Alice stared at the bottle with big eyes, then up at the man, then back at the bottle. Apart from that one time, when she had tried to get rid of the child, she had never drank in her life and alcohol had always been presented to her as the source of all vice. But what she was more shocked about was that this stranger would offer her a gift at all. So shocked she was, and yet so desperate for the kindness offered, that she took it, and wrapped her arms around it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. She looked up at the stranger and wanted to thank him, but she was unable to speak, her head light and everything around her surreal.

"Alice!" Her father stood at the far end of the alley, looking from his daughter to the stranger. Suddenly Alice fell to the ground.