(First writing attempt - feedback welcome)

On a dark, wintery eve, in the little town of Bethlehem, a girl shivered and ducked into a darkened alcove, seeking respite from the biting wind. She pulled her sweater tighter, taking care to not unravel it further. When the howling quieted to a whisper, the girl moved on, frozen bones shuffling slowly along the sidewalk. She passed each window, wishing that the golden pools of light painted on the snow felt as warm as they looked.

She paused outside one particularly stately window, hesitating in the shadows as she watched a young family sit near the fire, telling an animated story. A toddler with a sweet ribbon in her hair bounced on her father’s knee, and the mother swayed gently with a baby bundled against her bosom. A kindly older woman entered the room, offering a steaming mug to her son and daughter, then kissed her granddaughter on the forehead.

The girl scrubbed at her eyes before tears could form, ignoring the hollow ache in her chest. Such material comforts never deigned to warm her life. She turned away roughly, trudging in the direction of the emergency shelter, wondering if hot cocoa tasted bittersweet.