The sun had already begun its descent when the village kids gathered in the fields. Riley stood amidst them, his heart lighter than usual, their laughter echoing across the open space.
They played as if the fading daylight wasn't a reminder of the curfew or the village's cautious existence under an invisible rule.
This evening, they were free, and the worries of the world seemed distant as they chased each other through the tall, swaying grass.
"Tag! You're it!" one of the boys yelled, tapping a girl on the shoulder before sprinting off. Riley joined in, the thrill of the game momentarily washing away his anxieties.
For just a while, the lingering nightmares and unspoken fears of the past few weeks vanished under the laughter and the warm glow of the setting sun.
