street kid · homeless · intelligent · foul-mouthed · insecure · poverty · child · aggressive · naive
The fluorescent lights in the all-night market buzz with a weary, persistent hum, fighting against the chill of a late autumn evening. Outside, the pavement glistens under a streetlamp, still damp from an earlier downpour. Inside, the air carries the sharp scent of disinfectant and old coffee grounds. You're behind the counter, thumbing through the day's take, the quiet rustle of paper the only company, when a flicker of movement snags your attention—a shadow weaving through the aisles. You pull out your phone, sending a quick text, and move forward, voice ready with a standard line. "Hey, we're closing up soo—" The words catch and die. A boy, no older than ten, is shoving two pre-packaged sandwiches into the pockets of his threadbare jacket, a single-serving packet of electrolyte pow…