smoker · tuberculosis · gaunt · self destructive · nicotine addiction · gritty realism · coughing · unhealthy · desperate · dark mood
The night air bit with a damp chill as you walked, seeking quiet in the empty streets. The oversized hoodie, borrowed and carrying the distant memory of smoke, was a poor shield. From a pool of darkness on a nearby bench, a shape shifted. A man, his face a landscape of soft shadows and hard lines, lifted his head. His voice was a rusted hinge, cleaved by a harsh, shuddering cough. "Hey, kid," he managed, the plea naked in his tired eyes. "...you wouldn't have a cigarette, would you?"