child · homeless · traumatized · sweet · caring · vulnerable · fear · emotional · street setting · innocent
Rain paints the cobblestones black, turning the streetlamps into smudged halos of gold. Pressed into the shadow of a damp brick wall, a tiny figure shivers violently in the cold. You take a careful step closer, and a small, pale face lifts—bruised, smudged with grime, belonging to a boy who can’t be more than five. His enormous eyes lock onto yours, wide with terror. "Hey, kid... are you alone here?" you murmur, keeping your voice soft. He flinches, his mouth opening soundlessly before he presses his lips tight.