CYCLE

Humanity lost the ability of childbearing, a gift granted to all life on this planet. Cursed with eternal reincarnation, we roam the world in different shells. Those who died returned, emerging from random bodies of water. Always the age of ten, and always as someone else. With memories still intact, we continue to live life with infinite second chances.

Jacob Erie, thirty-four, nervously waits. He fidgets with his lighter, irritating the pretty receptionist. Jacob smiles at her as he glances at the television, reading the news report about the alarming population decline. Many believe the reincarnation cycle is slowly ending, but ROC officials say it is nothing short of speculation.

"Speculation, hmm..." Jacob subconsciously grabs his chest.

The phone rings, and the receptionist answers. "Yes, sir." She replies and points towards the door. "Mr. Powells will see you."

"Thank you," Jacob replies.

Mr. Powell sits at his desk in front of a large window. "Have a seat, Mr. Erie. And we'll talk about your reincarnate insurance policy." He shuffles through his papers. "Do you have your RiDent number?"

Jacob nods, "C-L-6-5-8—"

Mr. Powell nods as he types the information into his computer.

"6-6...and L-0-3." Jacob sits silently as Mr. Powell is slowly startled by the name on the account.

He looks up from his computer, "What's the meaning of this, Mr. Erie?"

"Recognize the name?" Jacob calmly asks. "It's your ex-wife's name. You know, the one you killed after she divorced you?" Jacob gets up and walks over to the window, staring at the view. "You faked your identity, which is illegal, to get a job here at RIP. All so you could do what? Use the database to find your ex-wife and kill her all over again?"

"That's outrageous! Do you know who I am!?"

"Why yes, I do...which is your problem, Henry Levitz."

Mr. Powell uses the intercom. "SECURITY!"

Jacob sighs. "We live over and over again, gaining insight and second chances...But some of us blatantly waste it."

Two large security guards barge in.

"Him, get HIM!" Mr. Powells demanded.

"Do we really have to do this, fellas?"

Uninterested in Jacob's response, the security guards attack. Jacob quickly overpowers them, knocking them both unconsciously as three more guards arrive. He mixes in a few kicks, punches, and playful banter. Until one security guard restrains him from behind, holding him firmly as the others attack. After a direct hit in the abdomen, a strange weapon falls from Jacob's coat.

"What is that?" Said one of the guards.

"It's an Icyr!" The second guard replies.

The third guard looks at the other two. "The weapons ROC agents use?"

The room turned silent as all the guards became unsure of what to do.

"What are you doing—kill him, dammit!" Shouted Mr. Powell.

A twenty-four-year-old woman storms in. "R-O-C, let the idiot go!" She points at Jacob.

"I got it handled, Odessa." Jacob sighs.

Odessa shakes her head. "This was your plan?"

Odessa had a brooding look, complemented by her dark makeup and hair. She wore a black raincoat with black pants and a black vest over her white blouse, with an armband badge on her right side. "Henry Levitz, RiDent H-L-6-9-1-9-L-0-9 ..." She states as she walks directly towards him. "You're herby placed under Limbo for past and current life crimes."

Mr. Powell screams "NO!" and attempts to jump out the window to kill himself.

Odessa quickly uses her Icyr and paralyzes him. "I don't think so..."

She crouches down next to him. "Confirming with the BPS..." She takes out a portable device and scans Mr. Powell, confirming his true identity. "Brainwave pattern matches. It's Levitz."

The guards let Jacob go as he picks up Levitz.

He stares at Odessa staring at him. "Well then, let's be off?"

Odessa rolls her eyes.

Somewhere in another city, hundreds wait in line for their turn. One, in particular, is Em Walker, forty-five, blonde hair, blue eyes, and an anxious yet hopeful face. The interior of the building resembles a modern-day bureaucratic office, as multiple lines of people queue up for tellers.

A window lights up. "Next!" An old female voice yells.

Em rushes over.

"Number?" The old teller asks.

"Em Walker." She nervously replies.

The old woman stares unamused. "RI-DENT, NUM-BER." She stresses.

"Oh, sorry..." Em replies, stumbling to remember. "E-H—" She clears her throat. "E-H-1-7-9-1-1-L-0-4."

"Please look at the scanner for verification."

A subtle flash scans Em. The bright light causes her to turn her head, noticing the old woman's ID Badge next to her monitor.

"Brainwave Pattern, E-H-1-7-9-1-1-L-0-4," The computer voice states.

"RiDent number of the emerging?"

"L-H-1-8-0-1-1-L-0-4."

Em takes a deep breath as the old woman searches.

"There's no reports of an emerging this week or this month with that number." The old lady stares at her screen before looking back at Em. "When did the person depart?"

Em hears the sound of a television in the background, a news report about the rumored end of the reincarnation cycle. "Please check again," Em adamantly asks.

The old lady rechecks her computer. "There's no date—" She begins to type on her keyboard heavily. "Checking the last date of death."

Em anxiously waits as her focus sways between the television and the teller.

The old lady's eyes widen, "This doesn't make sense." Her eyes glued to her screen in disbelief. "When did you say this RiDent number died?" The old lady looks up from her screen, surprised to see that Em had already left. She shrugs and shouts, "Next!" The screen indicates the person perished twenty years ago, which is considered too long for an emergence.

The average time between dying and reincarnation is seven to thirty days, during which they emerge from a random body of water. Every known body of water that reincarnates has emerged from, the ROC heavily guards and monitors. They record every instance of reincarnates emerging, keeping them in their global database to help people find their loved ones.

Jacob and his partner are en route to Eileithyia, the headquarters of ROC. Once known as Cleveland, the city has now become the new capital of the country. Due to its relative proximity to the five great lakes, it quickly transformed into a haven for the emerging. However, the beautifully advanced city subtly hides its true nature, a totalitarian government filled with meaningless bureaucracy.

Jacob closes his eyes, thinking of the woman that raised him. An African American lady, strong, commanding, yet loving. He doesn't think about her too often, as certain events lead to their estrangement. Suddenly, turbulence shakes the air vehicle, causing Jacob to see flashes of a man. The man gives him a beautiful heart-shaped locket, then leans in and kisses him. Jacob wakes up abruptly, clutching his chest.

"Not those damn images again?" Jacob softly punches his seat. "Why now?"

Reincarnates retain the memories from their past life, so dreaming of them is nothing short of ordinary. But in Jacob's case, this was unusual. Jacob is secretly the only reincarnate to emerge without any memories, having no recollection of who he is or what he's done. He joined the ROC, hoping to one day discover his past.

"Let's go." Odessa remarks.

After placing Henry Levitz inside the cryogenic chamber, known as Limbo, the pair are greeted by their superior. Alan Jane, a rigid man, late forties, tall with dark features. He congratulates the two for another job well done, then informs them that the Chancellor requests their presence.

In the early months during the first reincarnates, known as the first wave, the government created the Reincarnate Oversight Committee (ROC). They were the rock in the ocean, providing stability in a distorted world. Now centuries later, ROC has evolved to become the country's government. This is primarily thanks to the efforts of Alenor Godfringe, now known as the Chancellor.

The Chancellor's office resembles the interior of a cathedral, as many gathered to praise and worship her. The Chancellor is dressed in a black ceremonial robe, white sash, gold mask, and silver head ornament. As her best two agents, the Chancellor requests the duo to investigate the rumors of the cycle ending (Reincarnation).

"Are the rumors not true?" Jacob innocently asks.

Odessa angrily mouths at Jacob, "What are you doing?"

There's an unwritten rule at ROC to never question a task, especially one given by the Chancellor. But at that moment, Jacob didn't care. The strange dreams, subconscious gestures, it all felt off to him. It was like the whole world was off, and he needed to know why.

"Tis the truth." The Chancellor surprisingly answered. "And that is the problem." She gracefully sits on her throne, waving her attendants to leave. "We can't have the world knowing the truth."

"What exactly..." Jacob pauses "...are you asking of us?"

"To silence the would-be sayers—the knowers..." She faintly hissed.

"As you request, Chancellor." Odessa politely bows before grabbing Jacob.

The pair exits the chambers. An attendant of the Chancellor hands them a folder. Odessa glosses through the pages, then hands it over to Jacob.

"What're you standing around for? We have our orders," Odessa walks off apathetically.

Em nervously waits in a dark alley, hiding from the ROC drones in the skies. A mandated curfew is in progress, and anyone caught will be taken into Limbo. Suddenly the dumpster opens, revealing a secret entrance.

"Hurry in!" An old man loudly whispers. "Do you have it?" He asks.

Em hands him the old woman's stolen ID Badge. "Here—do you think you can find anything with it?"

The old man and Em walk through a dark hallway, reaching the light at the end. There Em discovers a small community, happily living underground. These people are known as Terminals, those who wish to live life before the cycle. The terminals believe in living each life once, never returning to the past after emerging. This philosophy goes against the ROC, as they believe every life decision carries over.

Em follows the old man to his home, a place filled with sophisticated computers. The old man's name is Nine, and he is in the business of hacking. After searching through all of ROC's databases, Nine informs Em that there is no emerging date for RiDent LH18011L04. But just as Em was about to lose all hope, Nine locates an irregularity. LH18011L04's records have been tampered with, altered by Dr. Julia Torquinn, a retired scientist for the ROC.

Just as Em finally found a lead, ROC agents raid the community. Everyone is captured and taken outside, where vehicles await them to transport them to ROC headquarters. Em is caught, forcefully escorted by a ROC agent. Not wanting to give up just yet, she struggles to break free. But her attempts fail as she is knocked down, causing her necklace to fall out from her shirt. Call it fate or luck, but in that instance, Jacob witnesses the altercation. It was then that he recognized the necklace, the beautiful heart-shaped locket he'd seen so many times in his memories.

Jacob quickly intervenes, taking Em to his vehicle. They drive off together, leaving a confused Odessa to take care of the raid. Driving sporadically, Jacob asks Em who she is. She replies she is looking for her Multi-Life Partner, a term to denote couples who've been together through numerous lives. Jacob asks about the man she is looking for, but Em reveals that her partner is a woman. Desperate to seek answers about his life, Jacob decides to help Em in exchange for information.

"So, where to?" Jacob asks.

"A retired scientist for the ROC may have answers—we need to find Dr. Julia Torquinn."

Jacob abruptly stops the vehicle.

"What's wrong!? Em frantically shouts. "Do you know her!?"

"Julia Torquinn?" Jacob restarts the vehicle. "Yeah, I know her!"

Em stares at Jacob cluelessly. "Well, come on. Let's go see her!"

Jacob sighs. "Okay, let's go see my mother." He reluctantly speeds off.

TO BE CONTINUED...