Michael woke up, as usual, at 4:30 every morning.S. While the small town was still asleep, he milked the cow, fed the goats and chickens, checked the stable, and quickly returned home to prepare breakfast before his three children woke up.
When you have three children sleeping across the wall, you simply can’t afford to give up, make reckless decisions, or let yourself be swept away by unnecessary emotions. As for emotions, Michael had almost forgotten what they felt like. Years of hard work, endless responsibilities, and days that seemed almost identical had gradually taught him to keep everything inside.
He put eggs, toast, and warm milk on the kitchen table and looked toward the children’s bedroom.
“Kids, breakfast is ready. Start eating. I’ll be back soon,” Michael called.
Without wasting a minute, he put on his worn-out jacket and hurried across town to help his neighbor, Daniel.
There were very few steady jobs in their small rural community, but everyone needed money. Michael had learned long ago that he couldn’t afford to be picky. He repaired fences, chopped wood, cleaned barns, helped with construction work, and accepted almost any honest job he was offered.
That morning didn’t seem any different from hundreds of others.
But when Michael arrived at Daniel’s property and saw what was waiting for him beside the old barn, he stopped.
Something in Daniel’s expression immediately told him that this was not going to be an ordinary day.
