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Brothers
Gabe, Luc, and Mike formed a SuperHero Gang early in life, pressing bleeding palms together in solidarity. They lived in a soul-sucking cement city project, and their missions centered around finding beauty to give to others. A blue feather and yellow flower bouquet for the old lady who sat at her window and watched others play. Flattened, colorful tin cans for patching holes in the wall. Pretty rocks and fall leaves for good luck.
In the fifth grade, Luc pierced his left earlobe and joined a band that sang songs about anxiety and depression. Mike made the football team and set his sights on clean-cut popularity. Gabe felt lost in between, heartsick as his brothers went in different directions. Luc insisted true beauty lies in the darker regions of the InnerRealm, and Mike became the team captain and practiced winning leadership. Gabe settled into a go-between role, alternating his time between Inner Treks and strategically applying what he learned to Mike’s playbook mindset.
For example, after dedicating many hours to exploring the complex underlying narratives of uncertainty, Gabe tried to convince Mike that his teammates would benefit from fewer CoverUp tactics. However, he had come to worship emotional suppression as a manly strength. On the other end of the spectrum, Luc gained a reputation as an InnerRealm Tour Guide. As the young men entered their middle years, the strain on their former…
