Lightning without Thunder

Page of Swords

As I walk through the dark streets, I check my phone. It is nearly midnight, and the streets are deserted.

Instead of wearing my signature green hoodie and black skirt, I am wearing a black sheet I converted into a large cape over my black long sleeved shirt. My skirt and stockings were swapped for long black trousers. My white scarf, which serves as a makeshift mask, is the only remaining non-black clothing item.

I pause in front of the bank and look around. The three way junction is completely empty. No people or cars are in sight except for the two car wrecks, still stacked on top of each other in the middle of the road.

I take my phone out of my pocket and start recording. I stare at the camera with sparkling eyes.

"Hello, lovely followers. Today, I will show you how to rob a bank. Some people might believe that robbing a bank is unethical. Allow me to shatter this illusion. During the 2008 banking crisis, every government around the world bailed out banks. On average, this has cost every taxpayer eleven thousand dollars. And yet, the executives and upper management continue to take unnecessary risks and award themselves big bonuses. Gambling with their customers money. So, if anything, I am not stealing. I am simply reclaiming what is mine. What is ours!"

I walk up to the front door and smile at the camera, fully aware that my face is too obscured for my smile to be visible. "First, I will use telekinesis to pick this lock. You guys at home might not have these kinds of superpowers, but rest assured, lockpicking is possible by hand. Picking a lock is a skill that can be learned in a few days, and there are numerous instructional videos available online."

I place my hand on top of the large lock and sense a few metal bits and bobs inside, but I don't seem to get a clear picture. The lock appears to be made from a non-magnetic metal.

"Okay, it looks like the lock is not made of iron or steel." I inform my viewers. "So my powers lack the finesse to actually twist the lock's core. Don't be alarmed, however. I do have a backup plan."

I position my phone on a nearby bench and line it up so the camera is aimed at the door. I walk back, press both hands against the lock, and blast it with all my might. The door shakes slightly but remains firmly closed.

I curse and pick up my phone. I take a deep breath and try to maintain a steady voice as I speak to the camera. "If the backup plan doesn't work either, sometimes a girl has to improvise."

I walk back to the car wreck. Fortunately, automobiles are mostly made of iron. With ease, I levitate the wreck and command it to strike the door.

The car crashes into the front gate, shattering the dark wood and part of the wall into pieces.

"You see," I tell the audience. "When in doubt, use force. If it breaks, it was broken anyway."

I eagerly jump through the massive hole into the bank.

The inside of the bank is dark and empty, except for a periodically flashing red light. I decide to ignore it, as I have no time to lose. I still remember the route to the vault, and I run through the bank as fast as I can.

After picking up the lock on the next door, I find myself in front of the bank vault. Fortunately, unlike the front door, the vault and its mechanics are all made of hardened steel.

I make sure to aim my phone's camera at the vault, giving my audience a great view.

I focus on the cogs and gears inside the lock and twist them. To my satisfaction, the vault clicks right open. I take a deep breath as I savour the moment and look right into the camera.

"This is how you rob a bank."

I expected the inside of the vault to be filled with stacks of gold, money, or valuables, but nothing is less true. No, all I see is a wall with safety deposit boxes.