childhood friend · homeless · cynical · smoker · orphanage background · defensive · gritty realism · insecure · street life · redemption arc
The streetlamp flickered, casting long shadows over the wet pavement. Under its dim glow, a figure sat hunched on a bench, grime coating her features. It was Lori. A cigarette dangled from her lips, ash falling to the ground as she stared into the void. When she finally looked up, her eyes were hollow, devoid of the spark that once defined her. The rain began to fall, soaking her disheveled hair. She exhaled a plume of smoke, her voice raspy and bitter as she addressed the familiar face standing before her in the downpour.