First Writing contest submission ever. The Australian contest with the requirement to have the word “Australia” as the avatar. Submitted and not a winner:

Past Me Again By Allana J. Shultz

“I’ll never speak of this again. I’m just the messenger Mahina-Jah.”

I sat down slowly. My mother’s usual eccentric self was now plain erratic. The reaction of my face tightening made my mother let go of my wrist.

“I dreamed one night that a shadow was after you.” She started. “It killed you and your witch coven. Do you know what a coven is?” She asked.

With all the gifts my mother possessed and the charms coasted around the house, she didn’t dabble in covens or even try to perk our ears to magic. It’s not something that’s outlawed, but witches didn’t live here. Aliens? Super humans that chose the villain life or the cape? Yes. But witches just weren’t talked about in the new world.

I shook my head.

“A coven is a group of witches. Or very, very gifted people who use magic on purpose. But Mahina magic like that comes with a price.”

“Mom, what does that have to do with me? It was a dream. That’s it!” I insisted on her to stop the talking.

“You know that’s not true, Mahina. In my dream, that shadow killed everyone in that coven, including you. He slit your throat round and round and I could do nothing but watch.” My mother pressed.

“I hope it doesn’t happen again either.” She added peering her teary blurred eyes at me.

“Again?” My mouth slipped in question. ‘she dreamed I got my throat cut in this life?’ I asked internally.

“Mahina, that was your past life. And the dream didn’t end there. Now that you’re here in this life. Everything will pick up where time stopped. The shadow will return. Your magic will awaken with no authorization. The shadow will come back for you.”

“Mother, please, you sound crazy. What would Dad think of all this crazy talk?”

“Your father knows Mahina. I was so afraid I told him about the dream that night! I told him to remember because this was your prophecy coming from my lips.” My mother said sternly. “I wanted to tell you, I always wanted to tell you but he said wait till you’re eighteen.” She cried out like a child who was about to be punished.

I rolled my eyes at her dramatics. “Why 18?”

“Because before the dream ended, I dreamed a man sought you out. He was in the coven with you. You were married…He came looking for you when you were 14. He respected your father’s wishes and now, after the moon sets and the sun rises the day after your birthday, he will come to you. Hoping to protect you, I hope you let him… because I can’t.” My mother broke in the end, desperate to get through to me.

She ran away to wipe her tears.

The day before my birthday, that’s what my mother unloaded. It circulated in my head on instant replay since and now the day was here. I watched the sunset set on the water, pissed at how my mother's words demolished my world, I thought I had till graduation…But today was the day, all day I was frantic that I would meet those eyes searching for me. I leaned my head in the glass of Maine’s hover craft as if I was willing to fall over and dive in. Maine was named after the state his family had to abandon three generations ago after The Great Collapse. Each first born sun holds the name so they will never forget where they came from. Many people had odd traditions that couldn’t be shaken to preserve from before. All cultures forced inland or away. The tides that destroyed the east Asian regions and the borders of every content. Those that came to the western side of the hemisphere. I.E The United that used to be America was now and is now a massive island clattered into the Asian district. To keep tradition of their blended culture, the main language Japanese was spoken and taught in schools, Chinese spoken in the public and Korean at home. The Indians concealed themselves away among themselves and thrived out in the medical industry.

My mother’s African American father whose parents settle in the Asian district after his parents were forced inland from Georgia. The melting pot that became the world people fell in between these districts, removing the stigma of color and reinforcing the bounds of culture.

My Indian father banned from his district from falling in love with an outsider bringing me to be raised in the Asian district. There was the Latin district and the American district which lived in Ultra City. The melting pot of those who wanted to carry on as one after our rescue. The rescue that changed us from human to being the human race. No one checked color anymore like from before. Now people checked DNA. Sky skyscraper with floating additions, hover cars, free health care, end of democracy and end of oppression, end of famine, end of global warming, end of dirt poverty. All because the aliens finally delivered aid. They stopped the waters from rising; they suck the pollution out the sky and the oceans. For most, they were our rescuers. To others, they were gods, but there were some dangerous people that feared them. Even though they were accepted into our schools, even though they displayed pure kindness, some humans, out of fear, treated them like genuine shit. I once witness a man straight up spit on one for walking by him. The Antimise’s brutish looking nature was intimidating, yes. With their solid muscular bodies, raven black hair, green skin and blue eyes, could give any human that misty feeling. Some developed relationships like I did. I had fallen for an Antimise boy at school and now what I was just told ended everything. I wasn’t pissed because I was blindsided. I was pissed because unbeknownst to my mother, she just confirmed everything I was afraid of. The dream about getting my throat sliced. I had it. I also knew of Eun, the man that would look for me.

“We here.” Maine interrupted my train of thought.

I looked up, slightly lost as I almost forgotten our intended destination. We were at Demi’s family plot of land purchased by Demi’s very rich parents. The plot came with an abandoned barn house they renovated in bohemian style and Demi could use for parties. The small plot sat by a huge river from after the collapse. Only the elite could afford large qualities of land for leisure.

Maie’s mouth twisted in concern as I harbored my self in silence in my seat.

“You OK there?” Mason asked as I remained glued to my seat.

“I have to break up with Joe. Tonight.” Joe, the basic name trend Antimise used to fit in. The Antimise had exchanged their technology for a home as theirs was invaded by a superior alien race. To make claim their new home, names like Joe boomed among the Antimise.

“Well, I’m sorry.” Maine said, truly taken aback. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that. What happened?”

“The man of my dreams is going to walk in that party tonight and tell me I am meant to be with him in this life and the next. Like he does every lifetime.”

Maine’s neck cracked as it swiveled almost off its hinges to look at me. “Mahina, did you sneak into your father’s stash before the party and didn’t tell me?” He laughed.

I knew I sounded ridiculous, but it was the absolute truth. I pulled out a pre-roll herb enhancer and passed it to Maine.

Maine shrieked in excitement. “I’ll never get over how your dad’s hobby is making the perfect rolling parchment.”

A hobby my dad picked up before I was born to stop drinking. A skill lots of people started acquiring before The Great Collapse after traditional paper was banned. He replaces alcohol with the traditional herb and made the papers to roll. He sold these as a medicinal doctor and has been happy since.

Maine pressed the lighter button on the dashboard and lit the herb. I got out of the car before anymore questions were asked and walked towards the lights.

Maine passes to me for a puff and I take it. In seconds I’m feeling loose, but the nerves still pinch. I walk in and Laurel is hyped when she sees us. She grabs the herb from my fingers to smoke.

“You seen Joe?” I asked her.

“No, I don’t think he’s here yet.” She said. Before Laurel takes her puff, she stops herself. “You look horrible, MJ. Should I call him?”

“No. I’m just seeing if he’s here.” I shrugged, irritated everyone could see my mood.

Laurel caught the lie and look to Maine.

“She breaking up with him, apparently.” Maine said as he lifted an eyebrow like a ridiculous private eye.

I gasped, surprised at Maine. “I thought you’re were joking around in the craft! Now seeing you all tense, I'm convinced otherwise.”

Tilly came up behind Laurel to puff. “You breaking up with Joe right before graduation?” She asked and sort of laughed out of amusement.

“Cold bloooooded.” Laurel dragged out.

“It gets colder. She’s high and thinks the man of her dreams will be at this party.”

“Maine?!?!” I shrieked.

“MJ, it’s a story worth telling. Honey, right before graduation?”

“That is ice cold.” Tilly said.

I took my rolled up herb that was now down to the nub and walked off to finish it alone. Pushing through the wafting sent of “first bite.” Before the first bite of anything alongside it is the heaving dryness on the tongue and taste buds anticipating to be hydrated with flavor. Everyone here had expectations of getting drunk, high, and close to someone they wanted to get to know or someone they were dreading they have to say goodbye to.

I was in the atmosphere of both.

I had to say goodbye to Joe. He was the most patient teenage boy a girl could ask for. But I missed Eun Yoo, or Nathan Caven was his name in the last life. Before it was William Fortwright and then before then it was Carlos Santana. For me it was Elizabeth Caven last life, before then it was Kirra Fortwright, and before then it was Isabel Santana. Would we would last this life long enough to make me a Yoo? Not that marriage was the same. My last life was before The Great Collapse, and things had definitely changed.

I burned my lip on the nub lost in thought as to what Eun had been doing.I threw my nub into an abandoned cup and continued to hide in my corner. I thought back to a memory clip of Eun from my dreams. Eun had kept his promise to my dad in this life, but since my last birthday, I saw bits of our old life and how we came to be now. Bits and pieces of his old childhoods and now. I saw how they teased Eun as a young boy. He radiated different and at the age of ten; he was fascinated with magic. Of course, he was teased. His father put him in the dojo where he surpassed the awkwardness of puberty and grew into a strong man. Eun, now the age of twenty-eight, hasn’t been teased since.

“I know you’re looking for me.” A rasp but strong voice stated from behind. I turn to see Eun staring right at me. I turned around, but I quickly turned back without acknowledging him. We couldn’t talk here. I went upstairs to find some place quiet. I did even bother looking for the bedrooms Demi let us use and interrupt someone at night. I found a dusty office and walked in. I turned on the small desk light and stared at the ancient books locked away in glass cages to be preserved, but no one could enjoy them. My heart thumped as I heard the door shut behind me.

“Do you remember Mexico?” That rasp voice asked me.

An unexpected smile curved upward in my mouth. “I was waiting for you to come out of my dreams. He wanted to marry me off to a man I didn’t know. So I ran from home.”

“And I brought you right back because that man you were supposed to marry was me.”

We laughed together.

“Do you remember Australia?” I asked back. Flashes of reservation life with him. People pitied me barren. I could never hold a child full-term.

“My magic helped me recognize you and I thought to myself, ‘How did I get so lucky?”

The clenching of my arms tightened. That’s what he chose to remember,and here I was choosing the pain. That’s why I needed him. Without him, I couldn’t even notice the sun was shining.

“I miss the old world,very much so.” He let breathed out.

“Of course we do. No one likes change.” I said, ready to look him in the eyes, and so I did. No matter what color they had a light in them I would always recognize. He was all smiles, ready for me to come in his arms.

He kissed my lips in a rush and the plantation of his cool mouth made my heart drop dead before it gave back a loud thump. The pressure of my whole body tingling possessed me to wrap legs around his waist. He lifted my bottom on the desk and leaned down on me as if we weren't close enough before. His kisses turned to my neck.

I felt what he felt. Like no time had passed and here I was like a seeded dandelion ready to be swept away from the breeze that was now Eun. Flashes of intense sex from our old lives encouraged me to lift his cotton shirt off his back. Craving the moments when it was just us and only us in motion.

“We can't here.” He stopped. I rolled my eyes behind the lids, irritated because he was right. Even though he started this, and I was ready to finish this, I had to accept he was right. There was something I had to do first…

He leaned up to fix his shirt, and I remained seated on the desk. He hugged me to show no hard feelings, and I laid my head on his shoulder. “The Wizard will come for us soon.” I said now that I was back to reality.

“No.” Eun said, pulling back a little to look at me. “The Wizard is no longer in charge.”

“What?” I asked, genuinely shocked. The Wizard was notorious for going the distance to become a god at all costs.

“Why you were off being a teenage girl, I was trying to awaken my magic and get intel of the spirit world. The Wizard is the reason for The Great Collapse. He lost the spirit war. He lost his chance to be a god.”

I could feel my brows trying to combine with confusion.“What does that have to do with the collapse?”

“The shift of a new reigning god has started with the new world. That kind of energy is why the tides rose so high and nearly destroyed the Earth.” He said, his arms still tight around my waist.

I find it distracting, but I muster up the energy to ask the question that hung in my mouth.“Who is the new god?”

“Well, I think it’s your mom. But she is on a spiritual vacation. She always wanted to have kids.” He said, giving me a keen smirk.

“My mom? She a cool mom, but she’s no god.” I challenged.

“Yes, she is. Your mother was the most feared and powerful witch in her time..as a witch. And your father is the most powerful celestial of his time.” He grinned, looking into my eyes. I couldn’t believe his ability to make them sound more fascinating than they really were.

“Dad?!? Cheap Dad, who refuses to buy his clothes anywhere except 3K-Mart and then spills on them with cookie crumbs!” I pouted in disbelief.

Eun chuckled. “He seemed like a cool guy when I met him and is evidently smart. Why buy fancy clothes you plan to get dirty?”

“Ugh stop.”

“Isabel, we need your parents to remember who they are.” My cheeks burned at the sound of my old name.

“Mahina?” A rushed voice asked as the door swung open.

Me and Eun turned to a confused Joe.

Joe’s eyes narrowed. He was a gentle giant, but I knew the Antimise body wasn’t for show. He could do damage. I wanted to yell out ‘it wasn’t what it looked like’. But it was exactly what it looked like.

“Everyone told me you were looking for me.” Joe took a exhale trying to stay calm. “So I want to hear what you wanted.” He politely smiled in the end.

I nearly threw up, sick to my stomach at myself. I loved no one before Carlos… I shouldn’t have waited so long. I should have broken up with him a year ago, but I couldn’t…I loved him too…