Ghosts of the Living Chapter One
Helle ordered two coffees—one with milk only, the other creamy and extra sweet. She took off her gloves to pay, but slipped them back on before heading out into the strange blue darkness of a winter’s morning.
Once she had stepped out of the coffee shop, she strained her eyes to distinguish among the various shapes on the other side of the street. Every time Helle set her eyes on the girl who panhandled outside the subway entrance, she smiled. Perhaps she ought not feel so warm-hearted toward a stranger. Perhaps she ought to feel sorry for the girl, or even suspicious. But she did not. When she saw the young person, her maternal instinct ignited.
Helle desired only to care for the girl. Care for her in any way possible.
The girl’s age was difficu
