Thief Magic

It was the middle of the night and I stood outside the only bakery in Meadow Vale in my shorts. This was the third night in a row I'd come to raid the pantries, and my fingers itched with the potential of flaky pastries and thick loaves of bread. My stomach grumbled in agreement.

An open window marked the only way inside; it was lifted high into the air as if to invite me. I suppose any experienced thief would have smelled trap written all over it, but I was new to this whole thieving business and didn't think much of it. I was so hungry, I probably wouldn't have cared even if I did know it was a trap.

I pulled myself up with my arms and swung one leg over the other until I was in the kitchen. As my feet quietly hit the ground, the smells of sweets overwhelmed me: apple pies, strawberry tarts, unbelievably fresh bread, and several racks of muffins and other assorted pastries I really couldn't put a name to. They decorated the room-- once again in a very obvious manner I continued to overlook-- from glass displays on counters, to the irresistible plates laid out on the table in the middle. The room was thick with darkness, and I had a hard time seeing as I tip-toed around as silent as possible. If it wasn't for all of the smells, I might not have been able to find anything.

But I used these enchanting aromas as a guide, and began stuffing my pockets with crispy turnovers and muffins from the racks. I regretted not being able to steal a slice of pie or anything bigger than a quarter loaf of bread, but my arms and pockets filled rather fast, and large items-- as well as the messy nature of pie-- simply wouldn't have been acceptable. I may have been an amateur, but I wasn't completely inept.

As I worked, I nibbled on things. This helped me concentrate, as being near starved was never a good thing to experience, and was often a big distraction. Devouring plates and ravishing racks were two things I had gotten very used to the past few nights. I even managed to wash everything down with a large flask of water resting on the table. After a few deep gulps, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and turned to view my work.

I was always thorough with my sweeps. I never made a mess save for the crumbs I left on plates; I was quiet and swift as I moved around in inky blackness. The cover of dark worked both with me and against me, as I couldn't always see the best, but then again, neither could anyone who might have been lurking around trying to catch me. Truly, I was good for my age. Little did I know I was being watched.

Ready to leave, I stuffed one last pastry in my mouth, and turned to make for the window. I was so close too, so close to making away with another nights worth in delicious delicacies. But as I took one last step toward to the window-- my freedom-- everything changed.

First, their was a loud plop, as a small figure in what appeared to a be a nightgown, tumbled in through the window onto the floor. The sound rattled my nerves, both because this was an intruder I wasn't expecting, and the clumsy entrance this person made had surely woken up the baker or his wife. The figure stood up and brushed itself off, brushing its hands through long wavy hair. I didn't make a sound, and stood stark still as the figure moved as if looking around. Everything else remained quiet, so the baker must not have heard the commotion.

A weak voice cried out, “Lium?” It was my sister.

“Em?” I replied, suddenly not sure if I should feel concerned, angry, or still scared. I decided on anger, and quickly blurted, “What are you doing here? You're going to get us caught!”

She raised her thin brow as she observed what I was doing. “I shouldn't have to get you caught. What do you think you're doing stealing from this poor man's food? He worked hard for all of this!”

“What I'm doing here is none of your business. I'm just hungry, that's all. Besides, how did you even know I was here? Everyone was asleep when I left.” I said.

“You thought I was asleep, but I was just pretending. I woke up two nights ago and you were missing. I got suspicious so I stayed up the next night to see if you would disappear again. When you did I decided I'd follow you tonight if you left again.” she said, and then added in a scolding tone, “And what do I find? My older brother pilfering through our neighbor's goods like a market stall in the city!”

“I'm sorry! But I'm starting to go hungry. Trust me, this isn't what I wanted to resort too.” I said in defeat. She was pulling a guilt trip on me, and I was falling for it.

“Oh please, Lium. Of all the things you could have done for food. Theft was not the only option. I'm twelve and have better sense than this.” she said, scrunching her nose at me, something she did only when I did something wrong. I suppose she was right. There were farms I could have gotten employed at, and city merchants I could have begged to let me aid them in flagging down customers. Theft was one of the three lowest of lows, and I had committed it. Three Times. I was sure that was like a triple sentence to the most vilest corners of the Dark World.

“I know, I know. And I'm sorry. But still, why did you follow me? This is dangerous. If we get caught, we're in serious trouble.” I was the one scolding now. Meanwhile, I wondered briefly why all this noise hadn't woken anyone up.

She flashed me a glare. “Maybe because I was concerned for you! For all I knew you were running off to the city to hang with those street gangs!”

“And what if I was? Would you have dragged me away by my ear and yelled at the other gang members? Need I remind you these gangs would probably have weapons.” I said.

She just frowned at that, and came a little closer. When she was right in my face, she slapped me as hard as she could, leaving a bright red hand mark stamped across my cheek. The resonating sound from the slap made my ears ring. It also, consequently, alerted another person that had been watching me. In a matter of seconds, as I shot daggers at Em, and she stuck her tongue out at me like an imp, a dull glow rushed into the kitchen. Attached to that glow was the baker.

He was thin and pale with short brown hair that looked messy. He must have been waiting for me for awhile. I imagined him slumped over a chair in the next room, drooling at the mouth from boredom. The glow came from a candle in a dish he carried, the candle was more than half burned. I really must have been quieter than I thought. Em and I muffled a shriek and retreated to the racks on the far wall. Em crashed into one, and I stood over her, guarding. She didn't need to be apart of this.

“I have you now!” the booming voice from the baker echoed across the room. In the dim lighting, he looked like a ghost, with his disheveled appearance, pale features and menacing scowl. I stood as brave as I could, Emmy still cowering behind me. Thirteen was a bad age to be thrown into a dungeon.

---

“ Three nights now!” he continued to yell. “I was pretty sure I had you when you came in through the window, but I let you eat so that I had proof. And good god, can you imagine my surprise when I find two little brats in here eating my food?”

“Sir, she didn't eat anything, she just followed me here out of concern.” I interrupted his victory speech, choking back the tears my fear was creating. The baker laughed. It sounded like under normal circumstances it would have been hearty and cordial, but I could only hear sinister anger in his voice now.

“She still broke into my home and my store you little delinquent. Don't try to get her out of trouble.” he said.

“But she didn't do anything! Don't punish her for what I did!” I pleaded. It was no use though. Because of Em's sisterly love, and compassionate concern, she was going to jail with me. And it was all my fault. I almost let the tears I had been building up start, but I tried my best to keep up a brave front.

Things only started to get worse as the baker closed in on us. I could almost feel his hot, accusing breath on my face. He reached out to grab ahold of us, when Em darted out from under me and swatted at the baker's arm. It came away easily, and I was left to dash around him. I was in such a hurry that I bumped into the table, and several plates clattered to the floor, some of them shattering, and others just making a lot of noise.

The baker yelled in frustration as he reached for Em. I couldn't leave her behind, and instead of jumping through the window I ran around to the other side of the table and threw my arms at him, pushing him away into the racks we had been just a few minutes ago. His adult body collided with the racks and sent them careening away from his impact, one smashing into the other on the other side of the room with a loud clash.

Adrenaline pumped through me, and I was sure the whole town had awoken. Who couldn't have been woken up with all the noise we were making?

Em seemed to follow my lead as I pointed to the window, but the baker recovered from his fall fast, and rushed us as we made our way around the table. I managed to throw in a good kick to his shin as his wife, an equally wiry woman with long blonde hair, swiftly entered the room screaming something awful. She was wailing about the safety of her husband and how terrible it was that kids were running around stealing from hardworking townspeople. I felt so guilty. But my survival came first.

I prepared to jump through the window, willing Em to be following me, and I heard the baker scream in pain. I turned to look, and saw Em with her teeth around the baker's arm, which was hooked under her arm as if he had tried to pick her up. This moment's distraction gave the wife time to wrap her arms around me. The baker grabbed Em around around the wrist and yanked her in the direction of another room, while the baker's wife kept her hold on me. At his signal, the baker and his wife took us from the kitchen, still flailing and fighting, to a different part of the house.

I almost screamed. We had been caught. I had ruined both my life, and Em's life. Or had I? Because as the baker and his wife dragged us through his shop, his home, and the labor he had put into both, another set of eyes peeked through the still-open window at the destruction we had wrought.