The Silent Thief

I

I

           Catch that thief!!!

As I ran across the cobble stone streets of Spain, I heard the rich lord's cries grow fainter and fainter. I started to slow down thinking the authorities were far off.

It was a regular busy day. Peasants lined the streets here and there, and rich lords and ladies rode through the town in their carriages. I held onto my bag of diamonds tightly. Suddenly I heard a cry, "There he is! Somebody catch that thief!" I turned and saw at least twenty men running after me. The fat lord I had robbed sat atop his stallion desperately trying to keep me in his sights. I flipped over one of the many carriages, landed, and continued to run. The lady inside screamed, "Who dares-?" but was cut off by the twenty men and the fat lord when they collided.  I laughed, diving and maneuvering my way through the crowds of people. "Stop!"

I was almost stabbed as a tall man swung his sword in front of me. He must've caught up with me somehow. Immediately I smacked his arm making his sword fall to the ground. "Why thank you, kind sir," I said as I snatched the sword up and continued running. Up ahead the road came to an open square. The twenty authorities were blocking my path, making a barricade. Other armed men were running after me. I studied the square and just as the commander cried, "Kill him!" a carriage conveniently passed by. I threw the sword as a distraction and leapt atop the carriage, making my way jumping to the next and the next. I could almost see the lord's shocked face. Finally, I jumped onto a roof hearing the many complaints and cries coming from inside the carriages. Then I escaped.

*******

        "Have you got the supplies lad?" the man asked me.

I dropped the bag of diamonds onto the wooden table. The old sailor's eyes grew wide as he opened and examined his jewels.

"And mine?" I asked deepening my voice. The old sailor, who was my employer for the day, looked up at me.

"Your voice sounds funny lad. You alright?" I could tell he was stalling.

"Where's my payment?" I asked more loudly. He nodded at his men behind me and immediately they had their nasty hands around my arms and neck.

"You see, my lad, we made a deal that I would receive 'em diamonds here, and as for you," he looked me up and down, "now, nobody trusts a masked man."

"You dirty, scrawny-!" I was slapped across the face.

"Now now, don't get pricky with me boy."

If I didn't have a mask on, I would've spat in his ugly face. Instead I planned my revenge. "Take him out and beat him. Then," the old man scowled before completing his sentence, "you know what to do." I made my move, kicking back hitting the man on my left in the groin. He loosened on his grip and fell to his knees. I swung my fist hitting the man to my right across his cheek. As for the old man, he ran for his life; but of course I couldn't let that happen. He had my gold. I slipped into the shadows of the old ship.

The old sailor ran up the stairs onto the deck of his fairly large ship. Then in a flash he was knocked over. His diamonds clattered to the floor. He lay there unconscious. The other sailors started to notice and ran towards me. I didn't have time to fight them now. The sun was setting and I needed my promised gold. Quickly, I searched his smelly body. After almost passing out from his stench, I finally found it, my bag of gold. A sailor reached me but I swept my leg across the floor and he fell on his rump.

"As for this," I said snatching up the diamonds, "you were ungrateful for it anyway." I jumped onto the railing just as thirty sailors pointed their swords at me. Then I fell backward with an amused smirk on my face. I dove into the cold water and swam towards a large pipe inside the harbor.

*******

        An hour later I snuck into my room, which was on the third floor of a small building, five miles from the center of town. I put down my bread that I had bought and hid my gold and diamonds under a hidden floor board. I sighed. In the distance the sun went below the horizon completely. Soon, the moon's light would sparkle across the sea in the East. I stepped out of my apartment with the bread in my hand.

The door to a poor peasant's house opened an hour later. The old woman stood there frail as always.

"This is what I could buy you today," I said handing her the piece of bread.

She took it into her bony hands. "Thank you so much. You are my savior again," she replied with a thick Spanish accent. I stayed in the shadows of the night making sure she didn't see me.

"There is only one Savior, my lady." And with that last reply, I disappeared into the night.

Climbing back into my room I began to undress. With my key that I kept under my shirt at all times, I unlocked my mask. The latch turned and the mask slipped off my head. In the mirror I caught a glimpse of myself. My long hair tumbled down my shoulders. My name is Grace. I am a thief.

*******

So what do you think? She's a girl! Please comment on what you think of my first chapter and you are welcome to go and read my other book called Champions: Flame. Same request as my other book: Please comment. If you do then I will post the next chapter. I just want to know if any one is reading it. Thanks. And on the right is a picture of Grace's mask and hood. The hoodie is obviously from this century so just imagine it's a 17th century hood.:)