Williams Estate – Garden of Dawn
The sun touched down gently over a quiet hilltop town wrapped in mist and dew. Past the picket fences and flower beds, the Williams Estate stood calm and warm—its windows glowing like memories still in motion.
The laughter started early.
"Alfred, put that down—!"
Too late.
The young boy launched a firecracker-shaped bottle rocket straight from the balcony. It whizzed past the laundry line, spiraling like a confused dragon before landing in the koi pond with a hiss.
"Oops," Alfred said, blinking.
Their father, Raphael Williams, sighed from behind the porch swing, already reaching for the pond net. "You're lucky the fish like you."
"I'm not lucky," Alfred grinned. "I'm awesome."
"You're eight," Aria said flatly, arms crossed.
She was already reading chapter books, already correcting her teachers, already talking like a tiny judge. Her silver hair was pinned back with a flower clip, her eyes calm like the lake at dawn.
