Short Stories about Street Children

"Black Angels, Street Children Realities" is a compelling work of 11 short stories, written by Monica D. Ray. The stories give an in-depth and nuance depiction of the silent minority of millions of homeless and neglected children, who live on the fringes of society. We see their realities through their eyes and get a first-hand look at their culture, their environ, their problems, their feelings and emotions, as well as their hopes and dreams.

Eruption
"Eruption" looks at the immediate causes of migration of families to the city and which factors like poverty, unemployment, lack of education, alcoholism, drugs, gambling, neglect and abuse cause children to seek refuge in the streets

A Good Boy
"A Good Boy" is a powerful depiction of the crime of pedophilia. It is a story about how a young boy is entrapped in the hands of a pedophile because of family obligation to be a provider. The story also looks at the causes of family migration to the city and the extreme lengths a family is forced to take in order to survive a day in the city

Hunger
The "Hunger" looks at society's indifference to the needs of abused and neglected children

Barkada
Barkada is a Filipino term for a gang or a group of people who share community. In the cases of street children, the barkada often plays the role of a surrogate family that provides support, love and care. In the story, a barkada member in jail, dreams his life with his barkada and questions the role of fathers and the police

Shabs
Shabs is a stark description of a street youth who is hooked on drugs. He elaborates on the various kinds of drugs that street kids use; the effects they have on the body and what measures he would take to relive a high

Cracked Mirror
"Cracked Mirror tells about a young girl who believes that a change of her physical appearance will change her luck in life. It is also a story of society's set definition of beauty and the kind of hierarchy, discrimination and racism that it creates in society

Black Angels
"Black Angels" takes a closer look at the hazards of living in the streets and how in a society with very little social and health security curable diseases and bad luck become detrimental

Daughter
"Daughter" looks at incestuous sexual abuse as a result of a parent working overseas. In Daughter, the oldest girl child takes over the role of mother in her home. She is left with the responsibility of caring for her father and younger siblings. The role becomes misconstrued when the father starts to have an incestuous relationship with the daughter

Cemetery
Cemetery looks at sexuality and identity in teenage street children. It also looks at the possible causes of gender identity formation, male machismo, and ostracism of homosexuals by family and society

Red Leaves Falling
Young girls are trafficked everyday as a result of poverty. Men go into remote towns and villages promising good jobs to poor families, who unsuspectingly, sell their daughters into prostitution

Typhoon
"Typhoon" depicts an extreme situation of a young street girl who has been shamed by her father. Kicked out on the streets, she gets pregnant. Alone in a run down shack without food, water and electricity, in the middle of a typhoon, she gives birth. Afraid and burdened with guilt and shame, the girl is driven to madness and kills her own child

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