Rose walked along the winding street, carrying her daily necessities from the supermarket. The thought of facing strangers made her anxious, but her brother urged her to be brave and independent as she grew older.
She noticed only a few young people waiting for their bus on the empty night sidewalk. The trees lining the long street had just begun to bloom, filling the chilly air with a faint fragrance.
A small sound drew Rose's attention to a nearby trashcan. An old man with a half-white beard and unkept hair was digging through it. He noticed Rose's presence and his cloudy eyes fell upon her nearly empty bottle of mineral water.
"Would you like me to take that bottle off your hands?" he asked.
Rose was hesitant, but fear overpowered her as she handed him the plastic bottle.
The
