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Haven’s Reach: The Spark

It happened on a rainless night in early winter. The Council had banned music in the public square, but a child’s voice broke the silence. A boy no older than ten sang a lullaby his grandmother had taught him, his voice rising above the wind. For a moment, the crowd froze in fear. Then another joined. And another. Soon, the plaza filled with song.

The guards stormed in, batons raised, but the people didn’t scatter. They sang louder. The air trembled with a sound that was part hymn, part rebellion. Harper, standing among them, felt her chest swell. For the first time since Eli’s disappearance, she felt less alone.

The spark was not fire or violence—it was courage in harmony. By dawn, the Council declared the singers enemies of Order. But they had already lit something no decree extinguished.

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By Benjamin GroffMedia© | benandsteve.com | ©2025