The Many Lives of Mirana

First Life

Did I make a mistake? Geoffrey is okay as a father, but he has to go to work, so I'm dependent on Nancy and even evil Malcolm for everything.

Incidentally, don't fret too much about how I, an infant, am managing to write this. I communicate my feelings to the Watcher, who also takes care of things like providing furniture and making Geoffrey get my will out of the mailbox and read it aloud.

To my amazement, I was a topnotch infant when I became a toddler. And even though I didn't have great balance, I learned to walk on schedule. I have an independent nature (pretty much a necessity if I'm to learn to use the potty).

I can hug Enigma now. She likes playing with her toy near me. An her new litter box is self-cleaning.

But the Watcher still has to make Malcolm buy wellness treats for her at the vet. He also pays the bills and has just hired a maid. Nancy is too busy with her midlife crisis to clean and Geoffrey is too upset with angry grief and burnout, plus he's squeamish. They're considering a divorce.

I'm glad we're getting a maid. Neither the potty chair nor the bathtub is anything I want to get close to.

Incidentally, while it looks like I'm a messy eater, that's because I'm trying to provide extra food for Enigma. I'm also a light sleeper who hates being carried.

What's the most exciting thing that happened recently?

We have a maid now. His name is Haruto.

I had a birthday (more about that later).

And Malcolm died when he tried to cook something on the stove. He also picked up the clumsy trait.

We had a funeral for him, but it wasn't much of a success. He decided to stay in the house as a ghost, When the Watcher discovered that he could still work on his Soul's Journey and be reborn, she decided to help him.

So while I was at school, she sent him on a bike trip, as that was something on his bucket list.

Having a fight with his mother was not on the list, but mending his relationship was, so that counted, too.

And then Malcolm added a day in Ravenwood. It was Saturday, meaning no school for me, so I tagged along.

I got to do a few things that I hadn't done while living there. Things like swinging and talking to a crow.

And I met Olive Specter's little boy Isaiah. She didn't recognize me and neither did Nyon, which was kind of sad.

Eventually I returned home, but Malcom stayed until his journey was finished. He rejoined us as a teen.

As promised, there's more to say about myself. (Yes, I've lost a tooth. I'm a kid. We do that.) I was a music lover in my previous life, and I'm a music lover again. This time I plan to do more with it. 

For now I'm playing the violin, but I might take up the piano or the guitar or even singing.

My first aspiration has been to become an artistic prodigy. Besides playing the violin, this requires drawing.

Writing also helps, as do playing with toys and even reading under the covers. I plan to keep a journal throughout my life, and I will add my bucket list to it when I get older.

My nursery has acquired more furniture, but I still sleep next to Enigma's cat tree.

Now that I'm older, I can brush her, feed her, and even give her medicine from the vet.

I finished my first aspiration with a song on the violin. Note the butterfly on my back -- I chose a shirt with a butterfly on it to indicate that I've been reborn.

My next aspiration requires that I learn how to ride a bike. Sadly, while I was cycling around, the Grim Reaper came to the house. I thought at first that he might have come for Nancy, but no, it was Enigma's time.

I challenged him to a game of chess for her, but he refused.

Good-bye, Enigma!

So now I am a teenager.

My bedroom has been altered accordingly, although I've kept my childhood art on the walls for the time-being.

Everyone tells me this time will be full of ups and downs.

What no one mentioned was that other people would be having ups and downs, too, like Geoffrey being abducted by aliens. Twice.

I've been attending the same high school as Malcolm. It doesn't seem fair. He's coasting with his A, never doing homework while I do all mine, plus extra credit and am stuck on the letter B. But everything has seemed unfair ever since Enigma died and Grim wouldn't let me challenge him at chess. I've even tried grief counseling, and what a waste that was.

Anyway, I did have an "up." I didn't expect to go to prom. It was enough that Malcolm would go, as he deserved to, after going to the trouble to make a promposal sign and go down on his knee to Britney Bjersen.

But then Kaiden Sigworth, who has grown up to be rather good-looking, asked me to go with him as friends. So I put on my best dress and went.

I nominated him for Prom King and Malcolm for Prom Jester. They both won, so either I'm psychic or I was the only person who voted.

Everything was hunky-dory, but then we realized that Nancy and Geoffrey were getting older. Nancy was the first to go.

And then Geoffrey, before he could even start to mourn Nancy. 

I arranged a funeral for them -- well, I could only do it for Geoffrey, but it was for Nancy, too.

Our high school principal came, along with Kaiden and Britney, and even Grim.

So that was all a real down, but just now, I've had a big up. I finally got my A and found out I that I'm eligible for early graduation. Leave high school and go to college? You betcha.

Malcolm and I set up memorial pictures of Geoffrey and Nancy.

Afterwards, I went to prom with Kaiden. It's sad -- I had looked forward to dancing with him for so long, but I just couldn't enjoy myself. Malcolm didn't go to prom at all.

I did go to counseling again, and this session seemed to help more. After counseling, I left for college. I'm majoring in history at the University of Britechester, and I'm living in the dorm.

The space is a bit cramped after Affluista Mansion, but that doesn't bother me much. I kind of wish there was a place where I could cook, though, as I can't always make it to the commons in time to get a meal. Some people in the dorm fix Monte Cristo sandwiches, so that helps.

I spend a lot of time studying. I'm taking four courses a semester, which is a heavy load but I want to finish as quickly as possible.

I was not planning to join any student clubs, but I read somewhere that making an offering to the book statue in the quad might get me into a secret society.

And it worked! I now belong to the Order of Enchantment. I don't think we get to enchant anything, however. As a new member I'm supposed to help tend the garden, but nothing needs watering or weeding so far.

Back to classes. My first semester I finished with a straight A+ average. I decided to move into a smaller dorm, one where I could close the door when I needed a shower. And also where there were fewer people trying to use the computer. I should have bought one before leaving Affluista Mansion.

And at last I'm a young adult. I seem to have acquired a romantic disposition, which should be interesting. Instead of becoming a judge, I'm thinking that I might be a good romantic counselor. Should I change my major to Psychology?

Anyway, I didn't have a party, but did invite a bunch of people over, friends from high school and college. Elsie and Abby are both grown up like me, but Kaiden and Yusuf are still teens. No romantic possibilities there. But Luca from the OOE might be interesting -- I do like a man in a fedora.