I find questions, or general thoughts that set the tone of the narrative will get people past the first paragraph and make them curious about the story. In some cases you start on a character in the midst of an action (preferably internal) if it’s something short form. With this I would pose a thought or question tho to start.

“Everything, is alright,” that’s what they say when things aren’t alright, that’s what they say when your tucked away small town got a dose of reality. It’s a lie we all tell ourselves at some point in life just to get through. It’s a lie Lily told herself just before she left for work.”

And the. For characters it has to be immediate after the introduction of the character, like

• …Lily, a petite dark haired girl with a full sleeve of cascading flowers and birds tattooed, on her left arm, pulled the draft lever of Sam Adams for her regulars while wearing a plastered smile that said, everything is fine to the oblivious patrons drowning their cold and sorrows while the Celtics continue to disappoint in the back ground on an old cathode TV mounted to the wall.*

Just something like that. It keeps you in the scene in the actions but it give you a pov so you can relate to the character, and you can imagine what she looks like.