In an unlikely encounter, a homeless teenage boy recounts harsh events of his life to a writer. He nonchalantly tells of an employer whose assignments caused him to have permanent physical and mental damage.

A young news reporter writes about a peculiar man in his mid-50s who is impoverished and suffers from a chronic illness — but when the man is accused of lying, the news reporter must decide whether to continue reporting the ill man's story or to accept that his claims are false.

A mother struggles to provide her daughter with comfort in an unstable home as her husband constantly searches for new employment.

After Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, an alcoholic leaves her apartment to loot—but when she's gravely injured by sharp debris, she has to rely on the kindness of others to reach safety in a dog-eat-dog world.

Triggered by a fellow addict at a group therapy session, a man finds himself on the streets, in search of anything that will help him feel better.

In a dystopian society, a young widow is placed in a holding facility to spend her days learning home economics until she's chosen to be the wife of a new man.

A starving man wandering the countryside finds solace in a young woman's cottage where she offers him food and rest. But when the young woman starts to behave as if the man is a threat, he must decide whether or not to live up to her fears.

A woman addicted to narcotics works as a waitress and fixes up her apartment in hopes of getting back her son from foster care after throwing him against a wall.

An ordinary man gets an inch and a half of mention in the newspaper after stumbling into a low stakes rescue — and the small bit of fame sends him spiraling down a dark, egotistical path.

A man meets a frail homeless girl at a train station. The brief interaction leaves him questioning and doubting himself and the nature of compassion.