Sale!

Jade had seen the black sequinned dress. Christmas money meant that she could afford it. She'd over-romantised it in her mind. Cocktail parties, first dates, family occasions - she'd be a knockout! She had to have it.

She found the rail. It was still there. She'd bulldozed her way to get there. She grabbed it and was startled to find resistance.

She tugged it hard but it wasn't in her grasp. And then it was gone. On the other side of the rail, a woman. In a wheelchair.

"I had that first!" Which of course wasn't true and Jade knew it but she wasn't going to give in that easily. She could feel her dreams evaporating.

The woman in the wheelchair looked up at Jade's angry face and said, "I'm sorry but I already had it." Polite but firm.

Jade's anger threatened her good sense. She found herself saying, the spite emanating from her, "You can't seriously think you'll look good in it," looking her up and down, "can you?"

The girl in the chair narrowed her eyes. She said nothing but if she had been able to shoot lasers, Jade would have been crisp and smoking.

Another woman rummaging through the rail gasped. "How rude!" she said, loud enough for Jade to hear but Jade ignored it. Her focus was on the dress and getting it.

The girl simply stared at Jade and then, without saying a word, turned her chair away. Jade in an act of desperation reached over and grabbed the dress, causing the most bizarre tug-of-war to take place.

"Gimme that!" Jade said through gritted teeth. "That's my dress!"

But the girl wouldn't let go and then suddenly, did a sharp turn causing the footrests to hit Jade's legs and knock her to the floor. Jade felt someone tread on her hair, sharply pulling her scalp. Brutal pain. Somebody crunched her ankle. She shrieked as her fingers were crushed.

"Help!" she shouted.

No-one offered.

Then the crowd miraculously parted. A large hairy hand grabbed her.

"That's her!"

Jade was manhandled. A security guard.

"Hey! You can't throw me out!"

But he could.

And he did.

And Jade said goodbye to the dress.