Virals Pack: Reborn

Chapter 1: The Beginning

This last half a month has been a load of firsts for me. I had my first sweet sixteen birthday, my first sleigh ride, and my first kiss under the mistletoe. But I also had my first house fire, first scrape with death, and first time completely without my family, a first that would now continue for the rest of my days. And now here I am, a blurred two weeks later on my first plane flight, alone, to see for the first time a relative I didn't even know.

Maybe I should back up a bit and go over some basics. First off, I am named after one of the more famous hurricanes, Katrina. My mother named me after a tumultuous tempest hoping I would have grand adventures when I was older. Well, mom, guess you got your wish. I am...was...the middle child of three. My older sister, Sage was 20 and in college, studying to be a doctor. Then there's my younger half-sister, little Lyra, named after the constellation. She was at the sweet, innocent age of 10, far too young to be already gone. So that's my formerly happy family; mom, step-dad, Sage, and Lyra. But now it's just me.

The day of the winter solstice, December 21st (most of the time), is my birthday. This year I turned the magical age of 16, when you are practically grown up and out of the house, but not really. The whole day was filled with happiness, fun, and snow. Our typical northern Minnesota winter always has some amount of snow by Christmas, and this year was no different. We frolicked around in the snow, visited grandma and grandpa at their retirement home, and had syrupy pancakes with blueberries for dinner. Then after a round of fun and games, we all went to sleep happily, for the last time together.