The smell of eggs and bacon filled the kitchen as Sterlin stood over the stove, flipping pancakes with practiced ease. Saturdays were his turn to cook breakfast—a tradition in the family where everyone had their assigned day. His father, Malcolm Sr., had implemented the rule years ago, saying it taught responsibility and appreciation for shared work. Not that Sterlin minded—he found the routine calming, even therapeutic.
He glanced out the kitchen window.
His father was sitting cross-legged in the garden, meditating in perfect stillness.
Stella, his younger sister, darted around him in fluid movements, her small frame weaving through the flower beds like a shadow.
Every time Sterlin looked, she was in a different spot, bowing deeply before resuming her strange, silent game. It was almost hypnotic to watch.
The sizzling sound of bacon pulled his attention back to the stove just as his phone buzzed on the counter.
He wiped his hands on a towel and checked the screen: Reddick.
He swiped to answer, immediately hearing the roar of an engine in the background."Hey, idiot." Reddick's voice boomed, full of energy.
"It's almost summer, and I know you missed me. Guess what—my dad just bought me a new car! I don't know what kind it is, but it's fast. I'm coming to pick you up. Get dressed."Sterlin smirked, rolling his eyes as he flipped the bacon.
"It's Saturday, Reddick. I've got training in the morning," he replied, glancing back out the window at his father, who was now deep in meditation."Ugh, you and your routines." Reddick groaned.
The sound of the car revving echoed through the phone. "Fine. Three hours. But you better be ready.""Deal." Sterlin said with a small laugh before hanging up.
After breakfast, Sterlin changed into his training clothes and joined his father and Stella in the garden. Malcolm Sr. didn't open his eyes as Sterlin approached, his deep, calming voice breaking the silence."You're late, boy."Sterlin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"I was cooking."Malcolm Sr. opened one eye, studying his son before nodding toward the small wooden post at the edge of the garden. "You know what to do. Start with your stance."Sterlin walked to the post, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
He inhaled deeply, centering himself as his father had taught him. Stella paused her movements to watch, her big, curious eyes peeking out from behind a bush."Focus." Malcolm Sr. said without looking at him.
"The world is loud right now, full of noise about things you can't control. But here, you control everything. Your body, your mind, your actions."Sterlin closed his eyes, trying to block out the buzzing thoughts in his head—about the game, about Christian, about everything. He exhaled, slowly moving into the first sequence of forms, each motion deliberate and precise.
Stella mimicked him from her hiding spot, earning a small smile from Malcolm Sr.Exactly three hours later, the sound of screeching tires broke the tranquil atmosphere of the garden.
Sterlin looked up to see a sleek black car pulling into the driveway, Reddick leaning halfway out the driver's window with his signature mischievous grin.
"Hey, slowpoke!" he called, waving dramatically. "Your chauffeur has arrived."Sterlin sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow as he grabbed a towel.
He turned to his father, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his silence a tacit approval."I'll be back by dinner." Sterlin said, bowing slightly out of habit."Take your sister." Malcolm Sr. said, his voice firm.
"What? Why?" Sterlin protested, glancing at Stella, who was already bouncing with excitement.
"She needs the experience." his father replied simply. "And you need to learn to lead."
Sterlin groaned but didn't argue. Stella was practically skipping toward the car, her small backpack already slung over her shoulder.
Reddick laughed as she climbed into the backseat. "Alright, we've got a tagalong! Don't worry, kid, I'll drive slow."
"Please don't." Stella said flatly, crossing her arms.
Sterlin shook his head, sliding into the passenger seat. "Just... try not to get us killed, alright?"Reddick smirked, revving the engine as they sped off down the street, the noise of the car fading into the morning air.
As the car zipped through the city, Sterlin couldn't help but notice the billboards and TV screens they passed.
Christian's face was everywhere, his white hair and glowing eyes dominating the news.
"'White-Haired Monster Strikes Again,'" Reddick read aloud from one of the headlines. "Man, the media is going nuts over this guy."Sterlin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yeah, I know him... kind of."
"Kind of?" Reddick raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "Dude, he's all over the news. They're saying he's taking out police like it's a sport"
Stella, peeking over the front seat, chimed in. "Is he bad? Like, really bad?"Sterlin hesitated. "I don't know. He wasn't always like this. He was... normal. Quiet. Smart."
"Normal people don't rip heads off." Reddick said bluntly, earning a glare from Sterlin."People change." Sterlin muttered, staring out the window.
The car fell silent for a moment, the weight of Christian's actions hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Reddick broke the tension with a laugh."Alright, enough of this depressing crap. Where are we going?"
Sterlin forced a smile. "Somewhere quiet. I need to think.""Quiet? Boring!" Reddick groaned but obliged, steering the car toward the outskirts of town.
They arrived at an empty park, the sun high in the sky. Sterlin got out, stretching his legs as Stella ran ahead, her laughter echoing through the trees.Reddick leaned against the car, watching her.
"You know, you've had a lot on your plate, man. Between the game, your dad's training, and now this Christian stuff... it's a lot."Sterlin nodded, sitting on a nearby bench. "Yeah. But I can't let it get to me. Not now."
Reddick smirked, tossing him a basketball he had pulled from the car.
"Then don't. Let's shoot some hoops. The world's gonna keep spinning whether we're worried about it or not."Sterlin caught the ball, staring at it for a moment before standing up.
"Yeah. You're right."As the two of them started playing, Stella cheered them on from the sidelines, her laughter cutting through the noise of the world—a reminder that, even in chaos, there was still room for joy.