Homeless - A Second Chance

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Please, can anyone spare any change?" I ask, as I beg strangers for anything, even just a penny. "Can anyone spare any change, please?" I ask again, as I watch everyone walk past me, pretending to be oblivious to my existence. Someone eventually drops some lose change into my little pot. "Thank you so much" I say, very appreciative. I look into the pot and count roughly £2.50 in change.

I sit in the subway in a town just outside of London. The busiest place you can get, apart from the city of London, still busy enough for strangers. I sit wrapped in a blanket, a new one that I managed to save the money for just a couple of days ago, then I have a bag next to me filled with random things like some clothes and the odd bit of shopping I manage to save to get, some body spray seeing as I can't shower, some mints as I can't brush my teeth, some sweets for if I start feeling weak.

A man walks past and drops some more change into my pot.

"Thank you so much" I smile. He looks back at me as he walks away and smiles. I've seen him before, he walks past most days, he's one of a few that actually notices me, I guess he goes to work. I look in my pot and see around £10 in pound coins added to my change. He was very generous today. I smile as I realise I have enough for a hot meal today, that's if they let me into the restaurants, one thing that sucks about being homeless, managers and other workers don't like us in there. But I'm feeling positive today that I'll be able to get perhaps a McDonald's or something.

I've been homeless for a couple of weeks now, and it's the second hardest thing I've ever gone through. The hardest thing I've ever gone through, is the reason why I am homeless, I have run away from my ex. He abused me in so many ways, for too long as well. But I can't go back to my family, they don't want to know me anymore, because I got with my ex, he's an addict as well as a woman beater, obviously my family hated him, and then hated that I left with him.

I would go and try to get emergency housing, but I've been there everyday for the last 2 weeks, and they say the same thing to me every time, 'I'm sorry, everywhere is full', 'I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do to help', etc, so now I've given up with that.

I watch as yet another day goes by, although it is the same nightmare 24/7 as I see people who look like they could be my ex. A couple of people sit with me to have a chat for a bit which is nice. Then there's those who have a go at you for begging, which believe me, I don't want to beg, but I need whatever money I can get, in order to survive.

"Stop begging for money! You probably just want a fix anyway, waste" A man says to me as he walks past, he's rather aggressive.

"Do you think I want to beg? I'm just trying to survive, I'm clean, idiot" I tell him. Just then a nice woman drops a bit of change into my pot.

"Get yourself a decent meal my lovely" She says.

"Thank you so much! I certainly will get a decent meal" I assure her. She smiles and walks away.

With no concept of time, I rely on when the sun rises, and sets. Now as I watch it set, I go about getting my first, and only meal of the day. I get up and grab my stuff. I don't want any of it to get stolen while I'm gone, not that I have anything worth stealing, but still, what I have with me are my only belongings. I walk through the town until I get to McDonald's, it's not the best meal, but it's something, and it's a hot meal. I go inside and shiver at the warmth, it feels so nice. I approach the server ready to order.

"I'm sorry ma'am, you're gonna have to leave please" A man says before the server can speak.

"Why? I want to order" I question confused.

"Because, I seen you on the streets, you're homeless. I can't have you in here making the business look bad, please leave" The man says pointing to the door that I just came in through.