chapter 1

Justin was in his early twenties, slim and reasonably fit. He liked cycling every now and again and would go out seeking the most challenging hills in the region to cycle up just for the thrill of going down the other side!
He was very ordinary. He liked fashion, but he was more conventional in his clothes selection. He was always clean shaven, he went to the barbers regularly and got his hair cut in an uncontroversial style.
He went out with his mates at weekends, sometimes got drunk, sometimes he picked up a girlfriend. So far none of his relationships had lasted longer than a month, but he told himself there was nothing wrong with that. He simply had not met the right person yet.
He worked in a well known department store in the furniture department. His working day was not long, but they seemed it when they did not get many customers actually buying their products. Most customers just walked through on their way to the restaurant or the toilets. Very few tarried to sit on the sofas. However, they still sold enough of their big ticket items for the store to keep the department going.

Justin was not a big eater. He was very picky too. He hated fatty meat, cabbage, turnip, blue cheese, lumpy mashed potato, smoked fish, chicken, pork, fresh tomatoes... the list went on. He had been all right when he had lived at home, his mother knew what he liked and what he didn't. Now he was in the big wide world. The staff canteen did not cook the way his mother did, but it was good quality, despite it being mass catering. He tried to expand his food repertoire by trying different things on the menu. After all, the staff got a substantial discount in the canteen. It was not costing him much if there was something he did not like.
At home, he stuck to what he knew, but he was not the best of cooks. He usually stuck to ready meals bought from the shop on his way home. They were quick and easy and he did not have to think too much about it. He did not buy takeaways. He might treat himself to a yoghurt after a meal, or a piece of fruit. Nothing too fattening.
He lived in a house that he shared with two other guys. It was not the most luxurious place in the world. The kitchen and bathroom were tiny, there was no central heating, no gas fire in the living room. The only heating was a single calor gas heater. The cylinder often ran out at the weekend, leaving them all freezing. They would often have to resort to putting all four electric rings on on the cooker and the oven and keep the door open. It was not cost effective, but if they were staying in, it was the only option. Or they could go out. If they went to the pub one pint did not cost that much, especially if they sipped at it and made it last all night. Meanwhile, they could sit beside a roaring fire and watch the telly or join a pub quiz.

Justin decided he'd had enough of the cold. He could not face another winter of ice on the inside of the windows. It was sometimes colder indoors than it was outside!
He started looking for another flat share. He tried all over town, but many of the landlords were dubious to say the least. A patch of damp was explained away because of the 'recent wet weather'. Some places had been used by art students in the past and had peculiar decor. Mustard skirting and deep blue walls was one. Others had women's knickers hanging up to dry alongside banana skins.
Justin waited to find the right property at the right price.