The snow-covered road stretched endlessly before me, the wind howling through the barren landscape. My headlights carved a narrow path through the darkness, their beams bouncing off the frozen pavement. The heater blasted warm air, but the chill still seeped into my bones. It was a brutal night, the kind where no one should be out alone.
Then, I saw him.
A small figure, hunched against the wind, shuffling forward with slow, unsteady steps. He was wrapped in nothing more than a thin hoodie, his arms hugging his trembling frame. Snowflakes clung to his dark hair, his hood barely shielding his face from the relentless cold. Even from a distance, I could see it—he was freezing.
I hit the brakes and pulled over.
Rolling down my window, I called out, “Hey, kid! You okay?”
The boy hesitated but didn’t answer. He simply stood there, his breath coming out in short, uneven puffs.
I scanned the empty road. No houses nearby. No other cars. No sign of an adult.
Something wasn’t right.
I stepped out, the cold biting instantly at my skin. “Are you lost?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.
Still no response. His lips were tinged blue, his small hands balled into stiff fists.
I shrugged off my jacket and held it out. “Here, take this. You need to warm up.”
He hesitated, then reached out with trembling fingers, slipping it over his frozen arms.
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