Young widow picked up a backpack thrown from an expensive car at the landfill. «I’ll take it for my son for school!» she thought. But, opening it, she was speechless…

The widow’s heart pounded wildly; she had nothing to defend with. «Timmy! Need to save the child!» She rushed back to the bedroom. Waking her son, Sarah whispered.

«Quiet, sweetie! Climb out the window and run to Aunt Zoe’s! Quick!» The boy didn’t understand in his sleepiness, but his mother hurriedly pulled a jacket over his pajamas and literally pushed him through the narrow window leading to the garden toward the neighbor. Timmy yelped softly in surprise but obediently ran into the darkness.

As soon as she helped him out, a loud crack came from outside. The front door was kicked in with a crash from a strong boot. Sarah gasped.

Two strangers burst into the house. They roughly grabbed Sarah, hurling threats and demanding the money back. One of them barked.

«Where’s the money?» «Spit it out quick, or I’ll kill you!» Sarah covered her head with her hands in horror. «Just don’t touch my son! I’ll give it all!» she rasped. One of the thugs slapped the woman across the face.

Blood appeared in her mouth immediately. Her vision blurred, and her cheek burned like fire. The thugs clearly weren’t going to wait for her answer and started ransacking the house…

One flipped the couch, dragging out the hidden bundles of money, the other turned the whole kitchen upside down. Things flew around the house, rustling scattered banknotes. Sarah watched the devastation with despair.

But then a siren sounded in the yard. The police arrived. Apparently, someone had time to call the deputy after hearing the noise, and the criminals were quickly subdued.

Sarah, beaten and trembling from the ordeal, only thanked God that she and her son were unharmed. She couldn’t hold back tears of relief. Sergeant Peterson meanwhile helped Sarah up and caringly draped his uniform jacket over her shoulders.

He barely restrained his anger, looking at the beaten woman. «It’s okay, it’s okay, my dear, the villains won’t touch you anymore!» he soothed Sarah with a hoarse voice. «Your Timmy is a real hero.

He ran to us and raised the alarm. Now you’re safe.» Sarah just nodded, unable to believe the terrible night was over.

Finally, morning came. When the thugs were taken away and the police filed all the papers, Sarah sat on a stool at her gate, wrapping herself in a scarf. The pale sun rose over the town.

The paramedic was applying a bandage to her split eyebrow, and nearby on the porch sat Timmy, warming a mug of hot tea in his hands. The boy’s lips still trembled after the night’s horror, but he beamed with pride for his heroism. Her son didn’t leave his mother’s side.

«Mom?» he called timidly. «What now? Will we be poor again?» His lips quivered. He remembered how for a moment he believed in a fairy tale, and it crumbled to dust.

Sarah pulled her son close and hugged him. Her heart was filled with gratitude that God protected the most precious. «We’ll live honestly, sonny, and poverty isn’t a barrier,» she answered tenderly, kissing her son on his dark crown…