Emily Taylor

Stopdont say yes. A young voice shattered the hush, like a cricket chirping at midnight in the middle

Leave. Now. A heavy boot thudded against the pub table, shoving it an inch closer to the sticky floor.

The bell above the door let out a single chimeclipped, scandalised, as though resenting the intrusion.

I cant breathe The words barely made it out of her mouth before they fell away into quiet. For a moment

So this morning, there was this 18-year-old girl who gave birth to a baby girl. Straight after, she filled

The little girl had already decided: shed rather be called a thief than lie awake another night while

It began with a vow. Id give anything if someone could help her find her voice again. Nobody thought

The restaurant floats high above London, as if its been built to keep hardship at bay. Crystal chandeliers

Hed pictured her face the whole way back to London. Every mile, every train, every sleepless night haunted

The little girl didnt give food to the woman on the bench out of kindness. She gave it because, in some