Samuel gave Ethan a look as if he were explaining something obvious. “Monsters disguise themselves. Have you ever seen one get injured? Even the smallest scratch—they cover it up immediately.”

Ethan suddenly remembered what the monster who raised him had once said—that their skin was valuable and that it would need his skin to replace it if it got damaged. The memory sent a shiver down his spine. “So, when their skin is damaged... they have to repair it?” he asked.

Samuel nodded without hesitation, confirming it.

Ethan was relieved, feeling he had finally found the right person to trust. Samuel knew so much about these creatures—it made Ethan feel like he wasn’t alone in this nightmare. “So... no one is fighting back? No group out there that knows about the monsters and tries to resist them?” There was still a trace of hope in his voice, a last attempt to cling to something.

Samuel’s answer was quiet but firm. “No. At least, I’ve never encountered anyone like that.”

Ethan’s heart sank. He had briefly imagined that maybe, just maybe, there was an underground resistance, a group of people who had learned the truth and fought against the monsters. But Samuel’s words extinguished that hope. Worse, he had already found out earlier that nearly his entire class were monsters. The weight of that realization hit him again, heavy and crushing.

Trying to focus, Ethan recalled his earlier actions. “This afternoon was the fourth time,” he said, his voice quickening. “I gathered the whole class. I told them about the monsters, thinking at least some of them were still human, but—”

“They were all monsters, weren’t they?” Samuel interrupted, his tone sharp and cold. His gaze grew darker, more intense.

Ethan froze, nodding, the tension thick in the air. Samuel’s face hardened.

“And I was there too, right?” Samuel’s voice was filled with restrained anger.

Ethan nodded again, realizing Samuel’s frustration was mounting.

“What if something went wrong?” Samuel hissed. “What if your reset didn’t work? You think I want to die because you didn’t plan ahead? We’re not the same, Ethan.”

“I know, I know,” Ethan said quickly, feeling the weight of Samuel’s anger. “You’ve got your sister. You need to protect her—”

Samuel cut him off with a scoff. “So this is your great ability? Death Reset?” His arms crossed over his chest, and his voice dripped with sarcasm. “Four times and you’re only just getting to this point? Your ability is ridiculously passive.”

Ethan winced at Samuel’s words, but now wasn’t the time to argue. He needed Samuel’s help, no matter how harsh his judgment.

“I know it’s not perfect,” Ethan said, more determined now. “But we can still use it. Tomorrow... they’re going to try and eat me. I need to get out before that happens.”

Samuel’s stance shifted slightly, his expression cooling down. He seemed to be thinking it over.

“There isn’t much time left before tomorrow,” Ethan added, his voice tight with anxiety.

Samuel remained silent for a moment, then spoke with a calm certainty. “You need to stay calm, Ethan. Don’t let them suspect that you know anything.” His voice was steady, almost cold. “There’s not much time left today. I need to make some preparations.”

Ethan nodded, but his chest was still tight with worry.

“At your party tomorrow, we’ll make sure there are enough people around. They won’t make a move with too many eyes on them. Monsters aren’t keen on sharing their food with others.” Samuel’s plan was logical, but the implications were terrifying.

Ethan felt a wave of nausea. More monsters. His birthday, which should have been the day when only his “parents” would try to devour him, was now becoming a gathering of creatures. More variables, more dangers. The plan had just become a lot more uncertain.

He glanced at Samuel. “You really think this will work?”

Samuel met his gaze with a level look. “It’s the best plan we have. Survive the party, and we’ll figure out the next step after that.”

Stolen story; please report.

Ethan knew Samuel was right. There wasn’t much time left, and this was the only option they had. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of fear and uncertainty raging inside him.

As their conversation continued, Ethan noticed something about Samuel’s behavior. Samuel seemed strangely unfazed by the talk of his Death Reset ability, as if this wasn’t new to him. That thought gnawed at Ethan, and he couldn’t help but ask, “You seem pretty calm about all this. Do you... have an ability too?”

Before Samuel could answer, his face grew serious, and he glanced toward the door. “Someone’s coming.”

The door swung open, and a teacher stepped in, eyes narrowing at the two boys.

“What are you two doing here?” the teacher asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

Ethan tensed, but Samuel’s calm hand on his shoulder kept him grounded. “Stay cool,” Samuel whispered.

Ethan swallowed, forcing a steady tone. “We were just moving some tables into storage, sir.”

The teacher glanced around, still skeptical, but after a moment, he nodded. “Get back to class. Now.”

Ethan and Samuel exchanged a brief glance before slipping out of the room, both of them exhaling in quiet relief as they headed back toward their classrooms.

Once inside, Ethan sat down at his desk, his mind racing. Tomorrow was coming fast, and despite Samuel’s plan, there were too many unknowns. His power was far from a gift—it was a curse. Each time he reset, it left him weaker, more disoriented. The memories of dying never faded; they clung to him, as vivid as the moment they happened.

And the worst part? He still didn’t fully understand his ability. It had no clear rules, no predictable limits. For all he knew, one day it might simply stop working. That thought terrified him.

Ethan slumped into his chair, staring blankly at the desk. He tried to calm his nerves, but a sudden realization hit him—he hadn’t mentioned Luke to Samuel.

“Damn it,” Ethan muttered under his breath. He silently berated himself for forgetting. “But no, it’s better not to talk to Samuel again today,” he reasoned. The last thing he needed was to draw Henry’s attention. Too many interactions with someone he’d barely spoken to before would look suspicious. Samuel had helped enough for one day. It was safer to hold off and avoid raising any red flags.

Ethan knew he had to find another way. The best option now was to approach Luke directly, establish trust, and slowly bring him into the fold. He needed to play this carefully.

“Alright,” Ethan whispered to himself, fists clenched. “I’ll start with Luke. Get him to trust me.”

The late April air was warm, not the sharpness of autumn but the soft, lingering chill of early spring. The sun hung low, casting long shadows as it filtered through the trees. Ethan leaned against the railing near the sports field, eyes focused on the basketball court in the distance. He had been waiting for a moment to talk to Luke, watching as he moved between games and practices, always surrounded by people.

The school grounds were alive with activity. Shouts echoed from the soccer field, basketballs bounced across the court, and students mingled in between. The constant buzz of energy only heightened Ethan’s sense of urgency, knowing that time was running out.

He needed to stay calm, though. Rushing in too quickly would only make things worse. Luke wasn’t someone who could be convinced easily, and Ethan knew he’d have to approach the conversation carefully.

Finally, Ethan spotted Luke sitting on the sidelines, catching his breath after a long basketball game. He was alone for the first time that afternoon, a water bottle in hand. This was the moment Ethan had been waiting for.

He pushed off from the railing and made his way over, keeping his pace casual. “Luke,” he called out, “can we talk? It’s kind of important.”

Luke looked up, but before he could respond, someone shouted from across the track field.

“Luke! We need someone to time the races!”

A grin spread across Luke’s face as he stood up. “Sorry, Ethan, I’ve gotta help them out real quick. Let’s talk after, okay?”

Ethan barely had time to nod before Luke jogged off, already disappearing into the crowd of athletes. Ethan sighed, watching him go. The growing urgency gnawed at him, but he had no choice but to wait.

Minutes stretched into an hour as Ethan kept his eyes on Luke, hoping for another opportunity. But Luke was in constant demand—timing the track runners, playing in a soccer scrimmage, and even jumping back into the basketball game. His boundless energy made him the go-to guy for nearly every activity on the field.

With every passing second, Ethan’s frustration mounted. He had expected things to be difficult, but not like this. Each time Luke ran past, Ethan felt the window of opportunity closing just a little bit more. If only he had approached him earlier, before the chaos of the after-school rush.

The sun began its slow descent, casting a golden hue over the field as activities wound down. Luke, still moving from one group to the next, barely had a moment to himself. Ethan could feel his hope slipping away.

Finally, as the last few games came to an end and the crowd began to thin, Ethan saw his chance. Luke was walking off the basketball court, wiping sweat from his forehead. Ethan hurried over, determined to catch him this time.

“Luke, man, it’s been a crazy day, huh? Finally, we get some—”

A loud thud cut him off. Ethan turned to see a soccer ball slam into a student’s head on the far side of the field. The boy crumpled to the ground, clutching his head.

Luke reacted immediately. “Hold that thought, Ethan—I’ve got to check on him,” he called over his shoulder as he rushed toward the injured boy.

Ethan watched helplessly as Luke helped the student to his feet, guiding him toward the nurse’s office. The weight of the day’s failures settled heavily on Ethan’s shoulders. How could someone be so busy? He had spent the entire afternoon chasing Luke for a conversation that never happened.

Shaking his head, Ethan muttered to himself, “Looks like today isn’t going to work.” With a resigned sigh, he turned toward the school gates, dragging his feet as he made his way home.