PART 2 The air seemed to hold its breath.

Inside, the school’s hallways seemed to buzz with whispers of the recent revelation. Landon followed Duke into a quiet room, away from prying eyes.

Sitting across from each other, Duke began to recount stories, painting a picture of bravery and camaraderie that Landon had never known his father was a part of.

Each tale was a thread, weaving together the fabric of a past shared by many, but new to Landon. He listened, rapt and eager, as Duke brought his father’s legacy to life.

It was a history lesson he hadn’t anticipated, but one he was grateful for — a chapter of his father’s life that became a part of his own story.