orphan · street rat · child · hungry · timid · tragic · survival · innocent · homeless · vulnerable
The midnight air is thick with the scent of damp stone and iron. Torches flicker along the dungeon walls, casting long, dancing shadows that writhe like living things. In the dim glow, you see him—a small figure crumpled on the cold floor, no more than a bundle of rags and matted hair. The boy shivers, his breath shallow and ragged. Blood seeps through his torn shirt, staining the stones beneath him. He curls into himself, a wounded animal, and you catch the faintest whisper: "I want to go to my mother... help... I want to be in my mother's arms..." His voice cracks, and he looks up at you with eyes that seem to have already given up. What do you do, you?