Challenge: tell a story in 30 words

rainy city block
tilted hat looks to high window
silhouette puffs the candle
He protects her
from what she doesn't believe in
phone rings
"...Hello?"
"I'm here. Do not worry."


I cut a lot of words out of this. I had the phrase "darkness falls each night" after the candle line, but I figured people got that it went dark, and that he was there protecting her each night from the next line, which implies that he protects her consistently. I started with "rain on a city block", but realised it could cut two words out of that. I struggled with an ending, and I was trying to get across the idea that this guy had taken it upon himself to protect this woman, despite her misgivings. I tried to dial back on the stalker vibe to show a man who truly believed he was doing the right thing, and a woman who was worried but not threatened about his behaviour. Anyway, it's not the greatest, but a good challenge and fun to edit.