RESTRICTION

The air hung heavily like a damp shroud, filled with a sense of foreboding. The room was a dark cave with concrete walls and floors that absorbed the little light that dared to enter. Shadows twist and curl around the cold, grey surfaces, resembling living darkness.

The space was oppressive, as heavy as an anvil.

The ceiling disappeared into the darkness, lost in the gloom. Flickering fluorescent tubes, irregularly spaced above, cast eerie silhouettes on the walls.

In the center of this dismal chamber lay a massive pool, its murky water veiled by perpetual steam. The pool's edges were slick with condensation, reflecting the faint light like a dark mirror.

The water's surface trembles, rippling outward from the pool's center. Bubbles rose, bursting with a faint gurgle and a dark shape materialized from beneath the surface.

The figure emerged, water cascading off broad shoulders. His features were obscured by dripping wet hair. His eyes, red and gleaming with an otherworldly intensity, absorbed the faint light, radiating an aura of menace as water trickled down his rugged physique.

With deliberate slowness, he stepped forward, water swirling around his legs. Each movement exudes power, controlled and calculated.

His body began to contort, muscles stretching and shifting. His limbs elongate, merging into scaled appendages. His torso expands, broadening into a powerful chest. Shimmering skin transforms into iridescent scales that glimmer like molten lava. Wings unfold from his back, their leathery membranes rippling with newfound life.

His face distends, jaw elongating into a snout. Eyes blazing with inner fire, now burn with a fierce dragon's intensity. The dragon's massive form fills the room, its wingspan eclipsing the pool. Water droplets cling to its scales, sparkling like diamonds.

The dragon burst out of the room and into the sky. Shattering the walls and sending rocks falling to the ground.

Down the road was a car speeding along the highway. A young boy was silently looking outside, while his mother sat next to him, clipping the nails on her fingers one by one.

His young eyes caught the magnificent creature wandering outside in the sky and he blinked. 'Unbelievable' he thought deeply.

Soon, he turned to his mother. "Look Mom, there's a dragon outside"

The woman paid little attention to her son.

She cut him off dismissively. "There's no such thing as dragons"

"But... it's there" He said, pointing frantically at the window.

His mother yet again cut him off with a stern "ShUUsh" that made him clamp his mouth shut. He could only wonder as his eyes fell upon the dragon outside, disappearing into the clouds.

***

Monday...

At 8 am, the sun began to cast its golden light over the opulent villa, illuminating the surroundings. In a lavishly adorned room, a man stood before an ornate mirror, attended to by a middle-aged woman in a well-tailored uniform, meticulously adjusting his attire. She surreptitiously stole glances at him, drawn to his striking features, while sensing an air of discontentment emanating from him.

Although she longed to express her concern, she hesitated each time she observed him. His clenched jaw and tense demeanor filled the room with palpable unease, only interrupted by the insistent chime of a nearby phone.

Disregarding the initial chimes, he finally acknowledged the third. "Excuse me, Marie," he uttered in a deep, resonant voice.

Of course," the woman responded, stepping back as he attended to the message on his phone.

Lifting the phone, he saw a message that didn't change his countenance in the slightest.

Alexa~

I don't think I can forgive you for the embarrassment you caused me last night at the bar. I begged you to at least show some concern and not be stiff like a robot in front of my friends but you just wouldn't do it. While they were all cuddly with their boyfriends, you didn't welcome me into your embrace at all. And you wouldn't even move an inch. Because of you, I was called names that I would rather not be. I like physical attention and you're not giving me any of that. Let this be the end of us, I hope you can find someone that'll be willing to love a nonchalant dick like you... No, you need therapy and not love"

His eyes narrowed at the message for a brief moment. Then, he put the phone back, the woman finished fixing his outfit and asked, "What happened, Rome? You don't look good."

"Nothing important," He waved off dismissively. Despite receiving a breakup message, he remained unfazed. Alexa was just a cover-up to dispel unwelcome rumors.

Exhaling softly, Marie said, "Okay then."

As he departed the room, the woman followed closely behind. Quietly. They began descending the stairs, until, he halted abruptly, causing the woman to nearly collided with him.

Marie gripped hard on the railings. Breathing in sharply. She heard her own heart thundering in her ears as she recalled how she had almost met with doom.

"Did you see that?" he queried, his countenance softening as he gazed ahead.

"Yes," Marie responded with quickened breath. Peering from behind him, her attention fell upon a young girl seated in the dining room.

Harper was eating? After three years.

The young one had lived mainly on raw meat, or fish in the sea. Not human food like this.

He proceeded toward the dining area, pulling out a chair before the inquisitive girl. Wordlessly, he plucked a grape and savored it, capturing the girl's curious gaze.

Harper narrowed her eyes at him, where she had stopped chewing on the piece of bread. She arched her brow questioningly at him as if to demand his presence there.

But he said no word.

She thought she would be alone at the dining table today. Nobody used it except for her, and she cared not because she prefered solitude.

Shifting her gaze to the side, her hands on rested a cup of water. She manipulated the water into forming bubbles that floated in the air and into her mouth.

An interjection followed, "Drinking the water directly would save time, you know." It was her other brother, Julian, fumbling with his tie.

Seating himself, he turned to face his brother. "Hey Rome, Can I get a few cash from you... My card has been declined and I'll be needing money" He explained to the man who didn't even glance at him.

When Roman finally looked at his younger brother, the latter had activated puppy eyes as if it would have any effect on him.

"No" He promptly declined without hesitation, eliciting a frown from Julian. It was an unprecedented request, and Roman had never been one to lend money lightly.

"What!?" Julian's eyebrows pulled together in a tight knot.

Just a few days ago, his father had restricted his card, leaving him with no means to attend to his needs, hence, he could only resort to borrowing money from his siblings.

He'd tried Harper a few times but the latter was already sick of being a cashier to him.

"Your card was declined for a reason. If Dad's measure cannot help you wise up, I don't know what else will. That being said, I'm not giving you anything" Roman stated calmly, his voice cold and authoritative.

"You're just being wicked" Julian mused. "Always has been"

Harper interjected, "Reasonable, I say" Only to earn a glare from Julian. However, she stared at him blankly in return.

Roman bobbed his head nonchalantly. His eyes drifted to the watch in his hand and he directed to Harper, "Are you ready for school?"

Harper nodded. She got off the chair and grabbed her bag.

Roman, at the same time, stood up from his and began to head outside, to get the car ready. Harper followed suit until she suddenly realized she had forgotten something and hurried towards the table.

She grabbed her chocolate drink.

"You won't go to school because you have no money?" She asked, seeing Julian not getting up from the chair.

Roman was the one driving, and if Julian wanted to go to school early, he had to go with them because Julian's car was restricted too.

"If you're here to taunt me, leave already Harper"

"I'm going to borrow you, now, let's go," She said hastily and began sprinting out of the hall with her short legs. Julian's lips curled into a smile. He knew he could always count on her. He grabbed hold of his bag and followed behind her.

They got into the car, the two of them sat together closely in the backseat while the passenger seat was empty. Roman began driving out of the garage.