File 7 - My name is Sam

Sam stood there, dazed. It was as though lightning had struck him. He thought about everything that happened up until now.

From his loss of consciousness to him waking up in the stone house, it was as if a moment had passed. And when he woke up, he found himself imprisoned in a body that was younger and crippled.

Unfortunatly, that was not all.

This world is not his own either.

This sudden revelation created a deep void in his heart, and at the same time froze all thoughts in Sam's head.

He remained a long time staring at the two moons. Thinking of nothing.

He did not belong here.

Where is his life? what about his father, the people he knew, his civilisation !

“Is this hell?..” Sam instantly discarded this thought: no flames, no devils to laugh at him while picking him with a trident, no trials of the souls, no explanations, nothing. Only getting here in a different world as a different person.

That did not fit the image of God from his previous world.

“Then, this body is someone else’s and I took it over?” That was the only guess he had that could explain what happened to him during these days.

In addition it seemed, now, that these people were not trying to restrain him, but actually really nursed him.

However, the humiliation he felt at that time made it hard for Sam to accept the “helping part”.

After all. The gazes he saw were not ones of caring. Neither did they carry the wish of well being for its target.

These were cold stares, as if looking at an amusing animal.

The fact that he was taken care of and his condition improving however was a hard one to deny.

“So these people, although treating me like a prisoner had no intentions in harming me”.

As he looked at his body he though. “Am I a lost child? or maybe an orphan?”

That could explain why so much people came to look at him during this hellish-like period. They were maybe parents looking after their own child, or looking to adopt one. That thought was strange, but after all, this world is not his own, so rules may differ from his morals.

He had to accept it and force himself to open up to other kinds of considerations, even cruel ones.

Sam mused for a while with this new perspective. And thought that the safer was to remain in this house until he is able to gain more insight into the current situation. Thankfully, the Marble had made things easier for him. At least he could communicate.

Before he could return into the stone house however, he heard a woman’s voice behind him:

“Heavens!”

Sam froze again.

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Carla was standing in the courtyard looking at Gerad’s son, petrified.

She was on her way to the maids quarters when she saw it walking back toward its house. She knew that Dr. Mepan said it would be able to move soon, but up until now, she saw no signs of its mobility condition improving. This sudden turn of event literally frozed her in her tracks.

Seeing the expression on Carla's face, Sam was pondering: “She spent so much days taking care of me, and the moment I stand up, she looks like this…”

It was not criticism, Sam understood the situation. It may seem at first that his condition improved instantly, but that was Sam concealing his real progress. Naturally, seeing him walk like that from being paralysed is ought to surprise her.

Sam smiled and walked toward her, when he was three step away, he stopped and said “Thank you for nursing me all this time”. She took care of Sam since he came to this world, and Sam was not the ungrateful type.

Problem is, he said that sentence in english..

Carla looked at Sam, she did not understand his mumbling. However his smile made her feel that he did not meant any harm.

Waking up from her daze, Carla exclaimed: “Heavens! This is great news! I have to notify Lord Brian as soon as possible!”.

She knew Brian was in the manor’s living room.He was currently receiving a report of the beast hunt that took place today.

She took Sam by the hand, and dragged him toward the manor.

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"Come in!"

When Brian gave permission to Carla to come in the living room, she came in dragging behind her a limping youth.

Brian and everybody else present narrowed their eyes and soon after, opened them in surprise.

The youth had a faint trace of the Lennarts facial features altough so cracked that his face was not human like: his nose was crooked, his cheekbones although high were covered with cracks and his mouth was so dry that just looking at it made one gulp in thirst. He was skinny, had long disheveled black hairs and his right hand held his left arm close to his body. His limping came from his shorter right leg.

He stood there looking at them, and his black eyes flashed with curiosity.

When Sam came walking inside, everybody froze. It was as if a dead person came walking inside the room.

Brian, Sasha, Denise, Vincent and the guards presents looked at Sam with eyes full of disbeliefs.

Before them stood Gerad’s son.

This error of nature, the one that is said in the village to be a curse from heaven. This child that brought so many issues to Lennarts family the last fouteen years was now looking at them in the eyes.

Thought to be a lost cause at birth, only because Gerad was in the brink of deep despair did they maintain his son alive. But the treatment was harmful for the body. Over the years they saw his skin drying up and due to his lack of exercice, his veins under the pressure of the RuneQi had been crippled.

Everyone thought that it would never wake up. This was not just a belief, in their heart, it was as certain as the sun rise every morning.

“What…how…Carla, what did you do to make it walk?” Brian said after a few breaths.

“Nothing my Lord, when I found it, it was already out of the stone house, I was surprised at first and did not know what to do, but seeing that it would follow me when I took its hand, I brought it here”. Carla said respectfully.

Sasha exclaimed:” You say that you found it outside. Did it learn to walk on its own? Why did you not tell father about it?”

Brian nodded and added: “Carla, I thought you told me everything during your reports. How could you hide such a thing happening?”

Carla hurriedly said: “M-My Lord, I did not know that it was already able to walk, it never did it before me, I thought that it was still unable to move! My Lord, please understand!” Carla kowtowed.

“I haven’t hidden anything! Truthfully, when I saw it outside, I was shocked and afraid. Dr.Mepan did say that after three days it would be able to move and carry itself, but I did not see any signs of it getting better at all! Even today, when I was applying muscles strengthening talisman to it, it did not even move an inch.”

Celine came in at this moment. She stood there stunned for a couple seconds, and looking at Sam with eyes filled with fear, she went on Brian’s side.

Sam was listening to their conversation; but the conversation was off, he couldn’t understand why they kept addressing him as such. He also did not understand their surprised expression when they saw him walking in.

It was as if this was a miracle.

After all, him being able to walk was thanks to their care.

“But the way they address me…… I am not an object for Christ’s sake!”. “Or are crippled people not allowed a name in this world?”. Sam was infuriated, he just came in this world, and already he was denied the right to be treated as a person?

That, he could not accept.

The days of humiliation going through his mind, little by little, he casted his gaze downwards.

After some more talk, they decided to put Sam back in his room, and feed him normally from now on.

Facing the assistance, Brian said :”Well, at least, that resolve the worry of us having to teach it how to carry itself!” in a try to brush this matter off everyone's mind.

However, at this moment they heard a young, but hoarse voice. The voice carried a hint of coldness.

“N-not ‘it’….”

Everyone turned around and Brian asked Carla :”Carla, did you say something?”

But Carla who stood next to Sam did not answer. And with a pale face, was looking at Sam.

Sam looked up to the assistance and said:

“N-not ‘it’…my..name….Sam”.

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