I opened my eyes. I lay on my back, looking up into the sky. I sat up. 

Where am I? Am I on the roof?

I looked around. It seemed like I really was on the roof. I spotted my Dad sleeping near me. I suddenly felt the urge of throwing up and I did. I threw up all over the floor and tried standing up but fell onto my knees. I shivered and shivered. I couldn’t stop. I touched my stomach and held it. I looked at my palm. There was purple glowing writing that read: Rebirth

My Dad woke up and stared at me in confusion.

“Son?” he asked.

I could see his face clearly. The sight caused me to flashback to what I had experienced. I could see my dad’s corpse on his bed. Right next to my mom’s.

An enormous headache formed. I clutched my head in pain. I let loose a scream. My dad raced over to me and hugged me.

“It’s okay, It’s okay,” he said to me as I threw up.

It felt like he understood what I was going through, but how? Did he know he was dead? I threw up some more. I could hear someone climbing up the ladder. It was my mom.

“What’s wrong, Christopher?” she asked with a worried look on her face.

“It’s nothing,” I said trying to stand up only to fall back again.

I could see my mother’s face clearly. I again flashed back to the sight of her in her bed, dead.

I vomited some more.

“He must be very sick. Should we take him to the hospital? I don’t think he can go to hike with his friends until he recovers,” my mom said.

So it’s January first, isn’t it? I need to see my friends.

“I can go,” I said.

“You absolutely cannot, buddy,” my dad said.

“Look dad. I need to do this. I need to see my friends. This is probably some food poisoning.”

“If it’s food poisoning you should stay home, not go on a hike!” my mother said.

“Mom, I really need to do this. Please let me do it.”

“Only if you promise me that you’ll be okay.”

“I’ll be okay.”

I rubbed my mouth and stood up. I needed to change and get ready to go. I went down the ladder and into my room. I grabbed a pair of new clothes since my old ones had vomit on them and walked into the bathroom to shower.

I stood in the shower thinking about what had happened that last night.

Can it even be called last night? Last night was the new year's party and the night everyone died is still in the future. This is so confusing!

I walked downstairs and saw my sister sitting at the table in her spot. I covered my mouth because I felt like throwing up. I held it back and sat next to her.

“Why are you so pale? Are you okay?” my sister asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“If you say so…”

I looked down at my hand again. The writing was there but it was clearly fading.

I finished my breakfast quickly and got into my mom’s car. By then, the writing was gone. We drove out of town rapidly since we were already running late. We arrived and I stepped out of the car. A wave of deja vu hit me. I saw Fernando and Jett talking, Mason sitting on a tree stump, Giampi and Sebastian doing stretches.

I stared at Mason and we locked eyes. Tears came out of my eyes and fell down my cheek. I ran towards him, faster than I had ever ran before. I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.

“I’ve never been so happy to see someone in my life,” I whispered so softly he couldn’t hear me.

“Why are you hugging me?” Mason asked, confused.

“You wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t understand.”

I let go and looked at all of my friends. “Sorry I’m late. Let’s get hiking!”

“Hey Giampaolo. I’m Christopher’s mom. I’m entrusting you with my kid. At what time should I pick him-”

I interrupted her.“9:30 we’ll be done.”

“Alright then. I’ll take my leave!”

My mom walked to her car, got in and drove off. I turned to look at Giampi. He had a hand covering his left eye. He was looking at me strangely.

“What’s up?” I asked him.

“Nothing, nothing,” he replied.

We started walking up the trail. I stayed behind with Mason. 

“What’s up with you? You’ve been acting weird all morning,” he said, looking at me sideways.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Whatever. Tell me, don’t tell me, it’s all the same-”

I stopped in my tracks. 

“What’s wrong?” Mason asked.

I looked around. We had just reached the place where I had seen the figures in the purple cloaks.

“Don’t ask me how I know, but there are two members from the cult around here.”

“What?”

“Members from The Path are here.”
“Wait. How do you know the name of the cult?”

“Stop asking questions. They’re around here somewhere.”

I looked around and spotted a small path in the trees. I came closer to it and pushed a bush aside to see. I could see two people in purple cloaks. One was on the shorter side and the other was of average height.

“They’re right here!” I whispered as loudly as I could, turning to Mason.

Mason ran towards me. I turned back and saw they were starting to slip away.

“You’re not getting away this time!” I yelled at them.

I pushed through the bushes onto a small path. I could see them running. I reached over and grabbed one by the cloak.

“I got you!” I exclaimed.

I pulled on the cloak. Suddenly they were both gone. All that remained was a purple cloak.

“Shit. How’d they get away?!”

Mason stood behind me. I turned to look at him.

“D-did you just swear?” he asked.

I frowned.

“Yeah, why?”

“’I’ve never heard you swear before!”

“Does that really matter right now? I got a piece of evidence from the cult! Here, take it!”

I handed him the cloak. He studied it.“This is definitely one of their cloaks. You did good.”

“Thanks.”
“I think it’s about time we tell the others about this cult-”
“N-no! I don’t want to get them involved.”
Mason frowned.“Why not?” he asked.

“You could put them in danger.”

I was lying. I knew that one of them had to be part of the cult and a murderer. I couldn’t tell Mason that right away. He would’ve asked me how I knew that and I would have definitely not been able to come up with an excuse. Why didn’t I tell him I had a special power? Well, I couldn’t, because what if he didn’t have one? What if he thought I was crazy?

If he left my side, we would both die. I knew that very well.

“You make a good point. I’ll hide this in my backpack and we can talk about it later.”

I nodded.

We ran to catch up with everyone. By then they had already reached the top. We sat down to eat. I couldn’t help to feel that one of them was paying close attention to me. The killer might have known what Rebirth was. They probably were keeping tabs on me all the way since that time Mason and I saw their ritual. I probably had never noticed until then.

“Soo, are we going to talk about how you cried like a little bitch?” Jett said jokingly.

I stared at him. I remembered what the murderer said. They had said that Jett had been killed too. I suddenly felt the feeling I had to vomit. And then I did. I vomited onto the ground.

Everyone stared at me. Not one of them had a different facial expression. Their faces were all filled with shock.

“Bro are you okay?” Fernando asked.

“N-Not really.”

I fell onto the floor and passed out.

…………………………………

I woke up in a hospital room. I didn’t know where I was and how I got there, so I was scared. I attempted to sit up but someone pushed me back down.

“Who are you!” I yelled.

“Chill out. It’s me, Mason.”

I calmed down.

“Do you want to talk about why you passed out?”

“I can’t.”

“I see.”

We sat in silence for a while.

“The doctor checked you for anything that might have caused what happened to you but they found nothing wrong with you. So they brought in a psychiatrist, told him your symptoms and they think you have PTSD.”

“PTSD, huh?”

“What your family and I don’t get are where you got PTSD from. Your family cannot recall a time something that bad happened to you and I can’t either.”

“Wait did you tell everyone-”

“No. I had a feeling that was the worst thing I could have done. Only you and I know about it.”
I relaxed a little bit.

“So what now?” I asked.

“If it really is PTSD then you will probably have to go to therapy and maybe be given some medication.”

“I see.”

“Well, I won’t interrupt your rest so I’ll be on my way now.” 

Mason got up and walked out of the room. I turned to look at the evening sun out of my window. I could see flowers and a note.

I wondered who left them. I opened the note and my eyes widened.

Dear Christopher,

It seems like the ritual has worked and you have gained some sort of power. I don’t know what power it would be but it’s something. Don’t worry. I won’t take you out now. You’re not ripe enough. Enjoy your stay at the hospital. 

SIncerely,

Member of The Path 

I started having another flashback. I could see the figure on top of me, holding a knife and poking into my stomach. I could see it. My head started hurting and I held it. It was painful, oh so painful.

I got up from my hospital bed and walked out of the room holding my head. I walked down the long hallways in my hospital gown. I arrived at the waiting room. I wanted to see my parents.

“Excuse me, is there a Luna family here?” I asked through grinded teeth.

“Uh yeah, they’re over there,” she said pointing at another waiting room. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“Thanks,” I replied. 

Soon I couldn’t walk anymore and I was forced to crawl. People looked at me and whispered things. I didn’t care. It hurt so much. I pushed the doors open and crawled through.

“Christopher?” my mother asked.

My whole family got up and rushed towards me.

“Are you okay bro?!” my sister asked, clearly concerned.

“Why are you out of your bed?” my dad asked.

“I needed to tell you guys something.” I said.

I crumpled to the floor while everything started fading again.

“I love you guys so much. No matter what, I won’t let my involvement in this kill you.”

I blacked out.