Solar panels. Far as you can see. We’re on the big roof. Use to be a big shop. Shop like a whole town in a big box. We get up here our secret ways. On the sly. Taking turns to dash from hidey hole to hidey hole. Ducking down low, case the sentinels still got power. Guns on sticks with robot brains and robot eyes. Mostly don’t work no more. But you never know.

We all still sopping, leaving puddles of river water as we go. Not too cold tonight but still. Ain’t lovely. No matter. Going to the hot place. Air vent on the other side. That’s where we huddle up and dry out before we start the night proper.

Inside, under our feet, the Tower has turf. But we got no beef with the Tower. Keep the gangsters sweet. Run errands for them sometimes. They keep the tech running, that’s why the vent still blows out hot air at night. Lot of merch still comes through here. Kind of a shop still.

Ninja is hushing us. We all creep up and hide in a line, peeking over the wall. Voices. In our spot. Take a peep at Manleb, see his hand in his pocket, tense as a starving cat. Know he’s got blade.

Man. Woman. Whispering. Think they’re being quiet but they ain’t really. Probably think themselves well hidden. Like a quiet argument. Full of worry and fears. Like people with summin to lose. I feel sad for them. But I’m hungry too. And there’s a bunch of us.

Manleb leaps over the wall and scrambles down the ladder. We all follow, wooping it up. They cack themselves. The man is up straight away, got a cosh in his hand. Tall, but you can tell he’s got injuries. Deep lines under his eyes. Clothes ain’t too bad. Not been on the street long. Brown boy. Bit’s of grey in his mop.

“We don’t want any trouble!”

They’ve set up camp here. And suddenly out of one pile of blankets a girl pops up. Not much older than us. And the boys are over excited now, rifling through all the bags, picking up things and throwing them about.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“No trouble at all sir!” Shouts Chips.

“Wonderful party!” Nikair joins in, stuffing a handful of summin in his gob.

“That’s ours!” The man is desperate, confused. Doesn’t know where to turn and keeps jerking around.

The woman is holding on to her daughter.

“Come and join our squad! Best River Rats in town! Leave the old family unit!” Chips is singing this last to the girl.

But Manleb is silent. Staring like a vampire at a virgin. Staring at this poor old daddy. Hand in his pocket.

“This is our spot.” He hisses.

The girl is grinning. Looks like she likes chips.

“You been chuck out innit.” I say.

“That’s right.” The mummy says. “Evicted. Three nights gone. They tripled the rent. Please, we didn’t know...”

Then a scream, a silly scream, half fake. North face is being dragged out of a back pack. The man is pulling him away, trying to stop him robbing the bag.

“Help! I’m being abused!” North Face cries out, then giggles.

I start shivering. From my toes to my hair. Horrible violent shivering.

Mud hits the man over the back with an old rusty chair. He stumbles.

“Dad!” The girl shouts. But she freezes. So does mummy.

And then he screams. Real scream this time. Manleb put the knife in his leg. Again and again.

“MANLEB!” My voice comes out, louder than I ever thought it could.

Manleb turns to me, stops dead.

“Ain’t worth it.” Comes out a whisper.

Then Manleb’s face lights up. It’s the woman, got a torch.

“Asif! Look at his face!”

The man looks up at Manleb. Manleb looks down at him. Manleb ain’t exactly white, but you can still see it, see the yellow, in the full beam of the torch. Then I see stars, cause she shines the torch right in my peepers. Gone, she does the whole crew.

“Run!” Asif manages to shout, pulls himself up.

And they all three of them scramble for the ladders down to the car park below.

“WE ARE NOT SICK!” Manleb screams after them. So furious he throws his knife after them.

But they’re gone. Left all their stuff.

And they got lots of packets of things to eat.

We sit together by the vent, letting the heat dry us out. Not talking. Silently stuffing ourselves.

“Think I’m in love” Says Chips.

Manleb just gets up and goes.

“Let him go boys.”

He needs this sometimes.