The Passerby

Hatred Rising

All the girl could remember were the sirens blaring throughout the house. The image of her parents rushing out the door, patting her on the head, telling her to be good, was burned into her memory. Her parents had left in to fight a Grimm invasion in Southern Vale, and had never returned. The girl had almost starved, having waited two days after the food in the house had run out for her parents' safe return.

Now, she sat alone in a dark alleyway. Hunger, cold, and loneliness were all she could feel. She prayed every night for an angel to save her, bring back her parents, or just give her a friend.

"Get outta here orphan scum!" A man yelled, throwing an empty tin can at the girl, which bounced off of her dirty orange hair.

The girl scurried away, nearly knocking over several people as she swerved through the crowd, looking for another alleyway, no umbrella to shield her from the pouring rain. She rounded a corner, running right into a large boy, about two years older than her.

"Watch it, filth!" The boy yelled, raising a fist. The girl crawled away, knowing far too well she could not beat this boy in a fight. Running across the street, she made her way to another alley, where she stayed the night.