I walk into a store holding my wallet. I need a birthday present for Fernando, one of my best friends. The store isn’t very big. It’s actually quite small, with only four aisles. The store is dark even though it’s midday. It has an old building vibe to it and an elderly woman sits at the cash register.

I pick up what looks like a keychain from one of the shelves. It has a large black gun on it and almost looks real. It’s absolutely perfect for my friend. No one else at the party will have a clue why it’s perfect. But Fernando will know, and that’s all that matters. I chuckle to myself. I bet I could trick an officer with that.

I look at the gun. It even has a realistic-looking barrel. I peer down into it. It has been a while since I’ve last experienced Rebirth. Just holding a fake gun makes me think about my curse. It’s a unique, surreal experience. It’s painful, but somehow I miss it.

“I’ll take this,” I say to the old lady.

“80 bucks,” she replies.

“80 bucks? That’s a lot of money for a keychain…”

“Have you seen the quality of it? It’s remarkable!”

“True...alright lady, you got yourself a deal.”

She puts the gift in a brown bag. I pay the money and wince in pain. 80 bucks is a lot. I don’t even make that in a week. Life is hard as a writer fresh from college. None of my books have been published at all, so I have been self-publishing in order to make money from the little internet fame I have. But I know this is exactly the right present, and 80 bucks is a small price compared to what I know it will mean to Fernando.

I walk outside into the bright sun. I put my hand over my eyes. The light is so bright. That store...damn it was creepy. I walk towards my car. I place my hand on the door.

“Scanning,” a robotic voice says, pausing for a moment and then adding,”Christopher Luna, you are now allowed in your vehicle.”

It’s 2028, and anti-theft technology has changed so quickly in the last few years. Good thing, too, because the crime rate has gone up even faster.

I get into my car. I place my wallet in the bag and take the wheel. I back out of the parking lot and drive down the highway towards Fernando’s house to celebrate his birthday.

“Roxanne, what’s the time?” I ask my car.

A hologram of a woman with long brown hair, pale skin and a white dress appears on my dashboard.

“It’s 2:30 P.M. sir,” she says.

“At what time does Fernando’s birthday party start?” I ask.

“It starts now, sir.”

I curse. Damn! I’m going to be late! I press down on the pedal and watch as the little arrow on the speed gauge approaches the speed limit and then passes it.

“Warning, you’re going over the speed limit. That can get you a ticket,” Roxanne says.

“I know, I know!” I say, agitated.

I zoom past a little alleyway and watch in horror in the rearview mirror as police lights suddenly begin to flash.

“No!” I yell.

I pull off to the side and come to a stop. I reach into the bag I was given for the gift. I pull out my wallet and find my drivers license. A cop approaches my window. He’s wearing a long blue coat, a black hat and glasses.

“License and registration please,” he says.

I sigh and hand him the license and get the registration from the glove compartment.

The police officer nods as he looks at my information. I nervously tap the steering wheel and adjust my glasses.

“You know why I pulled you over, right?” he says, looking up from my information.

“Yes, sir. I was speeding,” I reply, crestfallen.

“I need to perform a series of tests on you. I need to make sure you’re not intoxicated.”

“Fair enough.”

I open the car door and the police officer backs up. I watch as suddenly his eyes widen. He reaches for his holster and pulls out his gun. I suddenly feel an eruption of pain. I fall to the ground and look at my chest. He shot me. I lay on the ground, bleeding out. I hear the police officer in the distance saying:

“Shots fired! Shots fired!”

I look at my right hand. I’m holding the keychain. I see. He mistook my keychain for a gun. For some reason I grabbed the keychain and stepped out of the car with it.

I feel cold all over. Everything is going black. My vision is tunneled. I can see blood all over the asphalt.

Will Rebirth activate this time or will I really die? Surely it will, right? Right? I don’t know anything anymore. Will my “curse” really be lifted? Everything goes black.

…………………………………

I open my eyes and I’m in a black room. The floor is filled with shallow water. I sit up and look at my chest. There’s a huge hole with blood spewing from it. I watch as suddenly the blood stops and begins to flow inward. The wound patches up and a bullet comes out of the wound and lands in my hand. The hole in my chest closes.

It’s been years and finally I experience Rebirth again, huh? I think to myself.

“Well, you haven’t died since then,” a voice says.

I look to my left and see a giant throne. On top of it sits an enormous skeleton wearing a black coat. He has a smile on his face.

“You read my mind, Skeleton Master,” I say.

“Well, I do have the ability to do that,” he replies.

“Will this curse be lifted one day?”

“No. I haven’t had enough fun with you yet. I love causing human suffering.”

“You’re a cruel sack of bones, aren’t you?”

“Time’s up. Hope you’re ready to go back and prevent your death. You’ve mastered it, haven’t you? I bet you can control the time you go back.”

“I sure can.”

“See you later then.”

I blink, and when I open my eyes again I’m driving my car.

“Warning, you’re going over the speed limit, that can get you a ticket,” Roxanne says.

“I know, I know,” I say.

I look at my hand. There is writing that glows purple. It reads: Rebirth.

I slow down and drive at the speed limit.

Man, I wish it had been this easy, the first time I used Rebirth

My drive is a long one, about an hour.

“Roxanne, write this down for me,” I say to the car.

I decide I will use my talent in writing and I will become a famous author. Nothing can stop me. I start to speak.

“It all started…”