Anne the homeless girl.

She ran, the sound of the pack of boys making howling sounds behind her driving her on. She needed to find somewhere to hide before they worked out where she'd gone. Her fucking ankle was killing her.

Suddenly she saw the dumpster. She hesitated for a second, but then hearing the boys behind her sounding as if they were gaining she decided to risk it and climbed inside.

She dared not close the lid, so she peaked out over the edge, trying desperately not to puke from the smell of the dumpster which she knew was seeping into her clothes and probably her skin.

Please don't look here she wished Please just leave. Look somewhere else.

She almost screamed as something pulsed under her hand, but suddenly the boys seemed to decide she wasn't in this alley and all ran back to look somewhere else.

Anne looked down, expecting to see a rat, but instead she saw that what she had been leaning against was some sort of bone. Kind of long, and sharp like some kind of finger bone.

You must be one lucky, if creepy, piece of trash she thought. She had never been superstitious, but there was something about this creepy little bone which made her decide to take it with her. She picked it up and stuck it in her sock (somehow it felt right to have it against her skin) and then climbed out of the dumpster.

Now what am I going to do? she thought I can't go home, not after that bitch took his side over mine! My own fucking mother chose to believe that lech over me! Like I'd ever be jealous of him! That stupid cow can have him for all I care! I'm 18 now, I can take care of myself. It would help if I had a place to stay or some money or a job or … FUCK I'm so screwed.

She fell to her knees and began to cry. Through her tears she saw a figure at the end of the alley.

"Help me" she said, not sure they could hear her. Her ankle suddenly felt warm and the figure turned toward her.