The night was awfully cold.
The heavy rain from the previous day had intensified the bone-freezing chill, causing the kids and the elderly to hide in their warm, cozy homes.
Austin was hiding on the small balcony that was big enough for him to sleep without curling his knees. But his knees still bumped into the wall.
He watched as his mother wore a new dress. This time, it was a small skirt and a black leather top.
She draped a long fur coat over it, which looked incredibly warm.
After putting on red lipstick, she left with a man whose face Austin couldn't even remember.
Before leaving, she had reached out and flipped the main circuit breaker, turning off the electricity to save on the monthly bill as she always had.
The room instantly plunged into a thick, pitch-black darkness.
The sudden absence of light felt like a physical weight pressing down on his chest. Terrified, Austin scrambled forward, leaping under the only bed in the house.
