The courtroom was silent in that heavy, suffocating way that makes every small sound feel amplified. The shuffle of papers, the faint creak of a chair, the quiet hum of fluorescent lights overhead—everything seemed to pause as the judge prepared to speak. No one was truly ready for what was about to happen, even though everyone knew the stakes were high. A child stood at the center of it all, barely tall enough to see clearly over the wooden barrier in front of him, his hands trembling, his eyes darting around the room in confusion and fear.
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