Light in Your Eyes

01 | threat

K E L L A N

Age 9

My eyes are glued to the TV. I'm eating my sandwich at the dining table. I can't take my gaze off the news aired on TV right now. It's the national headline.

There was a bank robbery, and the CCTV caught the bad guys shooting the employees.

I wince as the sound of gun shooting and people's scream echo. Even though it's coming from the TV, it feels real. I'm suddenly losing my appetite for breakfast.

"That sounds disgustingly cruel and barbaric," Inez, my sister who just turned seven this month, complains from across the table.

We're having breakfast together, but she has chosen the seat with her back facing the TV, just like usual, to avoid seeing some horrible news she can't bear to witness. Unfortunately, it's always around this time that Dad's friend turns on the news every morning.

The sound of footsteps catches my attention, and I find mom walking down the stairs while speaking on the phone.

"We'll be there in no time, sweetheart." A smile touches her lips while she's listening to the voice from the other side of the line. I know who she's speaking to. It must be my older brother, Jaxon. "Don't worry. All of us will be there to support you. Everyone is excited and can't wait to watch your first karate championship. Just listen to your instructor and take a deep breath. We'll be there shortly."

They talk a bit more before mom hangs up. She sighs, and I can see the excitement on her face.

Jaxon left earlier for the karate championship with his instructor to get warmed up before the competition. Inez and I will go there with mom to support him. I hope that dad can make it as well, but he's a very busy person.

I'm excited and nervous for Jaxon because this is his very first championship. At the age of 13, Jaxon has been one of the best karate students in his martial arts school. He's expected to win a medal in this competition.

Mom kisses my cheek as soon as she arrives at the dining table. Then she approaches Inez and does the same. She's glowing with happiness, but then her smile disappears as soon as she sees the TV.

"Fenrir," she snaps, glaring at the said man. "Again? I told you to not show such violence in front of my children. Please, can't you at least switch the channel to something else?"

Fenrir shifts his attention to mom. "Sorry. I got carried away while following the case." He changes the channel, which is now showing the news about drug trafficking.

Mom sighs, and I can see that she's still irritated. I don't know why mom seems to hate him. Fenrir is actually a nice person. People would think that he looks intimidating on first impression -- with his piercing dark eyes and a cut on his left cheek that makes him look like a gangster in movies -- but he's actually fun to hang out with.

Sometimes, he likes to play games with me and Jaxon, like letting us aim our water guns at his shooting target board.

He once showed me his real gun and let me touch it.

Fenrir and some other close friends of dad's hang around here in our house very often. They usually spend a night here every other day. Our house has plenty of rooms, so there's always space for everyone.

Some people even call our house a mansion because we have more than 20 rooms. I've heard some of them also say that it's like some kind of 'base'.

I don't know the details of dad's job, but I know for sure that he makes a lot of money. He's the founder of an organization.