*Huff… Huff…* A small boy, barely ten years old, darted across the dusty field. His feet, quick and nimble, drove a ball nearly half his size forward with remarkable control. Each kick was sharp, each step purposeful, as though this simple game was not play, but battle.
"Look at him go! Look at him charge forward!" The girls on the sidelines clapped with delight, their small hands striking together with fervor. Their eyes glistened with admiration as they watched.
His face, sharp for his age, bore the marks of someone who had fought through hardship. His grin was wild, defiant. Scars traced faint lines across his arms and legs, each one a story, each one a mark of survival. Though he was young, he carried the presence of someone far older.
"Stop right there!!" Three boys from the rival team burst forward, spreading out to block his path. But the boy only narrowed his eyes, determination blazing.
