despair

Anna hesitated, unsure whether to stay or leave. She had already offered her help, but the woman had clearly shut her out. Yet something in Anna's gut told her not to leave just yet. There was something more here, something deeper than just the tears. This was the kind of cry that came from a place of real anguish, the kind that people rarely shared with the world.

Suddenly, the woman's voice broke through the silence again, this time louder and more desperate. "I told you I'm fine! Leave me alone!"

Her voice cracked with raw emotion, and Anna could feel the intensity of her distress like a tangible force in the air. But instead of backing away, Anna stood her ground. She didn't want to make things worse by pushing the woman to talk, but she also knew that leaving her here, alone in the shadows, wasn't an option.

With a soft voice, barely above a whisper, Anna responded, her tone soothing. "How can I leave you alone in such a dark place?"