Miley began to weep as she thought of what she’d left behind. She wanted to be free again, free to walk out, free to go and see her mother and free from addiction. Her hands shook as she wiped her face. She lay shivering on her bedroom floor, thinking back to how it all began.

Back then, she and her street friends were picking one of their targets. They watched the man as he went to light his cigarette. ‘You got this,’ the one girl said as she pushed Miley forward. ‘Stupid man doesn’t know where he’s going either, he’s walked past us three times already. Go get him, I think he fancies you anyway. Look, he’s staring at you.’ He tried again to light his cigarette, but his lighter had obviously ran out of fuel. The chilly air bit into her lungs as she inhaled.

Miley stepped forward avoiding the frozen puddle, her heart quickening as she stood before him. He gripped his lighter as he stared at her and a smile beamed across his face. She held out a lighter. ‘You want a light?’

‘You’re a lifesaver. It’s my only opportunity to have one in peace, without being nagged.’ She could see him looking at her hair. For a moment, she thought he might touch it, but he withdrew his hand and sucked on his cigarette, sending plumes of smoke into the air. She guessed he might be a businessman given that he was wearing a shirt and a designer jacket. He wouldn’t miss the few quid he had in his pocket. If she could only find a way of slipping the shiny gold watch from his wrist – no, too risky. She wasn’t skilled enough for that kind of trick.

‘I don’t suppose you can spare some change.’

The man stubbed the cigarette out on the floor after barely smoking half of it. ‘Walk with me.’

‘I, err, I don’t know.’ Something felt wrong. She glanced back and saw her two friends giggling behind the barrow, selling umbrellas.

‘I don’t bite. Do you want a cigarette?’

Miley shook her head as she walked alongside the man. It was a public street, heading up from New Street towards Symphony Hall and walking with him didn’t feel dangerous.

They passed a man sitting in a doorway of a long-abandoned shop. Wrapped in a quilt, shaking as he pleaded with his eyes for a bit of change. ‘People should work for their money, there are no free passes in life. These people stuffed up, they made their life choices and they ended up in the gutter. We all have choices. Don’t you agree?’

Miley reluctantly nodded and wondered if he had a low opinion of her. She had however given him a light, which had benefitted him. He turned slightly, his wallet sitting proud of his back pocket. She could grab it now, make a run for it. She held her hand out as he stared at the homeless man, her fingers almost reaching it.

He turned and she flinched. As her heart rate peaked, she knew her face was reddening.

‘I asked you a question. He stuffed up and now he’s in the gutter. Don’t you agree that it’s all his fault?’

She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I guess we all have a different story.’

‘You can write your own story and someone like me can help you. I can be your guardian angel. I can give you the opportunity to turn your life around. A home, gainful employment, safety from the streets. You would regain your self-respect.’

‘What?’ Miley was confused. She’d gone from offering him a light while eyeing up his wallet, to being offered a way out. She wasn’t quite sure what he was getting at.

‘Can you spare some change?’ the homeless man called. His chocolate-coloured eyes threw a glassy stare as he pleaded for a few quid. The young man reached out with a dirty hand, smiling with an open mouth, displaying a dirty set of teeth, plagued with chips and gaps. ‘Anything will help, even ten pence.’

She watched as the man stepped back, not wanting his smart jeans contaminated by the young man’s filth.

She allowed the thought of a new life to run through her head. It seemed he was offering her a job. At the moment, she’d have to decline. She had her friends to think of and if they were all to eat that night, she needed his wallet. He was a tough target. Most were easy, a quick distraction and grab. She glanced back hoping to spot the other two. One of them should have caused a distraction by now. Through the corner of her eye, she spotted them giggling. Behind the man’s back, she stuck her two fingers up at them. They obviously thought it was hilarious. She was determined to win this one, with or without their help. That wallet was her target.

‘Get off me, you scrounging piece of shit,’ he said as he gave the homeless man a little kick with his shiny shoe. ‘Come on, let’s walk.’ She gave the young man a glance back as she followed her target up the street. He was clutching a carrier bag. She tried to peer around, into the bag as she kept up with his fast stride.

He continued walking towards Symphony Hall, passing several Big Issue sellers. ‘You haven’t answered my question. I’m offering you a new life.’

She looked away, awkwardly staring into the window of a shop. A warm bed and employment sounded tempting but could she trust him? Most people she’d come across when on the streets had been after one thing, her body. Would he take her to a brothel, force her to have sex for money and trap her, with no escape? ‘I don’t know.’

‘I had someone working for me, she was perfect, but she left for another job not long ago. I know what you’re thinking.’

She glanced at him.

‘You think I want to get you somewhere and maybe pimp you out. Or you think I’m a nutter, that I might rape you or imprison you. Let me put your mind at ease. I am just a normal person with a position to fill. I have no desire for your body, I just need a carer for a lovely lady whom I care deeply about and you look like a person I could trust. I’m not saying it’s an easy job but you could do it. It would be live in as she needs round the clock care.’

As he continued speaking, he told her about the woman who needed care, Jackie. ‘Why would you want me to do that? You don’t know me and how do you know you can trust me?’

‘There’s something about you. I feel I could trust you to treat her with dignity. You seem like a nice girl and you don’t look like you belong here with all these losers.’

She gulped as she thought of her friends. They worked as a team and that’s how they survived. She glanced at his wallet again. There’s no way she could snatch it now after he’d offered her such a good opportunity, even though she didn’t think she’d take the job.

He checked his watch. ‘Come with me. Check out our home and meet Jackie. You will love her, I promise. She’s such a wonderful lady.’

Her two friends darted from around a corner and bumped into them. Her distraction had finally arrived. He jerked to the side, to avoid impact. Now was Miley’s chance to snatch the wallet. A sick feeling churned in her stomach. The man had a sick relative and he’d approached her with an opportunity that might change her life. She grabbed her friend with the dyed red hair and pulled her close. ‘These are my friends. Apologise for bumping into him like that.’

‘Sorry, mister,’ her red-haired friend said as she giggled. Her other friend gazed through her blonde fringe poking out of her dirty cap and looked on suspiciously. Miley’s red-haired friend did her scruffy coat up and shivered as she fidgeted on the spot.

‘Forget it, I’m fine. Do you girls want a sandwich? You look hungry.’ The man pulled the pre-packed sandwiches out of his bag and thrust one into each of their hands, then passed them all a can of pop. ‘Thank you,’ Miley replied, noticing that the man seemed to be fixated on her friend’s hair.

‘You’re all welcome.’

Miley’s blonde-haired friend burped after swigging from the can.

‘Are you all homeless?’

‘I might be or I might not be.’ Her blonde friend replied as she guzzled more of the drink before taking a bite of the sandwich. As she chewed, bits of mulched up ham filled her mouth, making Miley feel slightly queasy.

‘I can help you, well two of you.’

Her blonde-haired friend piped up. ‘Really? Because the only help I get offered around here comes with conditions, conditions I’m not prepared to enter in to. So, that’s no to the blow job and I will not become your sex slave or engage in whatever perverse plan you think you have in store for me.’

‘Really? You’re young enough to be my daughter, maybe even my granddaughter if I started young. Life is all about give and take and I definitely wouldn’t try to disrespect any of you in that manner. What I have to give might just be worth taking.’

‘Go on then. Give us what you’ve got?’

‘I’m looking to employ two people and they will be provided with a room and three meals a day. It is gainful employment and will involve a lot of, shall we say, domestic duties.’

‘Domestic slaves, I’ve heard of them. Do I look like I was born yesterday?’

Miley nudged her blonde friend. She was about to blow it for all of them. ‘If you’re not interested, go away and give us the chance. If you are, listen to what he has to say.’

He cleared his throat and smiled. ‘It’s good that you don’t trust everyone. There are some dangerous people about, but I’m really not one of them. I’m looking for employees, not slaves. It’s a good opportunity to get off the streets and make something of yourself. You’d like to make something of yourself, wouldn’t you?’

‘Not with your help. Stay away from me.’ The blonde girl paused and looked around. People walked by, ignoring them. That was the worst thing about being homeless, no one took a blind bit of notice. Crowds walked past, getting on with their bland lives. Work, shopping, keeping kids placated. ‘I’ve heard of your type before. If you don’t go away, I’m going to shout paedophile and point at you before I run. These people don’t see a thing all day. They walk past, pretend they haven’t seen me but the minute I start drawing attention to you… they’ll look at you. They won’t believe me, of course, but they will think about it and remember the way you look. If they see you again, they’ll make that connection.’ She stared at him with her blue eyes and pointed. ‘There’s the paedo. Do you hear me?’ It wasn’t quite loud enough for the passers-by.

‘Keep it down. He’s offering me a job, for heaven’s sake. I don’t want to be out here, stuck in the cold forever,’ Miley said.

‘Yeah, me neither,’ her red-haired friend replied as she stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth.

‘I know you don’t know me and you probably don’t trust me, but just give me a chance. Come with me. Have a look at the rooms, meet the lovely lady who you will care for and then make your decision.’

‘Do what you like, but I’m not going anywhere with him,’ the blonde girl said.

‘I like the sound of it.’ Her friend scrunched up the sandwich packet. ‘I hate it here.’

‘It’s all your fault.’ The blonde-haired girl said to Miley as she threw her sandwich packet at her. ‘She would never have agreed to this before you came along. Go on then. Go with your new but stupid best friend.’ She stomped off. They watched her as she disappeared around a corner. It didn’t matter, there were only two jobs going anyway. Miley shivered as it began to rain. A warm bed and a job were all that she dreamed of and the man seemed so nice.

‘We’ll have a look. If we don’t like what you’re offering, we don’t have to take the job. Right?’ Miley asked. Her red-haired friend began to shiver and cramp up. She’d need a fix soon.

‘I can help you with that too. You’ll soon feel better. This will be a new start. If you don’t like it, I’ll bring you back here, I promise.’ Miley took in his warm smile as he placed a firm arm on her shoulders, leading her back towards New Street. She soaked up his warmth, almost wishing they were in another life and he was her dad. ‘My car is just down here. Let’s get you both warm.’

She smiled as she urged her friend on. ‘We’ll be okay soon, nice and warm, I promise.’

She opened her eyes, almost biting her tongue with her chattering teeth. She wiped the trail of spit from the side of her face. ‘Can I have my medicine, please?’ she whispered.

Her memories had been so vivid, it was almost like they were back on the streets of Birmingham. She felt the cold, she could smell the food that was being sold on the streets, and she could feel her red-haired friend leaning against her for support as they headed to his car. She’d promised her that they would be fine as she’d helped her into his warm car.

A tear escaped from her eye. Miley had broken her promise, now her friend was no longer there and she was all alone, trapped.