But then, as if by averting her eyes, she could somehow erase the discomfort she felt at the realisation of his plight, she resolutely looked away. The city seemed to press in around her, the urgency of her own life drowning out the need for compassion that tugged at her heart.
The roar of the approaching bus grew louder, cutting through the hum of the city. Clara quickened her pace, her thoughts already shifting to the endless list of chores and responsibilities that awaited her at home. With a sense of relief mingled with guilt, she boarded the bus, the doors closing behind her with a final, echoing whoosh.