There was never any heat or food. How she was alive was a mystery to the young girl. The derelict land was becoming harsher and harsher by the day.
Frozen puddles lay scattered across the ground. I got up and looked around trying to work out my plan for the rest of the day and more importantly how to survive this. Yes when my parents and sister had been alive it had been a bit easier, however I couldn't afford to dwell on the past. Walking down the street of what had been once a thriving industrial town was now ghostly after the companies had moved to places like China. I was looking for something, anything to eat. I had to keep moving I couldn't stay in the same place for more than a night in risk of getting arrested by the authorities. They didn't care what happened to you, only that you didn't clog up the streets by sleeping in doorways of buildings of various types. An army truck drove past. Oh why did they have to be in charge now? The men inside were carrying heavily armed weapons and were frightfully tall. I decided to take the next ally, to get away from their glares. It was narrow between two grotty looking concrete tower blocks. There was broken glass on the floor from various windows and bottles, wooden crates and cardboard boxes. It was a dead end. I turned one of the crates upside down so I could sit on it and wait out the morning patrols. Why aren't I in school you're asking? Well I'm a girl and I'm in Russia so that's your answer. I'm nine years old and I've been living like this for about two years. How I've lasted that long I've no idea. But I have and I'm quite proud of that fact. Most people who end up on the streets here die within months sadly. There's no help if you end up where I am, no one cares or even notices that you exist. There are a lot of children like me here. Most of them stay up by the bridge over the river. I don't dare go there, too likely to get caught. Looking up at the sky I can see the sun faintly through the dense gray clouds that linger up there all day. I guess at the time being about 9:00am the first morning patrols will be over now. Getting up I leave the ally and rejoin the road. I walk for about half an hour in no particular direction I know every street, every building, every ounce of space in this town. I end up in the middle area of the town, this still has some life. People are walking about here without fear, wearing suits and posh dresses. The homeless don't dare come here, well except me of course. Why do I come? Usually in the hope of food. I tend to walk over to one of the few remaining food shops and stare longingly into the window. Then sometimes, just sometimes a kind old soul comes over to me and gives me a few pennies, just enough to buy some bread. It's worth while. Only once or twice have a been sent away by police, never the army though, their not allowed here. Today I will do exactly the same. I see one of the food shops that is open and head in that direction. The building it's in is run down but the shop front is a magnificent dark green. The name of the shop is in gold colour lettering, it reads 'Food Shop.' How original. I take up my position outside the window eyeing up all of the glorious yet seemingly everyday foods to most. Several people walk by before a man in his 20s at a guess comes and stands next to me.
"You've got quite a technique worked out here haven't you?" He asks. His voice has a heavy Russian accent from further north than here. I don't respond, curious.
"Well then, what would you like today? Hmm. My treat." The man says edging towards the shop entrance. I follow him inside the shop not sure why, but I do. The rich smells of fresh breads and sweet pastries hits me like a solid wall. The man is standing near the counter.
"Chose what ever you want." I wasn't sure what to think of him, but nevertheless he was offering me food so I wasn't going to decline. I chose a loaf of bread thinking that will last for a while.
"Anything else?" He asks.
"No thank you" I say remembering my manners. Who was this man? He was kinder than any of the others. He was different.
"If you're certain." He pays the man behind the counter and we exit the shop. It had started to rain melting the ice and snow. The man got out an umbrella.
"Do you have anywhere to sleep?" He asked. I paused thinking about the answer I should give him.
"No, I don't" I answer truthfully.