Its bright.....am I dead? Am I going to be 'Judged' for my faults.....Am I awaiting the 'Judgement' that will befall upon me?
Looking around all I see are white clouds a clear blue sky and golden chains enveloping every inch of my body from my feet up to my head constricting me from moving as it pulls me up. No sound, just movement.
I've lived a life many have called a missed opportunity—and truth be told, I don't blame them.
I, Luke Davin, was born into a bloodline destined for the spotlight.
My mother, a revered news anchor on the national stage; my father, the founder of a successful human resources firm—an
empire built on placing others exactly where they're meant to be. My uncles, aunts, cousins… even distant relatives—all accomplished, all respected, each carving their name into some corner of society.
And yet—me?
Out of all the names in the Davin lineage, why was I the one labeled a dud?
The one who never quite fit. The one whose presence felt like a quiet apology at every gathering. The one whose name was spoken less like 'Pride' … and more like pity.
...
Growing up, I was the firstborn in my family—the one everyone pinned their hopes on. My parents had high expectations, eager to see what I would become. To shape me into someone remarkable, they enrolled
me in everything: sports, craftsmanship, arts, TV programs, advanced classes, martial arts, acting . And while I genuinely enjoyed being part of it all, I never truly stood out. Not like the others in my family.
Years went by, and gradually, the activities lessened—until they stopped altogether when I turned 18. That was when my parents told me, "We've done all we can. The rest is up to you now." Just like that, the spotlight faded, and I was left to find my own way.
It sounds assuring , yes it does but it was the complete opposite of that. At family reunions I often was the subject of many laughs, often being used as a figure of mockery, I became the cautionary tale my relatives pointed to — the example of what children should never become.
I've always resented it—the constant comparisons, the unspoken expectation to measure up to the "Pride" of our family which are my siblings.
.....
My sister, a household name, graces screens and billboards with ease, courted by the world's most prestigious brands. My younger brother, a football prodigy, has already drawn the gaze of international clubs eager to mold him into the next great icon. And the youngest? A bona fide genius. He made headlines for developing an AI model that rivals those of billion-dollar corporations—all before finishing elementary school.
In their presence, it's easy to feel like a footnote. Strip away the shared surname, and I often wonder if I was ever part of the
same story.
I always gave it my all—but no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough to make me shine like they do.
And the truth is... I can't even bring myself to resent my family. They've never belittled me, never spoken ill of me the way others have. They've stood by me, quietly supportive, understanding the weight I carry—even when the world doesn't. But deep down, I can feel it—the unspoken disappointment. Not loud or cruel, just.... there. A silent fracture beneath every kind word.
I've crumbled beneath the weight of expectations—both theirs and my own—and in the end, I've become the very thing I feared most: a disappointment. Not just to
them... but to myself.
Under the constant gazes of contempt and the unbearable weight of quiet judgment, I tried to run—to escape it all. I sought a new life, far from the mockery, the expectations, the silent comparisons. But no matter how far I went, there was one hurdle I could never outrun: my name. My identity.
Davin.
A surname that opens doors for many... and casts shadows over others...me.
In time, I came to accept it—not with pride, but with resignation. The world may never let me be more than what it's branded me. And so, I wear the title they've given me.
The Disappointment of the Davin family.
Until one Sunday 'Noon' , at a family gathering drenched in sunlight and fragile civility, everything changed.
A single shot tore through the calm—through me.
A bullet straight to the chest.
The shooter: my uncle. Intoxicated. Unhinged. A distant relative from the 'Daevin' bloodline—our branch cousins, separated by a single letter, yet bound by rivalry and resentment. He had always made it clear: I was his enemy, his disgrace.
As I collapsed, blood spilling across the polished floor, the world around me blurred
into chaos. Screams. Gasps. Shuffling feet. But clearest of all… his voice. Slurred, venomous, cracked with bitterness.
"You don't deserve that surname. You disappointment.
Do you know the shame I carry? Even with all my achievements, all my records—they still mock me.
They still keep their distance, just because I don't bear the Davin name.
It's worthless. It's all worthless… because of some stupid, fucking surname."
Then, silence.
Not truly silence—just a high, piercing ring swallowing the world whole, as the last of his words bled into the void with me.
"And now… here I am."
Suspended in stillness, waiting for something—'Judgement', perhaps. Thinking back on everything I could have done. Everything I should have been. Maybe I could've lived up to their expectations. Maybe I could've made them proud. But in the end, it felt like fate had already decided I wouldn't.
The chains that slowly pulled me upwards suddenly hastened
Today I face 'Judgement '
Then—darkness.
A sudden void, swallowing every sound, every thought… until—
"HEY! FOCUS!"
A high-pitched voice pierced through the black, shrill and impatient—like someone shaking me awake from a deep, disorienting daze.
"Its bright... Have I truly found peace?"
Luke muttered as if accepting a pre destined fate.
Wait a shout...?