of a man. The man I had loved during each and every life I had lived.

"I love you, Yale, forever and ever."

[I love you too, Laiya, until the end of time.]

With those final exchange of words, Laiya faded into the air, once again entering the cycle. And Yale once again waited for her return, watching over her from above, for their accursed fate to break. So that they may one day find their eternal happiness.

Gazing From Above - FIN