Underneath the vast expanse of the night sky, a young child sat huddled in the shadows of an alleyway.
His frail body trembled, his thin hands clutching his chest as he struggled to contain the violent shivers that wracked his frame.
The cold winter air bit mercilessly at his exposed skin, each gust of wind a cruel reminder of his vulnerability.
Disheveled and filthy, he was a pitiful sight, his small figure nearly swallowed by the darkness.
The tattered winter jacket he wore offered little to no protection, its fabric riddled with holes that let the icy wind pass through unchallenged.
His breath came in shallow, uneven gasps, visible in the frigid air as white puffs that quickly dissipated.
He sneezed weakly, the sound barely audible, and curled in on himself in a desperate attempt to preserve what little warmth he had left.
