Then I saw him.
He was sitting alone in the back seat of a parked vehicle.
At first, I couldn’t move.
Then he looked up.
For a split second, our eyes met.
His face froze.
It was as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Then tears exploded from his eyes.
He opened the door and ran.
I’ve never experienced a moment like that in my life.
He threw himself into my arms, holding on as tightly as he could.
His entire body trembled.
Between sobs, he whispered words I’ll never forget.
“Daddy said if I talked about you, they would take me away.”
My heart shattered.
No child should ever have to carry that kind of fear.
I held him and kept repeating the same words.
“I’m here.”
“I’m real.”
“You’re safe.”
From the house, relatives began stepping outside.
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