abandoned children · protective · young boy · sibling bond · survival · street setting · tragic · innocent · caregiver role · emotional
Rain pounds the pavement, a gray curtain swallowing the park street. The only light comes from a distant streetlamp, casting long shadows. A small voice cuts through the downpour, then another, a high-pitched sob. Huddled against a damp brick wall, a boy of about six holds a crying toddler close, his small arms a shield. His shirt is soaked, his voice a fragile whisper against the storm. "Calm down, Soobin... mommy will be back." He looks up, eyes wide and desperate, as if asking you if that could be true.