The Soulmark Theory

Chapter 1: Before it begins

Its Spring. Not to warm in this classroom yet. The Teacher opened the windows regardless "a breath of fresh air, for the next class.".

It's nice outside. Flowers are blooming and a light breeze drifts in. I run a Hand through my hair, force of habit. Its getting a little long.

"Alright everyone," the teacher says, writing The Soulmark Theory on the board. "How many of you turn 18 this season?"

A dozen hands go up. Mine doesn't. Not because I wont turn 18, which I do, but because I don't know if Im ready to stop just yet.

"I see," she continues, "then its the perfect time for our lesson today. At 18, your biological clock pauses. You enter what we call the still phase. This pause continues until you make eye contact with your soulmark. Your body resumes aging from that moment onward."

She points at the graph on the poster behind her. It looks so clean and easy. Just another universal rule. But still... isn't it so much more than that?

I sigh, my head is running with thoughts like always, especially with this topic.

"It doesn't feel like magic," she says. "Its more grounding, like a breath you didn't know you were holding. The real confirmation is in your biology. Some claim that they have seen a certain glimmer in the others eyes and some feel it here." She places a hand lightly over her chest. "But those are not confirmed."

It's funny how she says it, like she knows. But she still looks 18 herself. Her round face, big eyes. She has looked like that for as long as she's taught us. Tho we don't know how long she has been 18, not that any of us ever dared to ask.

"Eternal Match offers scientific analysis, speed-meetings, and emotional resonance scans. They claim an 84% success rate. Of course I recommend patience, because oftentimes desperation leads to confusion, frustration, and mistakes."

I stare out the window. The word patience lingers. I start thinking about who the oldest person might be. If there is someone wandering, looking for their soulmark?

Or maybe...

My mind goes to a grotesque place, that I try to shake off again.

"Some people remain 18 for decades. If your soulmark hasn't turned 18 yet... Or hasn't been born, you wont know. It is not considered a failure. Its simply how the bond works. Some even say it's fate, and the universe picked your perfect bond. Spirituality or not, it simply can happen."

The class falls silent.

One girl raises her hand "Miss Anderson, what if someone dies before we can have our bond? Or they take The Quiet Exit?". I shift in my seat, watching her. Then turn to the teacher. Miss Anderson hesitates. Her expression tightens slightly.

"We don't know for sure," she says softly. "No known method restarts aging without the bond, that would mean you are stuck, frozen."

She turns toward the board again.

"I don't recommend talking about The Quiet Exit. You might take not only your chance but someone else's to find your bond."

Everyone is tense now. Including me.

"Once you meet your soulmark you age again, and there is no second. Some call this cruel. Others say it's what gives the connection meaning."

The rest of the class passes in a fog. I listen... Mostly. It's an open discussions about what love even means if it's tied to time itself, and if you would rather live fully and die sooner or never know what it feels like to really begin.

I run a hand through my hair again. I always avoided the topic but soon there is no way around it for me.

The bell rings. I gather my things and leave.

________________________________________________________________________

The rain had already started by the time I left class. It's that soft steady rhythm, not loud, not rushing, just tapping lightly on your shoulders. Enough to make the pavement shine and the edges of your clothes heavy.

My baggy jeans are soaked at the cuffs. The oversized jacked I always wear, the denim kind with a dark green stitched hood, clings to my arms like a damp paper. I keep the hood up anyways, for a little protection. Its for the rain but also to hide a little. It makes the world feel smaller.

My hands stay tucked in the sleeves, fingers curled around the strap of my bag. My pen is in my pocket, where it always is.

Even though it rains, I feel oddly cozy in my jacket. Maybe it's spring, maybe it's not. Droplets falling on blooming flowers. It seems peaceful, but I feel like I'm fading.

The words from class loop in my head. Aging stops. The still phase. One soulmark. One chance.

It sounds so final when Miss Anderson said it like that. Like the universe handed us all a script, and we're just supposed to nod and play our part.

But what if I miss mine? What if I walk right past them one day and never look up? Too occupied with life, with writing in my room? What if they are already gone? Maybe they waited for me for long and didn't want to wait anymore. Maybe they're in a different country. Or maybe I am the one has to wait... Will I stay sane that long?

What if I find them right away and age fast... die early?

What if they can't love me? Is there even love outside of the bond?

The sunlight breaks through a few clouds. The mist hanging in the air makes everything feel hushed. Lonely, but maybe I kind of like it.

My boots hit the puddles with that soft thump. I press my hand deeper into my sleeves, not because I am cold, but because I dislike the way my palms feel slightly damp.

I sigh. A few drops gather on strands of hair and slide down the bridge of my nose.

Everyone talks about meeting their soulmark like it's this beautiful, magical thing. Like it's your only purpose in life. But the waiting makes me anxious. The not knowing.

And how quiet it gets when you realize... you might stay like this for years.

Forever. Or at least for a long while.

________________________________________________________________________

The front door sticks a little when I push it open. The cold clings to my palm, but the moment I step inside, warmth wraps around my face like a blanket. It smells like something with garlic and rosemary, maybe soup or roasted vegetables. Whatever it is, it smells like home. I take a deep breath and I slightly smile as I close the door behind me.

Before I can answer, a small blur runs down the hallway. I can already hear her little footsteps coming my way.

"Dooouuumaaa!"

My little sisters socks slide on the floor as she crashes my legs, underestimating her speed. Her arms barely manage to wrap around me. She's warm and giggly and still holding her stuffed rabbit in one hand. It makes me smile. I pick her up to hug her, tapping her nose with my slightly wet finger.

"Look at you little bean, all wet now. You couldn't wait for me to take of my boots and jacket huh?" She only giggles louder and pats my face with her small hand. "You're cold!". She says, tapping my cheek.

"Yeah," I mumble. "Its raining."

I set her down, kick off my shoes by the door, and hang my jacket. The soles are soaked, and one of my socks has a hole in the toe. My jacket quietly drips onto the floor, heavy from the walk.

I make it to the kitchen, where my mom turns around with a wooden spoon in her hand, and a soft look on her face. "Rough day sweetie?" I nod, then glance at my sister, who's twirling in circles.

"I had Soulmark class today." I say, sitting down at the table. She hums in that thoughtful way she always does when she doesn't want to say too much right away. "Dinner still needs a few minutes before its done... So I've got some time."

My finger traces the glass of water in front of me. The kitchen somehow smells even better now. My little sister hums to herself, like mom, pretending to cook and feeding her rabbit invisible soup. Mom leans on the counter, watching me like she's already halfway into a conversation I haven't started yet.

"You're thinking again," she says. "I can hear it from across the room." She swings the wooden spoon toward me like a wand. I shrug. "It's just... weird, I guess. The whole Soulmark thing." She doesn't answer right away. Just stirs the air gently and giving me that hopeful mom look. She smiles, a little sad but kind. "You know," she starts, "when I was your age, I didn't believe in it. Not really at least. I was a little rebel, even. My parents hated it."

That catches me off guard. "But you have one, you found Dad." I say, confused. My mom looks way to sweet for a rebellious phase.

She nods. "Yeah, a few years ago. Long after I thought I never would." Then she laughs softly. "Before that, I was with someone else for a while, actually."

"You were with someone... Who wasn't your soulmark?" I raise my eyebrows, which is unusual for me. Normally I keep a relaxed face, but my mom manages to surprise me now and then. "Mhm," she says, not ashamed at all. "His name was Jason. We were together for almost a decade. It wasn't easy, people used to whisper about it, back then it was more of a controversy. Like we were cheating fate or something."

She shakes her head at the memory. "But we helped each other. He made me laugh, and I helped him through losing his brother. For a long time...that was enough." She spaces out a little, I can see her eyes following the raindrops on the window.

"And then... What happened? Don't leave me hanging like this." I chuckle and lean in a bit. "Eventually he found his soulmark. We both knew it could happen, but when it did... It still hurt." She pauses. "Maybe he wasn't the one, but we still managed to love each other. Accept our situation. Cared for each other."

"Do you miss him sometimes?" She has that soft, sad smile again. "Not in that way. But we still talk. He visits sometimes, we stayed good friends. Your sister calls him "uncle Jason".

I blink. That part I hadn't pieced together before. I smile, our parents are good friends with him and he is very funny.

"And then," she continues, tilting her head, realising I finally figured it out, "soon after I met your father. At a the bookstore of all places. We reached for the same copy. Very cliche, I know." She chuckles. "When our eyes met... well, everything they say is true. He was quite handsome, and my knees went weak. It wasn't just biology. I felt it. And I still do when I look at him sometimes."

"Ew mom..." I say, making her barely hold her laughter.

I go quiet for a moment, watching the rain slide down the window with her. She gets up and ruffles my hair, I immediately fix it again. "Mooom..." I role my eyes.

"I think," she says gently, "things will happen when its meant to. And until then, you're still living. Not just waiting. Just living... Differently."

Inspired by a concept I saw online. With lots of writing, editing and a friend for proofreading, this story is part of a world I’m building with care. Chapter two is currently being written.