I woke up in a black room with water on the floor that reached up to my ankles. That was the first time I was in that room, but not the last. I looked to my stomach. The wound was closing up, and then it was gone. I looked to my right. I saw a giant skeleton sitting on a throne. I fell back into the water.

“Is this... the after life?”

The skeleton laughed. “I’m the Skeleton Master. And no, this is not the afterlife. But I guess it’s something like that.”

“Did I...die?” 

“Yes.”
“So what am I doing here?”

“I decided to talk to you before your first experience with your powers.”
“My powers?”

“You can now use something called Rebirth.”

“Rebirth?”

“It’s a power that allows you to go back in time to save others and, more importantly, to perhaps save yourself.”

“So...I can save my family? And Mason? And Jett?”

“If you’re smart enough!”
Tears formed in my eyes.

“You can’t control it yet, so it’ll send you to the first Monday of January. If you continue to die you will go back in time closer to the time you originally died. Meaning that if you die too many times you will eventually die for good. But you can control the cycle if you learn how to control the power.”

“How do I do that?” 

“I can’t tell you that, you have to learn on your own!”

“Are you kidding me? How did I get my powers?”

“The cult that worships me must’ve used you in their ritual. Either that or you were too close to it.”

“Does that mean Mason has powers too?”

“I can’t tell you that. Find that out yourself.”

“Any more questions?”

“I don’t think so…I- I don’t know! None of this makes sense to me yet!” 

“Alright, I’ll send you on your way. One more thing to remember is that you are not immortal. You’ll still die a permanent death from old age, eventually.”

I nodded and the Skeleton Master sent me back.