Elena didn’t understand all the words. But she understood it was asking people not to sit on the front stairs, a comical request considering almost every set of steps hosted groups of men.

The apartment was a little further on. She walked past the vendor, past the children sucking on uneven chunks of ice, ice they must have stolen when the vendor wasn’t looking. She had never felt so foreign in her entire life. Self-conscious, it took an effort to continue walking and not run back to the cab. She didn’t have far to go. The building was directly ahead.

There was a man on the steps, a tall white man, dressed in a suit, smoking a cigarette. Elena had been warned that Mr Austin was under pressure from the American secret police. She didn’t know if this man was an agent but he didn’t belong hre, that was obvious, almost as obvious as the fact that she didn’t belong here either. Her eyes darted about, searching for somewhere to hide. But it was too late. He’d seen her. She had no choice. She increased her pace, pretending to be in a hurry. At the same time he descended the steps to intercept her. As he drew closer Elena kept her eyes down, towards the ground, holding her breath.

They passed each other on the sidewalk. She continued walking, missing Mr Austin’s address as if there was somewhere else she was heading for. Once she’d turned the corner, she pressed her back against the wall. There was no way into Mr Austin’s apartment. And no way back to the cab.

Same Day