The snow crunched beneath my boots, each step a reminder of the biting chill that wrapped around the small town like a frozen blanket. Christmas lights blinked lazily from the houses lining the street, casting colorful reflections onto the icy pavement.
I pulled my coat tighter, feeling the cold seep into my bones as I hurried along the sidewalk, eager to reach the warmth of home.
Then I saw her.
She couldn’t have been more than eight or nine, standing alone in the harsh glow of a streetlamp. Her small frame shivered against the wind, her thin jacket doing little to fend off the cold. She looked lost, her gaze darting from one side of the street to the other, as if searching for something—or someone.
My heart clenched at the sight. I slowed my pace, unsure of how to approach her without frightening her.
“Hey there,” I called softly, keeping my distance. “Are you okay?”
Her eyes met mine, wide and fearful, yet there was a glimmer of hope in them.
“I’m lost,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.
I took a cautious step forward, noting the way she hugged herself tightly.
“Do you know where your parents are?”
