Atria (Chapter 4)

Before Ashley knew what was happening, an orbit had passed. It felt like no more than a second to her, between socializing and regular group meetings, she stayed busy. On the turn before the start of her next life, Atrius approached her. “You realize Ashley, that has been almost an entire orbit since we last discussed your upcoming life.” He said solemnly. Ashley looked shocked “Judging by the look on your face, I’d say that you lost track of time, am I right? Atrius finished with a small smile. Ashley hesitated, she knew this was coming but she never dreamed that it would be so soon, then nodded. “I will let the shock sink in,” said Atrius with a note of understanding in his voice. “I advise that you say goodbye to those you are close to and then come to the departure pool.” He said kindly. Ashley finally found her voice “Yes, thank you Atrius, I will see you shortly.” She said formally. Ashley hastened o find Krystal and Malachi, they has become closer friends since Casey left for her next life and she knew that if she left tomorrow, Krystal and Malachi would be leaving for their first lives in a couple of turns, so she wanted to wish them luck. She found them by The main fountain, sitting together, deep in conversation. “Hi guys,” she said loudly when she was a couple of paces away. They looked up. ‘What’s up Ash” asked Malachi when he noticed the urgent look on her face. “I’m leaving tomorrow,” said Ashley “What!” cried Krystal, “but that means that we leave in….” Malachi cut her off “three turns.” Ashley nodded, ‘It will be alright guys” she promised them “you wont even remember this place after a couple of years on earth, but you will be back after a while” Krystal and Malachi nodded sadly. “I have to go, I think Atrius wants to talk to me some more. I guess I will see you when I see you ok guys? Good luck.”
Ashley walked away, headed for the departure pool. It took her only a few minutes to walk there and soon she was back, standing in front of Atrius. “Ashley” he said to her “Are you ready to enter the realms of life on earth and do you vow to learn all that you can during the brief time you spend there.” Ashley had heard this oath three times before; Atrius read it at every departure. He reached the part in the vow where Ashley was supposed to say, “Yes, I will” but she hastened to interrupt him. “Wait Atrius, I thought you said I was leaving tomorrow.” “ I am sorry Ashley, but we have the two newborns to prepare and I really need to get this out of the way” he replied apologetically. “Oh that is ok I guess” she said as Atrius began to read the vow again. On cue Ashley said loudly, ‘Yes, I will” and stepped into the shallow pool filled with Pale blue cloudy gas. She felt the marble bottom beneath her feet and the smoke swirling around her legs. Then, Atrius threw his arms in the air and bellowed “Olivia” and Ashley felt the marble drop from beneath her feet, she was falling, down, down until she stopped. She tried to open her eyes but she couldn’t, she reached out, and felt a soft wet surface, than realized, she was in her mothers womb. Ashley had been here before, well not here exactly but a womb is a womb as they say. She wasn’t uncomfortable, but if you roll over the wrong way, you tend to get quite constricted. She wondered to herself why she never bothered to ask anyone how old her body was when she entered it. She lay there guessing and came up with a guess of 20 weeks gestation, which she thought was fair enough. She wondered what it would feel like to lose all of this knowledge when she learned to talk. Obviously she had experienced it before, but she knew it was something that spirits never truly got used to. Ashley fell asleep, dreaming of all the things that lay ahead of her.
The Weeks ticked by and in the thirty-eighth week, Ashley was jerked awake by immense pressure, coming from all around her. She was scared for a moment and then she realized that the pressure she was feeling was her mother’s contractions. She lay there for a while and wondered how Krystal and Malachi were feeling. After a couple of hours, she felt herself moving. Then she saw the light, and before she knew it she was lying in her new mothers arms, staring as she watched tears of joy running down this ladies face. She yawned and fell back to sleep, after all, she had just been a part of one of the miracles of life, and man was she tired.
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