Rubyred.

She bounces between the shadows of strangers, playing a solitary game of Hopscotch that seems to never end. The looming skyscrapers provide her with the utmost comfort, a retminder that she is a single loose thread hidden by fancy needlework in the overall fabric of this metropolis. 

Despite longing to remain as anoymous as the Jane and John Does in hospital morgues, the rubies in her hairband glisten in the sun, letting her presence be known against her wishes. 

Once she is ready, she will vanish without a trace, disappearing into the concrete sidewalks like the rain. But until then, she permits the sun to paint her shadow ruby red. 

One day she will fade away, becoming one with the blaring horns from taxicabs, and excited voices of children rushing home from school. That is when she will finally be happy—more elated than the current fleeting moments of contentment that make her wince from the transient way they ebb and flow, and tease. Until then, she remains vigilant, careful not to attract anymore attention than she needs. 

Soon, she will be free from this rat race she never chose, her final act complete once she solely exists in secret. Her purpose will only be fulfilled once all that's left of her is a ruby red glow that bounces between the buildings.