Living on the Streets - McLennon AU

15.

8th October, 1956

...5 months earlier...

It was around 7pm on a Monday evening, and Paul was heading from the laundrette to the cafe, in hope of having enough money to get something to eat.

He had spent £7 of his £10 on his laundry, knowing deep down that it's as the right thing to do. It was expensive, but he always tried to make sure he washed his clothes, not wanting to be dirty.

He may have been homeless, but he sure as hell wasn't a tramp.

The usual route for Paul was through the complicated back alleys of the city, where it usually was completely isolated. Nothing but cobbles and rubbish bins lay there.

The boy began to hum to himself, in hopes of getting some sort of amusement out of it.

However his humming didn't last long, as he was interrupted by the harsh movement of metal banging together, causing him to jump.

Paul knew what to do: Back up to the wall, look left to right multiple times and always stay alert. Anybody could be lurking right now.

All went silent again.

Someone is hiding from me.

As he slowly approached where he thought the noise came from, his breath began to fasten. He could be in danger.

If it wasn't for his curiosity, he would have ran. But he couldn't help himself. There were two bins, pulled tightly together, obviously trying to hide someone. He grabbed the green handle, pulling the bin forward.

"Oh my God." He said out loud, not expecting to find what he did.

There was a small boy, around 11 or 12, curled up on the floor. His knees were up to his chest, his head buried in between them. He was shaking, wearing no coat or jacket and looked very pail.

He didn't seem to have noticed Paul staring at him.

"Hello?" Paul knelt down time his level, placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped up in surprise, face going even paler as he pushed himself away. "Are you okay?'

No reply.

"I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Paul, I'm here to help you." All he did was stare at Paul. "Do you have a home?"

He eventually shook his head.

"Me neither. How old are you?"

"...T-Twelve." The cold boy stuttered out.

Paul's heart broke for him.

"I'm Fifteen. What's your name?"

"It's G-George."

"Hi George, are you hungry?" George nodded, seeming more relaxed than before "Okay, I can see you're cold too. Take this"

George stared at the boy in confusion, as he took his coat off, giving it to the younger boy.

"It's not my coat, it's yours."

"You need it more than I do." Paul brought the coat around George's shoulders, smiling when the boy sighed in relief. "Is that warmer?"

"Yes, thank you." He nodded and smiled back at the boy, who now seemed a lot warmer.

"Why are you out here alone?" Paul asked sadly.

"Mummy and Daddy were arguing because Peter ran away. Daddy hit Mummy again and hit me too. Louise grabbed me and we ran, but I lost her yesterday and I c-can't find h-her!" George began to sob into his hands.

Paul brought him in for a hug, the other relaxed into his chest straight away, his sobs soon becoming cries.

"Do you know where abouts you where when you lost her?"

"N-No..." he cried.

"Alright, shhhh." Paul brushed his fingers through George's hair soothingly, hoping he would calm down soon.

"I m-miss h-her..." he said between sobs.

"I know, I know you do."

After a few minutes of sitting in the alleyway, Paul decided it was time to go and get something to eat. Sure, he was hungry, but George must have been way hungrier if he was roaming the streets alone since yesterday.

He would use the little money he had left on the younger boy, and ask him more about this 'Louise'.

"Should we go and get you something to eat?" George nodded into Paul's chest. "Alright then, c'mon."

He pulled George from the cobbles and onto his feet, heading towards the cafe.