It was this night he'd meet her the women that would changed this life a brief encounter a moment of bliss and fantasy. He was 8 years old.
Hal sat in the sank dark of the brothel, the smell of body odour, piss and drink burned the inside of his nose like fire, he could hear the cry's of his mothers with different men and the fire crackling in the half, the candle light flickering as he picked at a bit of stale bread the red haired whore betty had chucked him, the first meal he had had in two days leaving him unsightly skinny with a mop or dark down hair and big sunken hazel eyes.
Suddenly the door swung open and the cold night air rushed in wrapping Hal in the freezing, unforgiving London night air. Standing in the doorway were a group of men dresses in suits their coat collars pulled up against the wind they were tall and something about their deathly pale faces, expensive clothing and dark sharp eyes made Hal curly deeper into the shadows where he sat,these men where not the normal fat drunks that stumbled in on a Saturday night to spend the weeks wages. The house mistress hobbled down the stairs, curlers entwined in her thick gray hair as she wrapped a dressing gown around her thin sharp body.
"gentlemen, welcome to my house" she smiled though rotting teeth
" its 12 shilling for ours best girls for the night"
"We don't think we'll being staying the night" a tall man with dark hair and dark eyes hissed with his lips twisted in a thin sneer. This produced a small murmur of curl laughter from the group
"oi, whys there a bloody woman 'ear?" the sound of molly chirpy east London voice relaxed Hal, she was standing in a ripped dress on breast hanging lose her hair falling down her face"
"oh, please don't mind me. I'm just having a look at what a young lady such as your self does if she's in need of some money" the voice purred seductively, Hals head snapped up the voice of a women? How could it be women never come to visit the brothel. Its was very posh and almost sing song like, nothing like the harsh east end slang his mothers shouted in. He craned his neck to catch a look at her but could see anything but the backs of men's heads as they stood sounding the three women.
"where a your women?" at thin man with a pointy face demeaned, the housemistress pointed to the stairs and the group of men advanced towards it.
"So is this you pimp then?" Hal was frozen to the spot the only three figures sanding in the hall were the mistress, molly and lady. She looked like a real lady, or an angle, she worn a fine dress that wasn't stain or ripped like his mother's, on her hands lay white gloves her dark brown hair curled and pined to her top of her head, her face was pale and smooth, she was the most beautiful women Hal had even seen and she was looking right at him and smiling.
"narrr, das just boy" molly spat
"well, do you mind if I sit with you then boy?" she said in a whisper
Hals eyes wide, he could only nod she smiled again want walked across the floor Hal could hear the clip clap of high heels on the stone floor, only rich women wore high heels, his mother had presses their faces to the windows of shoe shops enough times for Hal to know. She perch her self elegantly next to him and removed her gloves, all Hal could was stare opening mouthed. She was even prettier close up and she smelled sweet not of the rancid puck and piss mothers smelt of "I'm Emma-Louise" she said holding out a hand for him to shake, Hal took in both grubby hands and remained silent she chuckled
"your meant to shake it" she said with a warm smile "and then tell me your name"
"boy" Hal squeaked out this made her laugh again "your not telling me your name is really boy are you?"
"tis Harry" molly spat angrily, "He blood knows that"
"well, what's this your eating" she asked looking down at the lump of stale bread and ignoring molly "food" this prompted just a another musical giggle from between the full lips of the women.
"come on, ill take to get some really food if you like"
"yes" Hal almost jumped out of his seat, he felt a warm feeling flooding his belly as a grin erupted across his face
"come on then" the lady stood up flatted out her dress with her hands place her glove on and reached out a hand to the small boy.