•Nexus City, 5th Ward•
Ana
Ana maneuvered through the dark dreary alleys while guiding the kids. The chilling night air hung heavy with the scent of dampness, a musty and earthy aroma that permeated the alleys. It clung to the brick walls like a haunting memory, a reminder of countless rains that had come and gone.
"Do you have anywhere you can go?" Ana asked them when they managed to reach a safe distance.
They all shook their heads. Ana looked at the children, their vulnerable expressions tugging at her heartstrings. Most of them were in rugged torn-up clothes. They must've been living off the streets. She knew she couldn't leave them alone in the dangerous streets, especially in the dead of night.
The cold of the night bore witness to the bleakness that surrounded them, with the flickering neon lights above casting an eerie, sickly glow. The air was thick with pollution and the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol seemed odly prominent.
