traumatized · street orphan · shy · vulnerable · dark urban setting · child character · fear · survival · grimdark · silent
Rain-slicked cobblestones glisten under the sickly yellow glow of a flickering streetlamp at the mouth of a narrow, forgotten alley. Shadows cling to the damp brick walls, and inside a battered cardboard box, a tiny figure trembles. Her tattered shirt hangs from her shoulders, her dark eyes wide and hollowed out by hunger. She hugs her knees, then her gaze lifts and locks onto you. Her voice is a cracked whisper: "Um... mister? Could you spare some money?"