<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="font-weight: bold">Whitechapel, 1888</span></span><br/><br/>The people who lived in those alleys were literally the poorest of the poor. Those for whom there was nothing left but their own bodies. Many people there didn't even have houses of their own. Most of the young people who had no families who could shelter them lived in boarding houses.<br/><br/>Men rented their arms and legs, doing any service that would have them. Women unfortunately ended up having to rent less inconsequential parts of their bodies. Less nicely said, many young - or not so young - women fell to prostitution.<br/><br/>Not that one. Not yet, at least. Melinda Sullivan was struggling to survive, but she had no plans of becoming a "lady of the night". If now she had no parents, no family and not even a place to live, she had one day had it all. The shipwreck that had killed Melinda's parents had taken most of the valuables the family had with it, or she had been double-crossed. It did not really matter. What mattered was that she was now in a difficult situation.<br/><br/>Melinda was a girl of average height and slim build - probably due to having gone to bed hungry often. Her hair was raven black and thick, and it was now just below her shoulders - part of it had been sold to pay for quarters. Her clothes were basic and cheap - the good ones she had left had been sold as well. She still caught some people's eyes, though. Her own eyes - of a violet hue - and her fair skin apparently made her attractive.<br/><br/>Melinda was not interested. All she wanted was to survive and keep her honor clean as always. So she sold her hair, she would make dresses, embroider, clean houses, anything. Anything but giving up her virtue. Today had been a good day. Luckily, Melinda had found two houses to clean and tidy up. That would pay for the boarding room and food for a few more days. Maybe she could even buy some material to embroider handkerchiefs. The ladies seemed to like her work and paid for it. Yes, it had been a good day, the young woman thought to herself, as she walked down the muddy street - the weather was terrible lately - thinking about what she would do next morning, and oblivious to basically anything around her.</div>