Cedry2k - Vremuri Ciudate (cu La Familia) -

Mihai grabbed his brother’s shoulder, turning him around. "Power without a soul is just a faster way to a grave. Look around you. The values we were raised on—loyalty, blood, truth—they’re being auctioned off to the highest bidder."

The SUV’s window rolled down an inch. A heavy bass beat thrummed from inside, a rhythmic heartbeat of a city that had lost its way. Cedry2k - Vremuri ciudate (cu La Familia)

He saw his younger brother, Leo, approaching the SUV. Leo, with his brand-new sneakers and a hollow look in his eyes that didn't belong on a nineteen-year-old. Mihai stepped out of the shadows. "Leo, stop," Mihai called out, his voice raspy. Mihai grabbed his brother’s shoulder, turning him around

The neon sign above the "Non-Stop" shop flickered, casting a sickly yellow light over the cracked pavement. Mihai leaned against the cold brick wall, pulling his collar up against a wind that tasted like diesel and old regrets. Leo, with his brand-new sneakers and a hollow

"Go home," Mihai whispered, his eyes fixed on the car. "The 'strange times' are here because we let the wrong things matter. Don't let them take you too."

As the SUV roared away, leaving a cloud of acrid smoke, Mihai looked up at the grey sky. The concrete was cold, the future was uncertain, but as long as one person refused to sell out, the "strange times" wouldn't win.