Telling Mateo the truth

After a shorter than usual morning run and a light breakfast, you returned to your dorm room for a little relaxation. You were killing time playing "The Retreat." You had already finished the game once, but you were trying to unlock some of the alternate paths/endings. Mateo walked into your room.

"Hey Adam, you got a minute? We need to talk."

He was right, not only did Mateo deserve to know the truth about what happened with Jake the other day, hopefully, together you'd be able to determine why it happened. You closed your laptop.

"Come in and have a seat."

Mateo sat on Jake's bed.

"Is Jake around? Has Jake been around?"

You told Mateo that you hadn't seen Jake since the night following "the event."

"I think he's freaked out and ran off. However, Coach will not let him miss many practices, so he's staying somewhere close. If I had to guess, I'd say he's at his sister's place in town."

"I am also a bit freaked out. Freaked out, but grateful. I don't understand what happened, but that afternoon, I became a better version of myself. "

Mateo stood up and looked directly at you.

"You did this. I am certain of it. I appreciate what you've done for me, but I need to know what is going on. I need to understand."

Mateo was a lot like you. In many ways, his change was similar to your transformation that first night with HC. You wanted to help him just as HC helped you.

"I will tell you everything I know. Despite how crazy it sounds, every word is true."

You told Mateo every event that had happened since that first night with HC. Almost everything, you glossed over the sex bits. Mateo was straight, and you didn't want to come across as a complete whore. As you talked, it was clear that Mateo was skeptical.

"You are a god?"

"Demigod."

"You know that sounds crazy, right?"

He wasn't wrong. Hearing your story aloud, it sounded ridiculous.

"If it sounds crazy, that's because it has been crazy. You were there. You saw what happened. You are part of the mystery."

"What do you mean?"

"HC has no idea how you directed Jake's transformation. I know what I am, but what are you? According to HC only exceptionally holy people or high priests were ever able to channel..."

Mateo went pale; his hand went to his chest.

"High priest? You can't be serious."

"You are a high priest?"

"No, not me. Well, since we are telling loco stories, I guess I owe you mine."

_Does everyone I meet have some elaborate backstory? This is like poorly written fan fiction_.

"I got very sick when I was seven. My parents didn't have much money, so I didn't get good healthcare. My medical condition was misdiagnosed. One night, my fever got so bad that my parents took me to the ER. The doctors there diagnosed me with advanced ALL leukemia. One of the hospital administers pulled some strings and got us into St. Judes."

Mateo went on to describe two years of aggressive treatments that did little to halt the spread of his cancer.

"Finally they sent me home. I realize now; they sent me home to die. My parents needed help caring for me, so my great, great aunt moved in with us. She told the most amazing stories. I always felt better when she was around.

One Sunday, when everyone was at church, she sat with me and told me she was leaving but wanted to give me a gift before she left. She gave me this."

Mateo pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. Hanging from the necklace was a vial.

"These are pieces of bone. At least that is what she told me. The vial doesn't open, I've tried, and the glass doesn't break. She told me that these were bones from my family's ancient Inca ancestor Willaq Umu, the greatest high priest of Inti. She said that his power had kept her alive long past when she should have died, and maybe he could help me. After that day, my leukemia went away, not remission, it went away. My aunt died shortly after."

Mateo kept talking, but you were having trouble focusing. You felt strangely drawn to the necklace. You started to walk toward Mateo."Can I touch it?"

Mateo looked up and said something, but you never heard it. HC's voice was screaming in your head.

"RUN! RUN! Get away from that. It'll ruin everything. RUN!"

You reached out your hand.

"NO!"

You touched the vial. Everything went dark; you felt something wet and sticky pooling around your feet. You tried to move, but the goo held you in place. It traveled up your body, covering your legs. A **** pressed down on your shoulders, bringing you to your knees. The goo began to cover your chest.

"BE GONE!"

HC's voice sounded in your head. Instantly you were free.

"You must get away from him now."

You heard another voice and felt someone shaking your shoulders.

Deshawn broke your connection with the vial.

"Adam, are you alright. Speak to me."

"Deshawn?"

What was he doing here?

"Thank god. We have to help Mateo. He's still out cold. What were you two doing?"

"Why are you in your underwear?"

"My superhero costume? I wear these every time I rescue people in peril. Seriously, I was walking back from the bathroom, and I stopped to see if you wanted to do something later. Enough chit chat, are you going to help with Mateo, or are you too out of it?"