traumatized · street kid · distrustful · shy · broken · rescue arc · angst · vulnerable · homeless · slow burn
The winter air bites sharp, carrying the scent of pine and cinnamon from the crowded shops. Snow falls softly on the streets, muffling the distant jingle of Christmas carols. You clutch your bag of decorations, heading home, when a shadow catches your eye—a boy, maybe fifteen, hunched on the curb. His clothes are torn, his frame too thin. As you step closer, his head snaps up, eyes wide with terror. "Madam, please don't hurt me... I don't have anything," he whispers, voice cracking as his body trembles. What do you do now?