The snow is falling heavier and thicker than I have ever seen before. The park benches are round 5 inches thick with snow and growing rapidly. The snowflakes are the size of tennis balls and the road is quickly turning into ice from cars. Its 7pm and its pitch black outside; the only source of light is from street lights and shop windows. I can't sleep out here again tonight; I'll freeze to death. I walk slowly towards the train station and pull my rucksack straps higher up my shoulders to keep it from being stolen. I'm running out of hiding places here in Exeter, I don't want my dad or the police to find me so I can't stay. There's one place left that I can think of hiding in England where I'll never be found and won't be recognised. London.
I'm falling. Mum is sitting next to me unconscious with blood spilling out of a cut on her head. I can't stop screaming. The car is plummeting towards the icy water in the river below us. I close my eyes, hold my breath and count in my head. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7… the water hits me like a thousand bricks. It stings and it's so cold it takes me a moment to be able to think straight. I have to get myself out. But I can't leave mum, she's unconscious in a sinking car. I undo both of our seat belts and I have to kick the door so it will open. I'm trying to drag mum behind me but she won't budge. I'm struggling for breath. Am I going to drown? Will me and mum be left here for weeks without anyone knowing that we've gone missing? Will anyone care about us being dead? I can feel hands shaking me and pulling me. I'm screaming, trying to get them off of me so I can save mum from her underwater grave.
"Hey, hey. It's okay, it's okay. You're safe now." There's a soft voice whispering into my ear and warm arms around my shoulders. Then I'm awake. "You gave me quite a scare you know, one minute you're sitting there talking in your sleep and the next thing I know you're rolling on the floor screaming your lungs out." I turn my head and see a tall man in a long coat and leather gloves. His cheekbones stand out beautifully and he has curly black hair and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in my life, quite like my mums. Someone else is rubbing their hand on my back gently and I realise there's another man next to me. He has a loving smile, blonde-brown hair and caring eyes. He is a bit shorter than the taller man maybe by a few inches. I know I should say something but I just sit there sobbing into the taller man's coat. He sighs a little and strokes my hair gently, just like my mum used to. My eyes start to focus a bit more and I realise I'm sitting on the tube. I must be in London. "I'm so sorry. Are-are we in London now?" I manage to struggle a few words but I can tell they can understand me. "We sure are. You're a bit young to be traveling alone aren't you? Where are you going?" the shorter man is talking to me and his face looks very serious but soft, he must be a father. "I'm 18 actually and I just needed to get away okay? Now if you don't mind I'm going to leave now." I stand up, pull my bag back onto my shoulders and walk slowly towards the tube door as it slows down for the next stop.
I'm walking down a darkened street when I feel a hand touch my shoulder gently. I automatically spin around fast to see who it is but I forgot it's icy so I lose my balance and slip forwards into the man who touched my shoulder. The taller man sighs slightly annoyed and gives me a glare. It's the men from the tube again. "What?" I snap at the shorter one. "Do you have anywhere to stay?" he asked, ignoring my stubborn attitude. "No. No I don't." I reply, not taking my eyes off the taller man who is now rolling his eyes and staring into the distance. "Come with us, you can stay at our place until you can find out where you're going." I tried to say that I was okay on my own but he insisted and wouldn't take no for an answer. He called down a cab and the taller one muttered an address to the driver. The journey was quiet; none of us said a word. As the shorter man paid and thanked the driver, I stared at the door in front of me. It was up a few steps and was tall and black. It had 3 brass numbers followed by a brass letter; 221b, below it there was a brass knocker which was tilted to the side a little. I small smile formed on my face and I followed the two men in, shutting the door carefully behind me. I thought about the months of sleeping on streets and now I'm here. I felt safe and warm. I could call this home.