With one last look around to check that she hadn’t been spotted, Justine lifted up the edge of the tarpaulin and ducked inside. This had been where she been sleeping for the last week. Most of the local construction sites were impossible to get into, but in the five nights that she had been here Justine had only seen one elderly security guard. She assumed that there must be some delay with the construction project as she hadn’t seen a single worker, or noticed any movement or goods either in or out. Whatever the reason she was just glad to have somewhere safe to sleep. The length of ducting wasn’t warm, but at least it was dry and relatively clean. The only real downside was that she occasionally heard rats scurrying across the top if it, their claws clattering on the metal.

Shrugging off her rucksack, Justine crawled further along the length of metal tube towards a bundle of blankets. They’d been handing them out at a church in Soho, and Justine had accepted a couple gratefully. The material was harsh and scratchy, not at all like the blankets on her bed at home, but at least they helped keep out the worst of the cold.

Outside she could hear the rain intensifying, the tarpaulin starting to flap noisily in the wind. Shivering, she pulled the blanket tighter around her. So long since she’d slept in a proper bed, so long since she’d eaten a proper meal, so long since she’d had a shower … Three weeks of rain, and cold and rats.

As if on cue, there was the clatter of claws on the metal of the ducting.

A wave of despair threatened to overwhelm her. Justine had never felt so unloved and pathetic in her life …

Suddenly there was a tremendous cracking noise, like a bundle of twigs being snapped, but so loud that it shook the metal of the ducting. Instantly, Justine was on her feet, trying to work out where the sound had come from. Her heart leapt at the sound of footsteps from the yard outside and moments later there was the rustle of plastic as the tarpaulin covering the mouth of the ducting was pulled aside.

Justine snatched up her backpack as two figures wearing filthy, hooded tops stepped into the tube.

Oh, God. She felt herself freeze, terrified.

‘No need to be scared, dearie.’ The leading figure’s voice was rasping and hoarse. ‘We’re not going to hurt you.’

Justine backed away as the intruders started to advance along the pipe towards her. ‘I haven’t got any money,’ she said quickly.

‘Money?’ The figure gave a wheezing laugh. ‘It’s not money we’re after.’

‘Got no use for it,’ chipped in the other. ‘It’s a donation, we want.’

‘A what?’

The first one giggled. ‘Charity begins at homeless.’