"Watch where you go, assh*t," the guy who almost ran over yelled as he drove away.

  "You should learn to drive well," I muttered and looked at the bright sky and saw a guy with wings flying.

  Wait, why don't I just float my way to the library? Damn, I am dumb.

  I focused for a moment my navel started to glow, and I started to float.

  Let me just go a little bit higher.

  I continued to lift myself till the maximum limit, which was ten meters.

  "Phew, now I won't die. Time to walk."

  I tried to take a step forward but couldn't; I was frozen in place.

  "Wait, why can't I move? Did I have a stroke or something midair?"

  I could move my upper body with ease, but my lower body didn't budge an inch. Moments later memories flowed in, and everything made sense.

  This is a useless ability. What's the point of this floating ability when it's only able to lift me up in the air and not move?

  I descended and landed on the ground with a small thud.

  "This is hell," I mumbled and thought about which bus I should take to reach Block E since the thought crossed my mind just now.

  *****

  The library was wide and open, with long rows of shelves painted in dark brown and grey, running straight from one end to the other. The ceiling was high, with lights set neatly into the emerald-colored ceiling, spreading evenly across the room. A broad staircase rose near the center; its steps looked smooth and lightly polished, leading to an upper level filled with more shelves and tables. Between the aisles, wooden tables were placed in neat lines with dark chairs around them. Small service robots moved quietly along the floor, stopping to scan shelves, arranging misplaced books, and carrying stacks to their correct sections. Near the walls, robots used slim lifts to reach higher shelves. And to supervise everything, a woman who looked like she was in her late forties with dark skin sat in the reception reading a worn-out book, sipping something from her ceramic cup, and giving glances at the robots once in a while.

  "Uhm, excuse me, miss, do you know where the old newspapers are kept?" I asked as I leaned over the counter, taking newfound liberty in the ability not to stand on my toes to reach the counter.

  The woman gave a glance and cleared her throat.

  "Why are you asking me? That's what the robot is for, ask them."

  "Well, I am not well versed with using robots."

  "Oh, you are one the factions who opposed the use of robots in society, huh?"

  "Oh no, not at all. Robots make our lives way easier. Why would I not support them? It's just that I thought asking you would lead me to where newspapers are faster than machines could."

  "And what makes you think I would know it when robots have been doing that for the past decade?"

  "Guess I have to ask the robots, I guess."

  "Upper level, third aisle adjacent to the history section"

  "Well, guess you do know where it is," I said with a small chuckle.

  "Anything more you need?"

  "Uhm, no, that's enough, thank you."

  I made my way to the upper level, the staircase was made in the shape of the golden ratio with floral patterns carved on the handrails.

  Hmm, where is the newspaper? Where is it? Ah, right here.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The newspaper section wasn't neatly arranged like the rest, just tied-up bunches of newspapers grouped from each year. The newspaper collection began from the year 2000 itself, and there were seventy three bundles in it. Apparently newspapers went digital three decades ago.

  So the newspaper I am looking for should be in the fifty third bundle.

  I slowly pulled the bundle out and placed it on the nearby table and began to remove the binding rope, and to my surprise, a small robot no taller than my knees was staring at me.

  "I won't steal these old papers, buddy," I said to the robot as it continued to eye me.

  This is uncomfortable anyways, so when did I die? It's the month of Selune 7th, right? So where is it?

  I started to search for the newspaper of that particular date, and my mind vividly remembered that night.

  Alright, calm down, it's over. You are well, Alyss, nothing's wrong. You got an ability to transmigrate; you just have to figure out how to use it.

  I got my hands on the 2054, month of Selune, 5th newspaper, but there was no sign of the news of Mom and Dad's execution or my name in it.

  I hastily turned the pages of Selune 5th, but there was zero news about Mom and Dad's execution or about myself.

  "What? Why isn't it in here? I remember the headlines so vividly, but why isn't it in here?"

  I moved to Selune's 6th, there was zero information regarding me or the execution.

  "No, no, this isn't right. They issued a bounty. Why isn't it shown in here? Or is the life of Alyss, Duncan, Angus, and Malcolm all just a dream? Am I really just Aldon? Was the dream too vivid?"

  I turned to Selunes 7th; it also

  "Alyss, Alyss, where is that news for God's sake?" I searched as the small robot continued to glare at me, but that didn't matter.

  A headline struck my eye; it was also news that I remembered vividly. It read

  "Golden Estate Couple Found Murdered in Block U Apartment"

  For a moment it felt as if the library halted around me; the robots' whirring made me come back to my senses.

  I read the news passage again to cross-verify if it's right, and indeed it was.

  "What about the next day?"

  I quickly took Selune's 8th newspaper, the bundle falling down and the newspaper scattering away.

  "Sorry, buddy, you have to pick it up," I said to the robot as it moved to collect them one by one.

  I searched that paper too, and there was nothing except a headline, which I didn't know yet.

  "Father and 3-Year-Old Killed After Dump Truck Collision in Coppergrounds Block C Near Swift Mart, Grieving Mother Wails at Scene"

  My eyes didn't lie to me; I read the passage that followed, and it seems that both Angus and Rory died in that accident.

  "Poor child," I sighed.

  Wait, I was a child in an adult body too.

  I flipped through again, but there was no information regarding me or my family.

  If all this that happened was a dream, then Duncan and Angus's news wouldn't be on the paper, so it indeed is reality.

  The newspaper might have missed it, or the library didn't have that issue, I guess.

  I bent down and took the bundle from the robot to place it back on the shelf, and one sheet slipped out of it and fell. The robot looked at me; its mechanical eyes made it feel like it asked me to pick it up.

  Why should I pick it up? That's the reason these machines are for.

  I walked down and made my way to reception; the woman was refilling her drink.

  "You could have helped that little guy."

  "Well, that's what those robots are for."

  "Hmph, what do you need?"

  "By any chance can the newspaper be misleading or not have some news?"

  "It, of course, won't have news of some random cat dying."

  "Oh no no, we are talking about a person. Do you know Alyss Moreau? You know, the Swirless child who was stomped to death? In the year 2054?"

  "2054? I myself was born in 2060."

  "Well, that can't be helped then."

  "And if someone is born swirlless, they would be the messiah, no way they would be stomped by death."

  The truth will surprise you miss.

  "Well, it's for research for my university, and a boy named Alyss Moreau, swirless, was killed."

  "Oh, is that so? Well, there is no news like that as of my knowledge, and it feels like you had a dream."

  "Well, thank you for your time. I will be leaving then."

  "Don't mention it, it's not like that I often get to talk to people at work."

  I left the library, the automated door shutting itself.

  Hmm, why is that news removed? Should I ask some other older person? Maybe head to Silverpark and see if Elian is alive. He would be around sixty at this time, and if I explained, he would understand. After all, he is my friend, but how do I convince him?

  I continued to walk towards the bus, thinking about how to convince him.

  Whack!

  I felt someone hit me on the back of my head. I collapsed instantly, my eyes blurred, and my vision went dim, but some figures caught my eye. They looked like knights and some peacekeepers, and they were dragging me as one tried to cuff my wrists.