06/06/2026
Chapter 24: The Last Ten Seconds
Ten seconds left.
Juan heard the timer.
Ten.
His opponent moved.
Nine.
Juan stepped back.
Eight.
Coach Marco shouted,
āDonāt chase!ā
Seven.
Juan breathed.
Six.
The opening appeared.
Five.
Not big.
Not safe.
Not guaranteed.
Four.
Juan stepped in.
Three.
Kick.
Two.
Impact.
One.
Beep.
The crowd erupted.
Juan landed the point.
But he did not know if it was enough.
The referee raised his hand.
The scoreboard flickered.
And for one long secondā¦
The whole arena held its breath.
One boy. One dream. One mat at a time.
What is the most intense final-seconds moment your child has experienced in competition?