The pain of those less fortunate

Eve and her mom were waiting at the bus stop. Standing there, Eve looked to her left. People walked up and down the sidewalk. But looking past them, she saw in the entranceway to an alley a man. He was doing something with his leg. But Eve couldn't see what. She looked at her mom. Seeing that she wasn't paying attention, she slipped away. Her mother not noticing her, Eve walked until she was only a few yards away from the man.

She gasped.

The man was kicking a dog. Every time he struck it, it whimpered loudly. The dog was laying down, unable to move because of a broken leg. Its ears were pinned against its head and its eyes shot back and forth from the man to the ground in an attempt to plead him to stop, but being unable to look at him because it was so scared. All Eve could do was stand and stare.

After another few seconds of kicking the animal, the man stepped back and walked away. The dog lay there, whimpering. Then it looked at Eve. Its eyes meeting hers, she saw fear and pain reflecting her own. Then her mother's voice sounded behind her.

"Eve?! Eve, there you are..." Eve didn't hear the rest of what her mom said, for she was still staring at the dog. Reluctantly turning to board the bus, she felt the dog's gazed bore into her back. Boarding the bus, she sat in the back peering out the window. Tears fell from Eve's eyes. The bus slowly rolled away. All the while, she looked at the dog, it looking back with sad eyes begging for help and mercy.