Chapter 1: The Man That Never Dies

Present Time

Feeling exhausted, Seth was standing on the 20th step of their staircase when his phone rang. He picked up the call instantly.

“Dad, I can’t see him. He could be out.” Seth said with a sigh to the person on the other side.

He’s been going up and down the staircase and circling the house since 4 o’clock in the morning, like a madman looking for his lost cat.

“He will not leave the house, as I have said. Just try to find him. Perhaps he’s doing something stupid again,” said Seth’s caller, and even before he responded, Seth heard some impact in the storage room. He quickly canceled the call and slowly approached the storage room door, his heart almost pumping out of his chest. He got hold of the doorknob and slowly opened the door.

“Waaah!” screamed Seth in disbelief.

The wooden chair fell off the floor, and found a man with a good body built squiggling his feet while his body was hanging from the ceiling. But he wasn’t dead. He looks more furious than that.

“Uncle, what the heck are you doing?” Seth snarled at his uncle with his hand on his chest, trying to calm himself from shock at the scene he witnessed.

His uncle Simon is wearing all black, which makes him look like a ninja without a mask. He also has long, shoulder-length hair like a teen girl, a mustache, and a beard that hasn’t been shaved for ages.

“What do you think I’m doing? Playing?” Simon said, annoyed by Seth’s sudden appearance. “Go pick up that chair and put it under me. I’m going to get off.”

Seth immediately put the seat under Simon’s feet without further ado while removing the cord from his neck. The trace of the rope is noticeable on Simon’s neck, leaving a trail that he committed suicide. Irritated, Simon left the storage room, and Seth followed.

“Uncle, for the nth time, why are you trying to get yourself killed again?” Seth to the back of his uncle.

Simon turned and raised his brow towards Seth. “Why are you asking? Are you upset because I haven’t died yet? No worries, we both feel the same way.”

“It’s not like that, Uncle. Aren’t you tired yet? I mean, you’re sure you’ll prove the saying, try and try until you die? Well, for your information, nobody knows that motto anymore!” Seth said with a chuckle.

With a blank expression, Simon started walking again, and Seth went to follow him again.

Simon’s on his way to the kitchen to get some water.

“It is easy for you to say because you don’t know the feeling of someone like me watching the people around me die while I’m still strong as a bison.” Simon drank some water, then continued, “No matter what I do, I’ll never die.”

Seth approached Simon and put his arm on his uncle’s shoulder, trying to console him. “Isn’t it a little weird, Uncle? Come to think of it, everybody wants to live, and you want to die. That’s what I’m talking about.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to jerk? At my age now, I should be in heaven already, wintering.” Simon said without an expression on his face.

“But uncle! Are you even sure you’re going to heaven if you die?” Seth asked with a laugh.

“Silly!” Simon glared at Seth. And knocked the boy on the head.

“It hurts, uncle,” Seth complained while caressing his head.

Simon turned the pitcher over to the refrigerator, washed the glass, and put it into the cabinet.

“Why don’t you try marrying someone, Uncle? Maybe when you’re a parent, you’ll be able to spend some quality time with your kids,” says Seth with a serious face. “So you won’t kill yourself many times again because you’re busy with them.”

“Aha! If I can’t help you die, maybe that’s what I must do. Find you some maiden that your charms will bewitch.” Seth said it with a grin on his face.

This bemused Simon. He said nothing and turned his back on Seth. The latter watched Simon walk away calmly.

-

On the rooftop, Simon was there like a bird, admiring the view from above. His skin absorbs the coldness of the air. Nobody was outside the village because of the curfew. And that’s what he wants—the feeling of being alone.

The year 1500

Simon’s family lives in the mountain. It wasn’t easy living in those days. Except for hot weather, plants, and crops dry up. There’s been no rain for several months. And since there were no good crops, it became a period of starvation. Simon’s father owned a lot he had run since his wife died of an incurable disease. As an only child, Simon had no companion in the little lodge where he grew up. Simon collected firewood that he used for cooking and heating every night. It was a different day, though. The sky was dark, and the wind was whispering strangely. Many rejoiced that Bathala had heard their prayer that it would rain so the crops would live and the harvest would be good.

A few hours later, the sky was getting darker. People thought it would be a great storm, which is why climate change and animals are being disrupted. Nobody knew of a huge and dangerous asteroid that would strike the Earth during this period. This happens every thousand years and, unfortunately, on that day. The rays of the sun had vanished from half the Earth. People have unleashed themselves because of the supposed end of the world. However, a luminous object suddenly appeared in heaven. There is a major blast in space. Gradually, the sunlight returned, but some darkness was visible. Then came the fall of many asteroids on Earth.

Simon looked up into the sky and noticed something falling out of place. He can’t see much because the sunlight hits his eyes. As the object approached, a fire surrounded it. Simon came out and ran. The shadow of the flaming object is broad. Simon stumbled several times in his hurry. He dropped the sticks and felt the hot thing behind him. Simon couldn’t resist turning around. His eyes widened when he saw the hot rock coming down on him.

And entire mountains shook when this thing came down. Simon dug a deep pit. Simon holds a plant so that he does not fall on the burning stone under him. Simon felt his feet slowly dulled to the waist by the extreme heat. The plant he was holding was also pulled out. Its roots have become visible on the ground.

“Aahhhh!” screamed Simon.

In the end, the soil that holds the plant’s root yielded, and Simon fell onto a burning rock.

Simon awoke when the sunlight from the window struck him in the face. Simon opened his eyes and turned around. He looked around. He was in a room in the house made of bamboo, and the coconut leaves were used as the roof. Simon also looked at his body, and there were no wounds or scars.

“Is everything only a dream?” asked Simon.

He walked out of the room at once. Using the wood-burning stove in the kitchen, a woman is busy cooking and glances at him. At first, he thought it was his mother, but then he looked at her and realized it was someone else.

“Love, is our lunch ready?” A man asked.

As he looked at the woman, he realized she was pregnant.

“Yes, my love. I will prepare the table,” the lady said.

“Let me give you a hand,” said the man.

The man looked back and noticed he was standing in front of the room. The guy smiled at him.

“You have woken up. You’ve been asleep for the past few days. How are you feeling?” the man asked.

Simon froze. “How long have I been asleep?”

The man laid his hand on his shoulder and placed him on the chair in front of the dining table.

“About four days. We saw you in the woods, unconscious, probably exhausted, but not injured,” the man said.

“What happened to you?” the woman asked.

Simon looked at the table and tried to remember everything that had happened, but he remembered nothing.

“By the way, I am Helena, and here is my husband, Lando. And your name?” asked Helena.

“My name is Simon,” he says.

“What are you doing in that place? Did that big rock hit you on the ground?” Lando asked.

Simon nodded. “In my memory, I fell into the immense crater that thing did.”

Both of them stared at each other. “But didn’t that fireball fall on the hill?” said Lando.

“I saw a burning stone,” said Helena.

“It was on fire, and it made an immense crater that I fell into,” Simon said.

“But you have no bruises,” said Helena.

A few days later, Simon felt better. He remained at the couple’s house. This couple is several years older than he is. They considered him their younger sibling.

Lando went to a farm that day. Simon wanted to help, but Lando wouldn’t let him go. Helena had to give birth within a month, and she could give birth.

Simon was stacking wood when Helena called him.

“Is there something you need, Helena?” asked Simon.

Helena came down when he got to her. He supports her until she gets closer to the chair.

“My abdomen hurts, Simon.” Helena moans as she holds her stomach.

Simon got a little jumpy. “I’m going to pick up Lando,” said Simon.

Simon was leaving the house when Helena complained.

“Don’t go, Simon,” said Helena. She just started lying on the chair. “I think my child is coming out. Help me.”

“Huh? Is the baby coming out? Are you going to give birth already? What am I supposed to do?” Simon asked.

He panicked. Simon came in and stood by Helena’s side.

“Have a seat,” said Helena.

Helena is gasping for air. Helena held the back of the chair on her left side above her head. Simon took a seat in the other chair.

“Simon, what are you doing there? Sit here at my feet. Hurry!” Helena’s voice was stern.

Confused, Simon sat under Helena, who opened her legs before him.

“What are you doing, Helena?” asked Simon.

“What else? Deliver the baby, of course. I’m going to give birth, Simon.” Helena said. She was nearly crying.

“What do you want me to do? I’m going to call Lando,” Simon said.

“Take off my underwear,” said Helena.

Simon’s eyes grew larger. “Take off your underwear, Helena? Lando will be furious.”

“Stupid, the baby is coming out. Take off my underwear, Simon!” Helena almost could not shout.

Simon closed his eyes and took off his underwear. Helena’s breathing came along.

“You are nuts, Simon. Why are you closing your eyes?” asked Helena.

“You said I’d remove your underwear,” said Simon.

“Oh my goodness, you don’t even know how to remove underwear? Hurry, my baby is coming out!” Helena cried.

When Simon finally took off Helena’s underwear, she spoke again.

“You take the white linen to our room. Be quick,” said Helena.

Simon rushed toward the room for the white cloth. He ran down and seated himself at Helena’s feet again.

“Catch my baby with a cloth, Simon,” Helena shouted.

“What?” Simon said, shocked.

“Geez, Simon. What happened to you? You suddenly became deaf?” Helena said while breathing in and out.

“Aaaaahhhh!” Helena screams while she pushes.

Helena gripped the seat. Afterward, Simon felt something had landed on his hand from Helena’s v*****. A loud baby’s cry followed.

PRESENT TIME

It surprised Simon when beer in a can caught his eye. He took it and turned his back.

“Why are you killing yourself again? Seth’s a little nervous about not finding you earlier.”

Samuel was the second in Lando’s generation. He is 60 years old and the president of Simon’s company.

“Is that because Lucia is dead?” Samuel asked. “We expect that, right? She has cancer,” he said.

Simon had some beer. At 544, Simon is only 23 years old.

“She’s been a wonderful housekeeper ever since you were a kid. She’s your nanny,” Simon said.

“We can do nothing. This is really how life is. Some die, and some will not die, no matter what. We need to accept the truth and enjoy life.” Samuel said this after drinking beer.

“Tomorrow, I’ll call Mikel to make you look in shape,” said Samuel. “You looked like some young terrorist, if you haven’t noticed.” Samuel laughed.

Simon is still not saying anything. Simon filed for vacation leave for his work just to plan suicide, but nothing happened. A suicide attempt is just another failure.

“Were you offended by what Seth said a little while ago?” Samuel asked.

Simon didn’t say a word. Instead, he consumed the contents of the can. And so did Samuel.

Simon truly wants to have a family. But he fears that his child-to-be will inherit his fate. Simon knows how difficult it is to live long, and he still sees those close to his heart die while he is alive. Some women have also made his heart beat and gotten his attention, but he avoids them.