Broken Edge

As the sun slowly rose over the small town of Millfield, Georgia, the early morning mist began to clear, revealing the harsh reality of life in a place where poverty and desperation were everyday companions.

In one of the town's small, run-down houses, 16-year-old Tyler sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He had always been a bit of a troublemaker, but lately, things had gotten worse. He had started skipping school, getting into fights, and hanging out with the wrong crowd. His parents had tried everything they could think of to help him, but nothing seemed to work. Tyler was spiraling out of control, and there seemed to be no end in sight.

Tyler's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his bedroom door. "Tyler, it's time to get up," his mother called out. "You don't want to be late for school again."

Tyler groaned and rubbed his eyes. He knew he should go to school, but the thought of sitting through another boring class filled him with dread. He got up slowly, pulling on his clothes and shoving his books into his backpack. As he made his way to the front door, he saw his father sitting at the kitchen table, his head in his hands.

"Morning, Dad," Tyler muttered as he walked past him.

"Tyler, we need to talk," his father said, looking up at him with a troubled expression.

"What is it?" Tyler asked, already feeling defensive.

"Your mother and I are worried about you," his father said. "You've been getting into a lot of trouble lately, and we don't know what to do to help you."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "I don't need your help," he said. "I can take care of myself."

"That's not true, son," his father said firmly. "We're your parents, and we love you. We want to help you get back on track, but you have to be willing to let us."

Tyler felt a surge of anger rise up in him. Why did his parents always have to lecture him? Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He grabbed his backpack and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

As he walked to school, Tyler's mind raced with anger and frustration. Why couldn't his parents see that he didn't need their help? Why did they always have to be so controlling?

By the time he reached the school, Tyler was seething with anger. He walked into his first period class, barely acknowledging his teacher's greeting. He sat in the back of the room, slouching in his chair and scowling at anyone who tried to talk to him.

The morning dragged on, and Tyler sat through class after class, barely paying attention. He was lost in his own thoughts, consumed by his anger and resentment.

As lunchtime approached, Tyler decided to skip school and head to the park. He knew he was supposed to be in class, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be alone, away from everyone and everything.

As he walked through the park, Tyler's thoughts turned to his life. He had always felt like he didn't belong in Millfield. He had big dreams and ambitions, but he knew he would never achieve them in a place like this. He felt trapped, like he was suffocating.

As he sat on a bench, staring out at the world around him, Tyler felt a sudden wave of sadness wash over him. He realized that he was the one holding himself back. He was the one making bad choices and ruining his life.

For the first time in months, Tyler felt a flicker of hope. Maybe he could change. Maybe he could