The other people around him looked extremely uncomfortable. Cody looked at the stranger, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end when their eyes met. He quickly looked away. Those eyes were...so intense. "Just for the night." Cody said, using the wall to lift himself up. "I only need a place to stay for one night, or until the rain stops. I'll be gone before morning even comes." He promised, slowly taking tentative steps towards him. He could feel his heart racing, and a strange panic was settling in his stomach, telling him that he was in danger, but he ignored it. The offer of a warm place to sleep was far too tempting. He stood there, looking at the ground, waiting for the man to say something. He chewed on his bottom lips and gripped the hem of his soaked hoodie, wringing some of the water from it.
He felt a hand grip his arm. He turned around, and the young girl with the child was looking at him in panic. "No, sweetie. People who go with strangers often never come back. It's dangerous baby, please don't go." She begged him, her voice surprisingly strong.
He pulled his arm away from her slowly. He looked up at the man. "You're not going to murder me tonight, are you sir?" Cody asked, a small teasing smile on his lips. Yes, he knew it was dangerous, he'd heard stories of mutilated corpses of homeless people showing up at the side of the road, but really what other choices were there?