Death Reborn

Chapter 2: Micheal

Micheal was in the bedroom, packing his bag for the academy, and looked over at Gabriel, who was looking down at his feet while sitting on the bottom of their bunk bed.

"Do you really have to go to that school?"

"Yes, Gabriel. You know how mom and dad are. They need me to go to this school because..." He trailed off. He looked out the window with a look of dread.

Gabriel looked up at his brother with teary eyes. "Please don't leave. I'll miss you! I can't endure this alone!"
Gabriel burst into tears.

Micheal hugged his brother and held him while he cried. "I know, Gabriel. It's gonna be okay. I'll come back during holidays and summer break. And plus the school is just outside town. I'll still be close by."

Gabriel nodded but still heavily sobbed. He knew he was next to endure everything his brother went through.

He silently watched as his brother entered the bus going to Holy Family Academy.

Micheal watched as Gabriel waved at him through the window upstairs. His parents waved at him from outside with big smiles on their faces. He chuckled to himself.

"You guys can drop the act now." He said to himself.

He watched as his parent's smiles melted back into their usual miserable selves and entered the house.

His ride to his new school wasn't too bad. It was mostly a smooth drive the whole way, and nobody bothered him. Everyone around him was doing their own thing. He smiled in content. Maybe life in school wasn't gonna be as bad as he thought.

Micheal had finally settled down into his new room and unpacked his things. His roommate ignored him when he tried a friendly greeting to him. He shrugged it off and went to his first class.

His new teacher was a nun named Sister Charlotte. She was giving a lecture about the thing he hated most.

"Parents are your protectors. They cherish you and love you unconditionally."

Those words made Micheal nauseous. He tried everything he could not to throw up. Every time she mentioned parents, he felt the urge to puke.

"Is something the matter, Micheal?"

Micheal slowly looked up at her. Everyone in the room was staring at him. The pressure in the classroom was high for him. He had to think of something fast.

"I-I'm fine." He stammered. "Just nervous because it's my first day.

"There's no need to be too nervous. This school is blessed every week by the staff here. We keep this school a sacred place where you can feel comfortable while you're here. There's no need to be scared here."

"Unless you're possessed by the devil!" One of the kids cried out with a smirk on his face.

"Charlie! You will not speak of the devil around here, or I will send you to the principal's office." The teacher said firmly. Charlie remained silent for the rest of the class. But he glared at Micheal from a distance.

Micheal felt a little more at ease in the classroom after being reassured by his new teacher.

As the day went on, he hated lectures about parents, but every other subject fascinated him.

The next few months were torture for Gabriel. He studied harder, lost more sleep, and ate less because his parents would tell him, "The Lord only helps those who are suffering. You're fine! Be grateful you have any food on your plate at all!"

He looked at his parents in disgust. How could anybody believe that? How could anyone still follow the Lord if all he does is sit there while people suffer and starve? Wasn't he the one who gave bread to the hungry? Wasn't he the one who helped people find food and water? He could never understand his parent's reasons for his suffering.