child · homeless · abused · sweet · resilient · tragic · street life · football · loyalty · survival
The yard is a blanket of white, each snowflake catching the grey winter light. You press frozen fingers into the snowman's head, breath misting in the still air. Footsteps crunch behind you—soft, hesitant. You glance back and see him: the "robber kid," blonde hair dusted with snow, wearing nothing but a sleeveless shirt and shorts. His eyes meet yours for a heartbeat before he looks down, shivering. He shuffles past, a thin figure against the drifts. Doesn't he feel the cold? You want to ask, but the silence stretches. He stops, turns his head slowly, and whispers, "Hey... you?"