Brave words. False bravado.
Externally, Daran was a cool cat with a stoic visage and a haughty demeanor. Internally however, he was a hot mess.
Daran was quaking, not with fear but with deep hurt and anger. He held his head high and his demeanor strong until he reached the grove of trees that took him to another part of the neighborhood.
Leaping up, he grabbed onto the limb of an ancient sprawling bodhi tree and levitated himself onto the crook of the tree limbs that met at the center.
There he sat hidden within the leaves, with tears streaming down his face.
He knew that he needed to cool down and this was the one place he could safely and privately do so.
To seek out Eugene now would mean a funeral within his family, and it wouldn't be Daran who died.
Killing Eugene with his bare hands would be immensely satisfying within that moment, but then he would still be left responsible for Aileen and her spawn.
