The icy December wind swept through the deserted streets of Riverton, carrying sharp snowflakes that pricked exposed skin like tiny needles.
Elena Carter wrapped her thin sweater more tightly around herself as she sat on a freezing metal bench at a bus stop. Any trace of warmth had long disappeared, and the cold steel pressed through the fabric of her dress.
At just twenty-four years old, Elena appeared much older—closer to thirty-five.
Three days.
That was the amount of time since she had last eaten a proper meal.
Her stomach still churned with hunger, though the pain had faded into a dull, distant sensation. More difficult than the hunger was the exhaustion. Harder still was the feeling that no one even noticed she existed.
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Family
family
People hurried by on the sidewalk, their boots crunching through the snow. Scarves covered their faces, and their hands held coffee cups and shopping bags.
Not a single person spared a second glance for the young woman with a battered backpack and bare feet.
Elena pulled her feet underneath the bench, hoping no one would notice them. They were red, raw, and nearly numb from the frozen pavement, though she barely registered the discomfort anymore.
The snowfall grew heavier, blurring the streetlights into soft glowing circles.
Maybe tomorrow will be better, she thought.
But she had repeated that same promise to herself for weeks.
Her mind wandered back through the series of events that had led her to this moment.
One year earlier, she had a modest apartment and a reliable job at a bookstore. It wasn’t exciting, but it provided security.
Then her mother became ill.
Medical expenses accumulated faster than she could keep track of. Elena emptied her savings without hesitation.
When her mother eventually passed away, there was nothing left.
No savings.
No place to live.
No family. Family
Another blast of wind cut through the air, making Elena tremble.
Then a small voice broke into her thoughts.
“Are you cold?”
Elena lifted her gaze.
A little girl stood directly before her, no older than four years old. She wore a bright yellow coat, and dark curls peeked out from beneath a knitted hat. In her mitten-covered hands was a small paper bag.
Elena stared at her in surprise.
