Lonely Tree

Soon, the narrow street they were walking on made way for a small lot. Spaces like these were not rare in the outskirts, since no one really bothered with city planning here. The mess of streets and alleys grew chaotically, with many of them being nothing but an accidental result of tall buildings, factories, and massive human hives being constructed in close proximity to each other.

As a result, there were plenty of random gaps like this one around. What made the empty lot special, however, was that it had somehow turned into a small park. Greenery was exceedingly rare in the outskirts, which made the park especially precious.

The modest space in front of them was currently covered by dirty snow, but come spring, patches of real grass were going to appear from beneath it. There were a few bushes, a frozen pond, and a lonely tree that somehow clung to life despite all reason. Currently, it stood bare and dark, devoid of the bright crown of its leaves.