The Hallway Was Silent

A Thief

The hallway was silent. There he stood, alone in the darkness. The boy could back out now and maybe build himself a life. But how could he live without his little sister? She was his only family, the only one he loved. He knew it was wrong, but how could it be? The rich man who owns this house has millions to spare, when he had nothing. He and the rich man had years to live, when she has only days.

He walked into the rich man's bathroom; he searched for valuables, jewelry, and anything he could sell. He shoved his newly found riches into his pockets. The bathroom was nicely decorated with silk curtains and soft rugs. Everything rested in a peaceful cream color. He pushed away any guilt he felt with the picture of his sister in that terribly lonely hospital bed.

He moved on to the bedroom, where he snooped through dressers and drawers. The bed was made perfectly, he almost wanted to plunge into it and sleep a dreamless sleep. The young man's pockets had begun to look full, but he couldn't stop, he could never see the end of his sister's life, he could never watch her leave. The thought of her recovery and her becoming that once lively person made him greedier for money.

He went to the kitchen, this time not thinking of worth, but anything he could carry. Pots, pans, china, silverware, and old looking wine bottles. When he realized how much he held he slumped inside, and silently prayed that this would be enough.

He was just about to leave when he heard something. The faint creak of the floor, he stopped to make sure what he heard was actually there. Silence swept over the house, as it did before. "It's nothing." He tried to reassure himself. But he heard it again, this time louder. Before he could do anything he knew, that he wasn't alone. The footsteps grew louder, he was so afraid, frozen by fear. He mentally slapped himself, asking, begging for his feet to move.

His heartbeat could be heard in his ears, a million worries escaped him. He couldn't go to jail and leave her alone, she had no one else. He regretted everything; he wished he had never set foot in the house, he wished he could've tried for a loan, or found a good job. Stealing the man's riches wouldn't make her free, it wouldn't make things right.

Finally he snapped out of it. He ran, he ran out of the bedroom. But before he could escape, he ran into a man. All of what he was going to steal fell to the ground, the china shattered, the wine bottles broke spilling everywhere. The man stood up cursing him. He was very well dressed, like he had stepped out from a television show.

The man told him to stay put, all the boy could do was obey, strongly disappointed in himself, and ashamed in what he had done.

"Will she be ashamed of me too? Or will she be pleased with my intentions?" He asked himself.

Soon, flashing lights of blue and red were right outside. All he could think when the cops poured in was;

"This wasn't how it was supposed to happen."