The rain poured heavily that night, drowning the faint sound of footsteps as we walked down the desolate alley. I was five, too young to understand, but old enough to notice the silence between my parents. My father held my hand tightly, his grip trembling despite his attempt to appear composed. My mother clutched an umbrella, her face pale, her eyes hollow.

  We had lost everything. A man in a suit promised us security, a future. But he lied. My father, desperate to save his small business, had signed papers he didn’t fully understand. Loan sharks came next, their faces cold and their demands merciless. They took our home, my toys, even my mother’s wedding ring. Now, they wanted more—what little we didn’t have.

  “I’m sorry,” my father whispered, his voice cracking.

  We reached the bridge overlooking a roaring river. The water below mirrored the chaos in our lives. My father knelt to face me, his eyes brimming with tears. “You’ll be strong, won’t you, my boy?”

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  I nodded, confused but eager to make him proud. My mother kissed my forehead, her lips cold and trembling. “Always remember, we love you,” she said, her voice a whisper lost in the storm.

  They sat me down on the bench, the only one on the empty street. My father handed me a stuffed bear he had somehow managed to keep. “Stay here, okay? Don’t move.”

  I watched as they walked toward the bridge’s edge, their hands clasped together. The rain blurred my vision, or maybe it was my tears—I couldn’t tell.

  A sudden scream escaped my throat. “Mama! Papa!”

  They turned back one last time. My mother mouthed something I couldn’t hear, but I knew it was “I’m sorry.”

  And then, they were gone.

  I sat there, clutching the bear, the rain soaking through my clothes. I didn’t understand why they left, why the world seemed so cruel.

  I tried calling them again, but all I could hear were the echos of my voice and the rain pouring mercilessly. My hands were numb, but I held the stuffed bear with all my strength so that I wouldn't lose it. The rain stopped, and the cold air sent a chill across my spine. I looked up and saw that through the clouds, the moon was very pretty tonight.