Reaching for the Stars

Chapter 35: New Year Cold

Surprise chapter! The obligatory prelud-no, filler chapte-no, antholog-no, short drabbles! Six short stories of six of the characters from their point of view of the holiday season.

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Octo sipped the coffee on the table and flipped the page of the book he was reading. His face was flat, covering the storm inside him. He never expected this. He knew there were some lawfully questionable activities his family might be doing under the cover, but still, this one shook him.

His father told him on the day of his graduation, the filthy secret of the family. While he despised it with every fibre of his being, he couldn't act against his family. His father said his college tuition fee came from it. Heh, as if the restaurant weren't providing this family with wealth anyway.

He had been dreaming about continuing his family restaurant since he was little. He loved cuisine, aside from football and books. He wanted to cook his own food, maybe also to cook for all his university friends. His family planned to open another branch in Barrowisle, but the plan was halted until after his graduation.

However, his father then told him that. He was not to continue the family restaurant, but the family drug operation. He was surprised, shook, and very disappointed. He even contemplated moving in fear his father would force him.

This year's Christmas felt hollow. That night, they sat at the dining table, offering prayers and being thankful for another year of happiness. Afterwards, there was silence as they ate their food. Not even Nicholas, his butler, looked like he was looking forward to serving the food. The unease had been so thick he was sure the knife he had been holding couldn't even cut through it.

Now, he understood the reasoning behind his mandatory weapons and martial arts sessions, and it sickened him to the core. All those awards felt hollow now that he knew. While being able to defend himself was a very valuable lesson, the reason he had to learn it was disheartening.

Losing his interest in reading, he closed the book with a sigh, his ears flattening. He then looked at the blank television screen; his reflection stared back at him. That reflection, on that 102-inch television mounted on the wall with two consoles under it, was innocently staring back at him, either oblivious to or blinded by the grandeur around it.

What would Tom think of him? What would Max and the other guys think of him? What would Kevin think of him?

This... impurity was not curable. For the first time in a long while since his brother's death, he envied him for not needing to endure this. He knew he was the only child; he had responsibilities and his parents' dreams upon his shoulders. Now, they were giving him this. This was the first time he opposed his parents so strongly, so much so until they almost had a fight in the study if it weren't for him walking out of the room to calm his mind.

"Pastries, sir?" He heard Nicholas knocking at his door.

The panther stared at the book in his hand. "No, Nico, thank you. A question, is the backyard empty right now?"

"I'm afraid it's not, sir."

"I'll go for some fresh air, then."

He stood up and put the book back on the shelf, then left the room, nodding at Nicholas as he walked away. Slowly, Barrowisle felt more and more like his home, a place where he could be himself. He was looking forward to going back there and building his own life there, away from this... harsh reality imposed upon him.

Yet he knew that neither Wyrd nor Worth nor Should was one to leave the threads of fate unwoven.

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