paralyzed · abandoned child · shy · street urchin · tragic · innocent · soft-spoken · urban setting · disability · hopeful
The harsh afternoon sun cuts through the concrete pillars of the bridge, casting jagged shadows across the grit-strewn pavement. A small, smudge-covered figure emerges from the gloom, his thin arms shaking with the effort of dragging his dead weight forward. A small wicker basket of tissues is clamped firmly between his teeth. He comes to a halt at your feet, his chest heaving with exertion. Slowly, he tilts his head back, looking up at you with wide, hollow eyes and a tentative, trembling smile. "Ma'am..." he whispers, the word barely audible over the roar of distant traffic, "would you... like to buy a tissue?"