“Then sleep early.”
After Marcus left, Kevin walked to the supply closet. Edward was there, hanging his mop on its hook.
“You heard?” Kevin asked.
“I heard.”
“Did I say it right?”
Edward turned. His face was unreadable, but his eyes were softer than Kevin had ever seen them.
“You said it in your own voice,” Edward said. “That’s the only right way.”
Kevin leaned against the doorframe. The gym was empty again. The lights hummed. The mats smelled of sweat and ammonia.
“I borrowed your words,” Kevin said. “About the process. About humility.”
“Good words. They weren’t mine, though. I stole them from a man who broke my nose.”
Kevin blinked. “You lost?”
“I lost plenty. That’s why I’m still here.”
Edward picked up his bucket. The water inside was dirty, murky.
“You thought I was invincible,” Edward said.
“I’m not. I just learned how to fall without shattering.”
He walked past Kevin and into the hallway. His left heel dragged slightly, the way it always did.
“Edward?”
The old man stopped but didn’t turn.
“I owe you,” Kevin said.
“Debts don’t work that way here. You owe the next one.”
He continued down the hall. The lights flickered, then steadied. Edward disappeared around the corner.
Kevin stood there for a while, listening to the silence. Then he walked back to the mats, barefoot, and stood in the center. He closed his eyes.
He felt the cold rubber under his feet. The draft from the vents. The weight of his own body, heavy but grounded.
He breathed in. Breathed out.
And for the first time, he didn’t feel like he was waiting to become someone else. He was already there.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and created for entertainment purposes only. It does not represent any organization or individual, nor does it encourage inappropriate behavior. The content was generated with AI assistance.
