And The Wish...

And the Wish Travels

"Closing time!" I hear the Town's Crier call out in the darkening sky. "It's closing time for all shops!" He rushes away just before the large crowd make their way to the inn. This was routine every night and everyday. The Crier says the same thing too. Then people stuff themselves in one vast room, drinking to their hearts content.

Or until they faint.

I finish folding the shirt on the first floor of Mrs. Johnson's shop. I slow down as I put away the shirt and sigh to myself. I walk as slow as a snail and make my way to the cash register. Another day done, now I just need to count the gold and record it. I look inside the box and sigh. This will be a long night.

Even though it's exhausting, I'm overjoyed by the amount, even a fabled dragon would attempt to swoop down and take it. Of course I'm lying, it's not that big.

But even with a handful I'd be set on my way to Oakfield.

Luckily this day is the day when Mrs. Johnson set out my designs.

"Mrs. J," I all out over my shoulder. "We've made quite a bit of gold. Should I take my part now?"

There's no reply and I look over at the sofa which was where she had been last.

And there she was, sleeping on the sofa, still holding her cup of tea.

I quietly walk to where she is, gently picking up the teacup and placing it in her coffee table. I smile as I place a sheet on top of her and whisper goodnight.

"I'll return soon," I tell her before going back and taking a small amount of gold from the box and drop it into my pouch. I give her the rest of the gold I don't need from my share and now I have... 20,974 gold.

That should enough, right?

Probably.

But I can't worry about this now, I have to leave before Mr. Johnson is relieved from guard duty. He'll be back anytime now and I'll have a hard time explaining to him what I was doing, sneaking around like thief. And if he told his wife, I don't know if I would be able to leave again.

Okay. Just open the door just a bit, Sparrow, and quietly, very, very quietly. I got this, number one spy right here! Or not, considering the fact that I FELL on the freakin' door, pushing it wide open, creaking so loudly that Lance could hear from the camp. I can't believe myself!

Alert, I glance back in the house and feel relief when I see that Mrs. J is still sound asleep. Thank goodness my luck wasn't so bad tonight.

Now out of the house, I slip through shadows into Bowerstone Old Town. It took like half an hour surprisingly, the villagers said it'd be about one. No matter, that just saves me more time. Like I said, my luck's not all that bad right now. I thought that I'd somehow end up back at the house, as if it were a maze instead of a district.

"Oh! It's you!" a man says excitedly from Bowerstone Old Town's exit. I freeze right where I am, as if I were a criminal caught red-handed. It's a guard, or well, a sheriff, that's walking toward me. Out of all the people, it had to be a sherif.

This is where my luck slaps me across the face, isn't it?

"Hey, I know you!" Shit! I'm doomed! "It's good to see you, Sparrow! Where've ya been all these years?"

Wait.

What?

"Um... Hello there, sheriff, um..." I hesitate, would he throw me in jail for not knowing his name?

"Ya don't recognize me?"

"Sorry, I don't."

"I'm the guard with the flyaway warrants all those years ago!"

My eyes widen in rememberence. I mean, who can blame me? I was blind when I was a child! And I noticed that all the guards look the same, it's creepy. I guess they're hand-picked so they look alike. Square face, brown hair, same facial structure, even body structure. The weirdest is their voices, practically the same. I think the only thing different about them are their names and position.

Maybe they're all related!

"I would like to thank you for making me sheriff," he says after awhile.

"How did I do that?"

"Those warrants, of course! I managed to put those crooks away thanks to you." He gives me a toothy grin. "And as you are the friend of the sheriff,"

He likes saying that word too much.

"All the shops in Bowerstone will give ya a discount on all items." He looks around me as if looking for someone. "And that discount extends to your sister as well, if she appears in town."

My sister is dead.

"I'm sure she would appreciate that very much, sheriff," I say in a monotonous voice, managing to smile a bit.

"I'm glad that she will. Maybe us three can go have some dinner together. You guys have always been my favorite rascals, after all."

"Will do," my voice cracks as I give a bigger, faker smile than before.

Please drop this.

Please leave me alone.

"Are you heading out?"

Thank goodness.

"Actually I'm visiting a friend in Oakfield," I tell him, brightening up.

"Didn't you know the Bowertone bridge is destroyed?"

"Just now?" I inquire.

"For past couple of weeks, actually," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why?"

"Bandit activity."

"Didn't you also block the other exit because of Thag?"

"Yes...." He perks up. "But some brave soul defeated him!"

"But that was just awhile ago, though."

No wonder everyone in the market was clamoring to talk about the latest news. They probably haven't seen a single traveler since I killed the bandit.

"He's still dead, and one of the ways are open, us guards have been celebrating."

"That you didn't get up your lazy arses and didn't have enough courage?" I pause, thinking that I too harsh, but then again I was pissed off that they couldn't even protect their people. "You call yourself a sheriff too. I thought that you would be a fantastic guard when I was little." I sigh, pushing past him. "Guess I was wrong, huh?" I stride over to the arch that marked the end of the city and frown, leaving the place behind.

I've always been wrong about people.