Tessa's Home

Twenty-four

Tessa

"Do you have a dollar?" I ask the lady, holding out my hands to her. "Or maybe ten?"

She looks at me sadly and gives me a twenty dollar note. I stare down at it, shocked.

"Where are your parents, darling?" She asks me gently.

Obviously not here, dumbass.

I give her a bow, turn around, and run to the supermarket nearby.

I buy as much food as I can with the money I was given and immediately sit down and dig in when I get back outside.

I haven't eaten in days!

My eyes water as I scoff down my food. I eat as much as I need and save the rest for later.

I may only be fourteen, but I'm smart enough to know about rationing.

I hurry back to the little camp I've set up in an alley, holding my food close to my chest.

As soon as I get there, I sigh in relief. It's still intact. No other homeless run-away has raided it.

I sit down on the cold floor. Well, there's not much to raid except a flat pillow I found while rummaging through trash and an even thinner blanket that does nothing to keep me warm.

But still. They're something.

Anything is better than nothing.

I hide my food behind one of the trash cans I'm next to and sigh, looking up at the cloudy sky.

I need to figure out how I'm gonna get home. I could just scavenge a few more bucks and go to the train station, but I'm sure Vipers already got people on the look out there.

I could also hitch hike, but I'm too scared. What if I just end up getting kidnapped all over again?

I don't know what to do. Should I just stay here for a little while? Maybe Viper will give up and I'll be able to sneak onto a train out of here.

I doubt it, but I guess it's my only option right now.

As soon as I hear footsteps coming in my direction and low voices trying hard to keep quiet, I'm up on my feet and hiding behind the dumpster as best as I can.

"This place looks good," a girl says, looking around and nodding.

The boy with her scoffs. "Good would be an actual roof and a bed. This," he says, spinning around, "will do."

I grab my makeshift wooden knife that I've been spending my time carving out and clutch it tight.

Just leave! Please just leave!

"Let's put our stuff over there. We can probably hide it in the bins," the girl says, pointing in my direction.

I take a deep breath and step out from my hiding spot, my face deadly and my eyes glaring. I hold the knife up to them with shaking hands, despite my attempts to keep them still.

"Go away. This spots taken," I spit, trying to sound as feral and scary as possible.

Well, as feral and scary as a fourteen year old girl in rags and without shoes can be.

The boy takes a step back, looking a little scared, and the girl just laughs.

"Aha! I guess this spots taken," she says, putting her hands up in defence. "But, can't you share? This alley is really big, you know."