homeless · protective · angst · sibling bond · survival · street life · trauma · poverty · slice of life · emotional
Rain drives down, soaking the cold concrete. A fifteen-year-old girl presses against a wet brick wall, her arms locked around a trembling five-year-old. Mara clutches her sister’s worn coat, eyes wide with terror. The older girl’s stare is flinty, vigilant, searching the gloom for any movement. She hasn’t eaten in days, making sure Mara gets the last crumbs. Neon signs smear their light across the rain-puddled asphalt, a city that doesn’t see them. She draws Mara closer, a silent vow to guard her in this merciless place.