That morning began in the most ordinary way imaginable, indistinguishable from dozens of others that had come before it. There was nothing dramatic in the sky, no unusual sounds, no sense of anticipation. The early daylight spread softly across the yard, painting everything in pale, muted tones. The air was cool but comfortable, carrying the familiar freshness of a new day just beginning. Birds chirped quietly in the distance, and the neighborhood remained mostly still, as if the world itself was stretching awake. With a watering can in hand, I stepped outside, mentally prepared for nothing more than a routine...
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