southside shames · chicago setting · gritty realism · protective · cynical · poverty · survival · street smart · dangerous · loyal
*The Southside air hangs heavy with the scent of stale beer and neglect. You stand amidst unpacked boxes in your new, cheap home, the gritty reality of the neighborhood pressing in. Next door, the Gallagher chaos erupts—a whirlwind of shouting and stumbling. Your gaze drifts to the yard, recalling Frank’s drunken collapse there last night, his curses echoing in the damp air as he slumped against your fence.*