Eva looked surprised, like it hadn’t crossed her mind.

‘Isn’t that the point of all this?’ Holly said. ‘You’re here to expose FullLife, to make people scared of the—’

‘Not scared,’ Eva said. ‘Just aware.’

Holly nodded. There was nothing wrong with that. People should be aware. She heard a scuffle and glanced over to the corner of the station, then found she couldn’t look away. There was a young man over there. Cardboard on the floor. A sign. He had been begging. Holly hadn’t seen a homeless person on the streets for years.

‘What is it that you plan to do?’ Eva asked her.

The ruckus she’d heard, it was the shelter team. Three of them. They were helping him up. At least that’s what she thought they were doing. His eyes stayed focused on the ground as they collected the cardboard, removed the sign. Escorted him from the station. She wondered if he was ill. He’d be offered emergency care, she was sure, and taken to the shelter home complex.

‘Holly? What do you intend to do?’

Holly didn’t answer, and Piotr had returned with their tickets. She knew his presence made a difference to Eva, though she hadn’t quite figured out why yet. He passed them their tickets one at a time, and as Eva reached out to take hers, Holly could tell she was trying not to touch his hand by mistake.

‘Well, we’ve got five hours together on a train now,’ Holly said under her breath. ‘That should be enough time to work everything out.’ Neither of them was paying attention to her any more though, which was absolutely fine. She was going to find Freida.

Audio log

19 Jan 2016 08:45

Well, today is his day. I have waited patiently for two weeks – there has been no word from him and no sign of you. But today he is due. That makes a difference, I think.

The difference between hoping for something with no promise, and hoping that a promise will be kept.

Do you realise that I’m about to tell you why I’m here? I always knew I would have to tell someone, sooner or later. So today is going to be my day, too. My memories are not particularly coherent any more, but they are still strong. Images. Feelings. A sort of dread …

I’ll start with that.

I remember that their garden path was so neat I found myself wondering if my feet were unusually large. They’re not – I’m an average size five. But you know the type of path I mean – so neat and trim that feet seem to crush it. Seem unwelcome on it. My presence was spoiling the illusion of their perfect home. Heaven forbid I forget to watch where I’m going and stand on that manicured grass.