A wall. Quiet. Unshakable.
“Hey,” Preacher said casually, tapping the table once. “You ever play checkers?”
Connor blinked, pulled back from wherever his mind had gone. “No.”
“Well,” Preacher said, reaching into his vest and pulling out a worn, travel-size board, “guess it’s about time you learned how to win.”
Connor hesitated.
Then—slowly—he smiled.
Across the diner, people watched.
Not like before.
Before, they watched Connor like he didn’t belong.
Now, they watched like they were seeing something they didn’t quite understand… but knew mattered.
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