"Well, folks, As of July 20, 2029 the Shattered gateway have been sealed. Thanks to our wonderful Sentinel, our cities are safe once again, or at least as safe as they could be. According to the data we received, approximately 126 civilians were killed and 2 stalkers are KIA devastating loss for humanity but a great win for our C"

  I couldn't take any more of it. My hand shot out, and I turned off the TV. A bitter laugh escaped my lips.

  "Win? There's no such thing as winning in war."

  Sitting on my bed, I felt the weight of it all pressing down on me. Tears blurred my vision, and I couldn't stop them from falling.

  'Why did it have to end up like this?' The question hung in the silence as sleep dragged me under.

  Closing my eyes, I let out a shaky breath, the weight in my chest too much to bear. I tried to push it all away everything I'd seen, everything I'd lost. Slowly, drifting, hoping that sleep would finally bring peace, even if just for a moment.

  ......

  A warm sensation slowly spread through my body. The sunlight filled the room, nudging me awake. Stretching lazily, I rubbed my eyes and made my way to the bathroom, feeling groggy.

  I stopped in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection as I brushed my teeth. My chestnut eyes stared back at me, but there was something...off. The way the light caught my face seemed strange, like the reflection wasn't quite in sync with my movements.

  "Still half-asleep," I muttered, shaking it off.

  As I leaned closer to rinse my mouth, my reflection lingered for just a second longer than it should have. I blinked, and it was normal again.

  Then I heard a soft, familiar voice calling out. "Honey, come! Food is ready!"

  I turned and saw her standing in the doorway. She was tall, with a bright smile that lit up the room, like a ray of sunshine. Her presence felt warm and comforting, and I couldn't help but smile back. Suddenly a strange, dull ache spread through my chest. For a moment, I froze. The feeling was unsettling like something was clawing at me from within.

  "Honey are you okay?"

  Brushing away the feeling I greeted her with a smile, I responded, "Good morning, Mom! I'm on my way, I'll just brush my teeth."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  My mom responded quickly, her voice playful yet teasing. "I can smell your breath from here," she said, a mischievous grin on her face as she shook her head. It made me chuckle , suddenly aware of how much I needed a good brush.

  "Well, anyhow, come down as soon as you can. Calix and Rex are already downstairs. We're just waiting for you. We've got a lot of planning to do for tomorrow, my birthday boy," she added with a wink.

  Without wasting any time, I quickly brushed my teeth and rushed downstairs. As I reached the bottom, I was greeted by my brothers, their voices reaching me before I even saw them.

  "Well, look who finally decided to join the living!" they teased, a playful tone in their voices.

  At the dining table, the chatter of my family filled the air. The teasing, the laughter it was all there. Yet, beneath it all, I couldn't shake an uneasy feeling creeping up on me.

  "Hendrix, you alright?" Calix asked, his brow furrowed slightly.

  "Yeah, yeah," I said quickly, waving him off. "Just a bit tired."

  As I devoured my plate of pancakes and bacon, I caught a faint metallic tang on my tongue, but it was gone before I could dwell on it.

  "Well, aren't you hungry?" a gentle voice reached my ears. I looked up and smiled. "Of course, Mom. Your cooking is the best, like always."

  With a soft chuckle, she responded, "I appreciate the compliment, but we both know that all of that was store-bought." Her laughter was warm, but as she spoke, a dull ache formed in my chest, a sense of familiarity mixed with something deeper something painful.

  Noticing my shift in mood, my mom quickly changed the subject. "Well, soon-to-be birthday boy, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

  Before I could answer, Rex chimed in with his usual teasing tone. "Let me guess, you want to go to the archery range again, like you an"

  Before he could finish the sentence, Calix smacked him on the back of the head. "Don't mind him, Hendrix. We'll do what you want to do, okay?"

  I smiled, grateful for the support. "Let's go to the archery range, but only in the morning. In the afternoon, let's go hunting. What do you all think?"

  My mom smiled, about to answer, "Yes, I think that's a wond" but suddenly, she stopped, her expression changing as a fit of coughing overtook her.

  We all stood up in confusion and worry. I rushed over to her, frantically asking, "Mom, are you okay?"

  "Did you take your meds?" Rex asked, concern clear in his voice.

  "Come sit down," Calix urged, his usual playful demeanor replaced by seriousness.

  I helped her back into her seat, my heart pounding. As things started to calm down mother said in a cheery voice "lets go watch some television ay? Calix setup something we can watch, Rex can you grab my medicine and a bottled water please? And hendrix go wash the plates"

  A sigh of relief escaped my mouth as I watched my mom settle down. "Looks like you're fine, Mom. Don't scare us like that," I said with a light chuckle.

  She smiled and walked toward the sofa, brushing off the moment as if it hadn't happened. Calix, in his usual calm manner, spoke in a low voice. "Hendrix, keep Mom company, okay? Don't mind the dishes, I'll do them later."

  I nodded. "Okay, thank you," and walked over to sit beside my mom. As I settled down, she raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I tell you to do the dishes?"

  I quickly replied, "Calix said he would do them."

  Another chuckle escaped her lips, but the sound didn't quite reach her eyes. The same aching feeling I'd felt earlier tightened in my chest. I tried to shake it off, standing up to distract myself.