Frozen

3.2

A more recent tragic experience I have had being on the streets happened only about two years ago. I was sitting in the entrance of an alley way, trying not to fall asleep incase the cold took my life, when a girl came up to me. She was only seventeen years old, or so she told me. She had a Greggs bag in her hand and a school bag slung over her shoulder with a coat that proudly showed off her school emblem. It was mid-day. I could tell because the sun was at it's highest. She sat right beside me. I wriggled uncomfortably as I knew I must have smelt terribly as well as being homeless. I wondered if she was daft, or if she had come to taunt me. She said nothing for a few moments. She was strange. Very long white blonde hair that had a slight wave and curl to it and bright blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. She was the first to speak.

"I'm on my lunch break." Her voice was soft but high in pitch. It was a nice sound. It was the first time a person had spoken to me purposefully for years. I didn't know what to say so I didn't, "Can you speak?" She asked. I felt my ears burn slightly. I simply nodded and prayed she would leave but she didn't. We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a while before she spoke again, "I often walk past you in my lunch break, we are allowed out for an hour and a half every lunch time and as it's so cold I usually come out and get a hot lunch to eat back at school because I don't like anything they serve." She paused thoughtfully, "Do you like sausage rolls?" Did I ever? My mouth was watering at the thought of the steaming hot pastry in her hands.

"Yes... I think I do." It was the first time I spoke. It was gravely and came out in a whisper. Nothing like my voice had ever been before. Her face lit up. She handed me her Greggs bag with a sausage roll inside.

"Sorry it's not much but my allowance is only two pounds per lunch time, we're not very well off you see, so I get myself a hot chocolate too but I already drank that, and I'm not very hungry today so take it. Enjoy it." I stared at her dumb founded.

"A-are you... S-sure?" My teeth were chattering. She laughed.

"Of course I am. Have it. I have to go now, I have an early starting fifth class but I'll come and see you tomorrow!" She stood up.

"You don't have to..." I began but my voice failed me and I coughed weakly.

"Save your energy. Eat up. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" And with that she turned on her heel and waved me goodbye. The sausage roll was still sitting in my hands. A whole sausage roll. I decided tomorrow I would share it with her. Her kindness was too much. I hadn't experienced such kindness for so long. It was alien to me. I nibbled the corner of the pastry. It was warm, but cool enough to bite into without burning my tongue. Not that I cared. This morsel gave me great warmth inside and I felt so much better. I ate slowly and carefully, not dropping a single flake of pastry. When I had finished I sat for a few moments before deciding it might be safe enough to sleep for a while. My eyes decided before my brain did and soon they closed, flickered open every so often, then closed again giving me a chance to catch up on the sleep I missed last night. I feared sleeping at night because it was so cold. I didn't want to catch hypothermia or get frost bite. I spent the night walking. I discovered new places that I had never been before. Some how I always made it back, but just incase I decided I wouldn't be wandering too far tonight.