They moved along the side of the truck, scanning the line of bins. The sound came again—fainter now, as if whatever made it was losing strength.

Samuel reached the container and peered inside.

For a moment, his brain refused to process what he was seeing.

Then it did.

Hidden beneath layers of garbage, half-buried in a soggy duffel bag and wrapped in a soiled towel, was a newborn baby.

So small it seemed impossible. So still except for the faint movement of its chest and the desperate opening of its mouth as it cried again.

Samuel felt something break inside him—not loudly, not dramatically, but deeply. Instinct took over before thought could catch up.

Without hesitation, he reached in.

Continued on the next page