A Brother's Judgment
Out past the shouting near the school's entrance, where tempers sparked and egos scraped raw, Shawn Saulon slipped into a quieter kind of fight. This one lived beneath his skin.
There he was, staring at his little brother. Across from him, the boy who once looked up now met his gaze. Silence hung between them, thick with years. The past pressed close without a word spoken. Not far off, memories stirred like dust in sunlight.
Albion.
Out back of the dorms, past the main doors, silence sat heavier - though not alone. Some kids stayed far off, talking low, eyes fixed this way. Air slipped across the yard, just enough to lift grit from between flagstones. That breath brought something tight, thick, hard to shake.
Albion saw him.
For just an instant -
A sudden lightness showed in his expression.
