The scorching sun is blazing overhead, an unrelenting sentinel in the sky, its rays piercing the dusty air of the village square where the boy now stood. On any other day at this hour, he would have been nestled in the cool shadows of his home, lost in the gentle embrace of a midday nap. But this day is far from ordinary.

Earlier, as the boy and his family were poised on the edge of rest, their quiet was shattered by the abrupt arrival of a neighbor. The man spoke rapidly, his words a torrent that flooded their modest dwelling. The boy caught only fragments, but one phrase resonated with clarity—the directive from a city official that all villagers must assemble.

At first, curiosity piqued the boy's interest, a spark kindled by the rarity of such visits. But as he watched his father'...

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