Snow Space

Snow White

"Snow White was now all alone in the great forest, and she did not know what to do. The trees seemed to whisper to each other, scaring Snow White who began to run. She ran over sharp stones and through thorns. She ran as far as her feet could carry her, and just as evening was about to fall she saw a little house and went inside in order to rest."

Khamil sat on the small bed, the children's book open in his hands as he read - the young girl was under the pink duvet, listening intently. The dodgy exhaust of a car outside caused Khamil to glance up, looking out of the small window onto the street below where a red Nissan had rolled up outside the council estate. He frowned slightly, leaning backwards to get a better view. 

"Khamil," murmured the sleepy girl, gently kicking her foot under the duvet to make her brother keep reading. Khamil turned back to the book, turning the page to keep reading. 

"Inside the house everything was small but tidy. There was a little table with a tidy, white tablecloth and seven little plates. Against the wall there were seven little beds, all in a row and covered with quilts."

-

The red car was still outside when Khamil had finished reading to Agnes, and come downstairs to see what it was there for. When he came to the door, it was already ajar, and he slowly stepped outside, to see a man leaning on the car, his arm resting above the window as he spoke to the driver. It was Rob, his mum's latest boyfriend - Khamil could tell by his grey trackies and slicked brown hair, and of course, the beer bottle in his hand. He watched from the door, his eyes on  the exchange, immediately realising what it was. The guy in the car was now passing a brown paper wrapped package through the window to Rob, who brought a wad of money from his pocket, thumbing through it swiftly - counting it. It must have been the guy in the Nissan who caught sight of Khamil, prompting Rob to turn around, seeing the boy stood outside the door.

"What are you looking at?"

Khamil simply glanced back at the car, his eyebrows raising at the dodgy dealings occurring. 

"What's this then?"

"Get inside."

Khamil took one last look at the two men, before shaking his head with a wry smile and walking back inside, making sure to shut the door loudly when he was in, showcasing his frustration. How was Agnes supposed to grow up shielded from stuff like that with dealers coming up the drive? It was bad enough just living in this area. He turned back, giving the door one last kick with his scuffed trainer, before backtracking away, back up the stairs.