The Thief

4. I Call It Borrowing

Asher

The house is quiet as I close my bedroom door. I tiptoe down the hallway, holding my breath.

"Asher?" I hear behind me.

I spin around. "Shh Will," I crouch down next to the little boy. "What are you doing up?"

"I was cold," Will looks up at me. "He took the blankets again."

"Did he take anything else?" I ask.

He nods. "All of Katie's dolls and my bear."

"Okay." I pull him into my arms. "I'll be right back okay. I want you to go get the blankets from my room and use them, okay? Give Katie some too and make sure you're real quiet." I glance at Todd's door.

Will nods and I stand. I pat his head and leave the hallway and the house.

It takes me five minutes to get to the store. I park a block away and throw my hood up. My head stays down as I approach the door. The lock is easy to pick and no alarm sounds as I enter the dark place.

I grab some blankets, pillows, and a few stuffed animals and toys. I'm about to leave when a guilty feeling takes over me. It's not like I'm stealing major things here, I'm just borrowing them for a while. No one will miss a blanket.

Despite my thoughts I pull a five out of my pocket and toss it on the store counter. It doesn't cover what I took, but it eases my conscience a little. I run to my car and toss the items in.

I drive the deserted streets back to the house, but don't go in. From out here it looks peaceful, like a happy little family is sleeping inside, but that's not the case. Two orphan twins are shivering in their beds dreaming of what horrors tomorrow will be, a foster mom sleeps soundly only from the exhaustion her work brings, and a drunk is passed out next to her, feeding off her like a leech.

And then there's me. The troubled foster kid who steals, and lies, and fails to fix this.

I sigh and shove the stolen items into a backpack and go into the house. I tiptoe once again through the hall.

"What are you doing?" a coarse voice asks.

I turn around slowly. "I just had to go to the bathroom."

"With a backpack on?" Todd takes a step closer and I flinch. He sneers. "You know boy, you're lucky I tolerate your crap. Now, I'm going to pretend I never saw what's going on here and whatever's going on here is never going to happen again, is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

He grins again then jerks toward me. I flinch again. "Haha! Don't be so tense, boy." He enters his bedroom once more and I count thirty seconds before I breath again.

I go to the twins room, drape the blankets over them, and leave the toys on the nightstand. Then I go to my room and lock the door.

I'm surprised Todd hasn't taken the lock off yet. Hopefully he never will.

I collapse on the bed, not bothering to change. Sleep comes quicker than I thought, but so does morning.

I get up early and help the twins get ready as usual. Emily has already gone to work but she knows I will help out. Thankfully Todd is still out cold. Once the twins are dressed, I make them a glorious breakfast of cereal and we head out the door.

I drop them off at their school then head to mine. For once I'm not going to be late. The day goes as usual, pointless classes with pointless things that I'm never going to use in my life. I think about leaving but I don't have anywhere to go, especially not after Jalen.

The last bell rings and I quickly gather my stuff and make my way to the parking lot. I don't drive home, instead wandering around town. I pass a cop and he immediately pulls me over.

"Do you know why I pulled you over?" he asks giving me back my license and registration, classic cop line.

"Honestly no," I say.

"A car much like this one was parked not too far from a crime scene last night."

"A crime scene?" I ask.

"A robbery. You also happen to look the same as the guy caught on camera."

"My lucky day."

"Do you have an alibi for where you were last night?"

"Sleeping, in my bed."

"Can anyone confirm that?" the cop puts his hands on his hips as if he knows the answer.

"My foster family was asleep too." I lean back in the seat.

"Foster family?" I should not have said that. "Alright well, Ashere right?" I nod. "Asher I'm going to have to take you down to the station for some more questioning, so if you'll please step out of the car.

I get out and he cuffs me. I can't believe this.

"These are just a precaution." He leads me to his police car and loads me into the back.