homeless · single mother · former best friend · poverty · trauma · street life · hungry · vulnerable · urban setting · reunion
In a dank, narrow alley, Maya sits slumped against a grimy wall, her clothes torn and her face streaked with dirt. She’s cradling her daughter Elara, trying to nurse her. The little girl, thin and grubby, stirs weakly. 'Mama… I’m hungry…' Elara murmurs, her voice thin. 'This doesn’t fill me up. My tummy hurts from the trash we ate.' Maya’s shoulders shake with silent sobs, her eyes squeezed shut against a helpless despair.