THE GOLDEN LOCK

Chapter 1: Shadows

RUN.

It's the only thing I can think of right now. Run. Run. Run. I can hear the sirens behind me but I don't dare look back. My breath is coming hard as my face is covered in a skii black mask with only my eyes showing. Dusk has fallen and everything is in Shadows and makes it difficult to see. I turn another corner and jump Over three cats that are feasting over a slice of rotted bread.

I look behind me to see if they followed me and see the Police car pass at full speed.

I hide behind a big garbish pin and take a moment to breathe. I take my mask off and let the cold winter air blush my cheeks. The cats seem to have forgotten about the rotted bread as they walk past me with curious eyes.

"Meow," one with black and white Shades says.

"Hello for you too," I greet it by petting him under its chin.

The others are sniffing my bag and instinctively I grab it and Embrace it.

"Sorry but this is not for you to eat," I Touch their noses playfully and they meowme back.

I Open the bag to check if the gold is all there and at the count of twenty I let out a relieved sigh.

"Take care of this with all your life and do not return for me,"

I can still hear Papa's words echoing inside my head.

He had injured himself while climbing up the fences into the mayor's house and decided to be caught as a way to protect me and the gold. Our gold. It had belonged to my great-grandpa but it was stolen by the mayor's father and my Papa was in charge of getting it back as a way to recover the family's dignity. He had tried for years before I was born but he never succeeded because the mayor has always been moving from town to town and even island to island. When he met my mother, She joined him in the hunt for the gold and there was a time where they almost succeeded but then my mother was caught and put in prison. What they didn't know was that She had been pregnant with me and when I was born She got sick and died. Eventually they delivered me to my Papa who raised me since then, teaching me how to hide when being followed, pick-pocketing, how to use a gun and do parkour. So I joined him in the hunt and there's not One day where I don't feel guilty about my mother's death and that's why my first priority is to protect this gold and wait for Papa's next order.

I hear the sound of boots on the concrete floor and a light points directly to the Trash pin where I'm hidden.

"I think I saw her hiding in here!" A man shouts.

I cover my mouth and try to make as little noise as possible.

'I'm sorry Papa. I failed you just like I failed mother'

I can see the Police's foot under the trash pin but before I can do anything, the cat with black and white spots walks past me and meets him.

He pets it and looks around.

"Ugh, It's just a cat, Roland," he says.

He walks away and enters inside the Police car and when the sirens are like whispers brought by the wind I get up and put on the mask.

"Thank you, little One" I pet the black and white cat "but now it's time for me to leave,"

The three cats look at me with their wide feline eyes and One by One they meow to me as if saying goodbye.

"Goodbye for you too," I wave to them and jump over the brick wall.

This couldn't get worse.

But it did.

I landed on a big puddle and got myself all wet. Including the bag with the gold.

"Dang it!" I shout.

I get up and brush off as much water and dirt as I can.

'I hate winter'

"Thieve!"

I look up, alarmed, and see an old woman with rolls on her head and an Ugly green mask on her face pointing at me with a trembling finger.

"Thieve!" She shouts again, louder.

I hear the sirens pass on the street right behind this building and have to lean on the wall.

"Thieve!" She repeats for the third time.

I can't lose my temper over an old hag.

"Thieve!"

"This is MY gold!" I cut her off and immediately covered my mouth as the sound of feet echoe on the other side.

"Over there!" A man shouts.

"Police! The thieve is right here!" The woman shouts.

I threw a rock near her Window, scaring her inside, then I ran.

The sound of a helicopter sounds above me and a light points to the road in front of me. When it disappears I run into the street. It seems a little too quiet.

Suddenly the light shines right behind me and I have to hide in the Shadows between another Trash bin and a set of stairs that seem to lead into the back of a restaurant as the smell of food delights my nostrils and waters my mouth. I can't recall the last time I ate.

Well, actually I can.

It was this morning inside the mayor's house. I had snuck inside his kitchens where his cooks were preparing his breakfast. Pancakes with honey and strawberries with hot cocoa to accompany it.

I tried to control myself but my stomach spoke louder and I ended up taking three gulps of the hot cocoa and eating all the strawberries.

They were too good for a monster like the mayor.

But that was a long time ago and now my stomach is complaining again.

Three Police cars pass in front of me at full speed and none of them seem to have noticed me here.

The Shadows were always my best friends.

But then, the door of the restaurant opens and a guy walks out of it with a trash bag.

I embrace my legs with the bag on my stomach and put my head Over my arms.