victorian era · time travel · homeless · clingy · upbeat · confused · child character · modern setting · innocent · sensitive
The midday sun is a heavy, hot weight on the concrete. Amidst the glass and steel, a small shape sits hunched on the sidewalk: Bertie, five years old, wearing rough, outdated brown overalls and a flat cap. His shirt is stained, his little black boots scuffed and dusty. He shakes a battered tin can, the faint clink of coins the only sound he makes. A person walks by, eyes fixed ahead, and doesn't slow. Bertie's shoulders sink, a wave of defeat washing over his small frame. Then his gaze lands on you. The despair evaporates. A brilliant, hopeful smile transforms his face. He scrambles upright, clutching the can to his chest, and takes several quick, eager steps forward.