The London Case

Chapter 2 - Welcome to New York

June 5th 2018

Dad would spend all the money we had on beer and junk food. He'd sit in his chair all day watching football or rugby and if his team loss he'd punish me. The amount of black eyes and cuts I had received over the last 23 days was unreal. When we ran out of alcohol my dad would give my $20 and send me to a store down the road to get more. Baring in mind I was 11 and looked about 8. I couldn't buy bloody beer. Whenever I tried to explain to dad I was to young and I couldn't get any he would flip. Tables would be over turned, bottled were frown across the room, shelves were broken. Then he would charge out the flat and only return later that night with a box of beer and wildly drunk. He always forgot to take the $20 off me so I could start saving. I would go out secretly and buy food because dad ate it all and buy other stuff like a small folder packed with pencil crayons, paints and more. It cost $15 all together but it was definitely worth it. Now I could draw to cheer me up. At night I would sit on the windowsill above my bed and draw the moon and stars. This made me so much happier then I was before.
Eventually I think dad noticed I had kept the money he had given me every now and then because he stoped after a few weeks.
Now I didn't have money to buy food for us ,and I knew if I asked I'd get a whooping for it, so I just had to turn to the extreme side of things.

"If you hand over the cash and don't make to much of a scene... I might promise to not kill you."
Yep. Eleven and robbing small shops just to feed myself for the week.
"Okay! Okay! Hang on!" The dude had his hands up in the air cowering, "here... here!" He handed me a wad off cash. There was at least $80 there. I looked around and pointed to a monster energy drink.
"Give me that to."
"Yes... yes... okay." They said slowly walking over to the shelf.
"Come on! Faster!" I raised my pocket knife and the dude sped down the isle grabbing a can and rolling it to me. "Lovely! Thank you. Have a nice day" I beamed and strolled out the doors making my hasty get away.
After about 5 or so minutes of running from the cops and changing my clothes I became a complete innocent twelve year old. The police wouldn't suspect me at all. Well maybe a little... but oh well, that's what makes it fun. I had been in America for about a month and I had already broken about 5 laws. That made me quite proud of my self to be honest. People normally get settle in first, you know get a decent apartment, car, lover, you get the idea. Well I had non of that. And already had the police on my tail and something else that I didn't know about right at that moment.
I did this for another couple months before one night where I was frown off of corse by a tall, fucking ancient, blondie in spandex...
It was 11 at night and I was hidden down a back ally preparing to rob another store when I felt a hand pat my shoulder.
"Hey kid! Your really need to reconsider what you're about to do. Hey?" He said. I sighed and spun round removing my bandana. I was going to say something like... "why would I do that?" or "what are you going to do about it?" But what is saw completely redirect my thoughts,
"What the fuck is that? Fucking spandex?" I scoffed, this dick looked like a bloody blue whale with a blue cricket gear on. I was almost on the floor laughing at him.
"What!? No! That's not the point!" His face contorted into a angry nose scrunch,"The point is that you shouldn't be out here at this time, alone and about to rob a store!"
It went quiet.
"Why are you shouting?" I whispered.
The man took a slight breath.
"Huh- sorry. Umm... that's not the point you sho-"
"Okay! Okay! You don't have to repeat yourself again, I definitely herd you the first time. In fact I think the whole street heard you."
He had a stern look on his face and was looking down at me. He was just below 2 feet higher than me, it didn't faze me though. It never has.
"Look you just need to think about what you are doing." He said.
"Okay!" I chirped and waited a few seconds, "Thought about it! Errr-no thanks I think I will be better off with the money."
"Look you need to know that we are watching you-"
"Oh lovely!"
"Let me finish-"
"Okay!"
He sighed.
"Are you always like this!"
"Yes!"
He sighed again.
"We have eyes on you-"
I went to say something but he stoped me.
"Shush! If you keep robbing stores we will be forced to take you in!"
"In where?! Jail!"
"Not quite."
"Whatever blondie!"
"I'm not messing about kid! You will be arrested and will be taken in for questioning! Do you understand?!"
"Okay! Yeah I get it." I was growing bored now and started to stumble about on my tip toes like an immature toddler.
"Good! Umm... okay then."
"Bye!"
"Yeah. Err bye."
This strange looking blondie in spandex was stood awkwardly so I just walked off. Like I was going to listen to a random guy in a run down ally way. Hell no! I just walked round the corner and waited 20 minutes and robbed the other store close by.
I waited a couple of days after that to see if what the stupid man in spandex said was actually true or just bullshit. It obviously was because nothing ever happened. I waited a few more weeks till the money ran out.
I got at least $100 from each shop and I would but half In a money box in one of the floorboard that was rotting. I would use the rest and spend it on food and clothes (seen as I was dragging out of my dorm with hardly enough time to grab any of my stuff). I saved up for this A5 art book full of plane paper for me to draw on. It was also hidden in the floor with my money box and the small pouch of pencils and crayons I bought when we first came here.
Anyway, a couple of weeks had passed now and I had $7.56 left and new that if I wanted to eat in the next week I would have to find another store to rob. I was getting ready whe-
"Elizabeth!!" Dad belated from my door.
He came tumbling in rocking side to side and clutching the door frame for stability.
"You! You little shit... Go! Go and get me some more beer we're out!!" He commanded stumbling towards me pointing his finger in my face.
"Okay... any preferences?" I asked.
"The alcoholic kind!"
I couldn't help but laugh. He is so fucking stupid.
"Shut up you bitch!" He said.
"Oh how lovely. Now how exactly do I pay for it, and how exactly am I supposed to get it? I am 12 you know and I look like I'm 9!"
"Oh just figured it out" He said spinning round. His arms draped down by his sides and he spat all over me.
"M-Kay. Yep thanks for that." I said, wiping the specs off my glasses.
"Just get me the fucking beer!" He exclaimed just inches from my face.
"Fine! I'll figure it out."
"Good..."
He gave me a creepy smile whilst wobbling out my room almost falling on every step.
I stood staring at the floor just trying to process what just happened and smiled to my self.
"Hurry UP!!" Dad shouted from the kitchen.
I laughed at home and grabbed my jacket and went.
It was 1:36in the afternoon and I took the subway to downtown New York.

I was thinking of what to do when I remembered he hadn't given my any money. I only had the $7.56 in my pocket left from the last shop I robbed. I guess I will have to use that. I kept wondering round the streets and went to a dodgy shop down a back ally. I couldn't be arsed to rob another store right now. I thought a dodgy back store would let a "nine" year old but a 4 pack, right?
I went in grabbed a 4 pack of Budweiser and went up to the cashier. He looked my up and down and scanned it. Going good so far.
"Seven dollars." He spat, leaning over the counter.
I peered towards a pack of M&Ms on a rack next to me. They were 50p so I grabbed them as well.
"And this to please."
He scanned them.
"Seven dollars... fifty pence." He said in a grim, horrid voice.
I placed my cash on the counter grabbed the 4 pack and M&Ms and headed out.

How the fuck did I get away with that?!
What the fuck?!?!
I look fucking 9!!
Lol.
I went back to my dad and his dodgy apartment with my 6 pence left in my pocket.