The Master Theif

Chapter 2. The First Heist

Three years ago

Jackson heard a loud siren behind him. He was sweating, shivering, and running. The running wouldn't be a problem except he had a fifty-pound backpack on full of money. The siren was the bank he had just robbed.

This was his first robbery, and to his surprise, he had liked it thus far. Even though he was tired and scared he felt free, alive and he loved it. Freedom was Jackson's favorite thing he decided that day and until that day he had never really experienced it.

Earlier that year he had run away from the orphanage he had been placed in since birth. Once he ran away he begged on the streets for a few months. He got sick of being treated like garbage and decided to take manners into his own hands. That is what brought him to this moment.

He started to feel his lungs burn and knew he couldn't go on much longer. He sprinted with the last of his energy to some hills covered in trees. He found a big one and sat behind it. He gasped repeatedly. He tore off the mask he was wearing and held it in his hand. It was a blue skeleton with a hole in one eye and the other held some glass.

He had swiped it from the orphanage when he left as well as a green jacket, so he could keep warm. As he sat he realized how cold it was. It had been raining but not hard. He enjoyed the temperature at first but then got too cold and his thin jacket wasn't enough anymore. I need to find somewhere to sleep, he thought.

That was the last of his problems however, for even though he didn't know it yet he was being watched.

                                                                                  ................

Present day

Damp, dirty, and dark. These are unpleasant words for most especially if it described their living space. Jackson however, didn't mind, and this was a good thing because that would be three of the best words to describe the old shack he lived in.

He walked into his humble abode that night carrying three things, the typewriter, his money, and the moon colored fur cat he had trapped in box. He had done this so it would make enough noise in its escape to create a distraction. It had been a gamble but turned out to be a success.

The reason he had brought the cat home was beyond him, but he felt an odd attachment to the cat, and loneliness was not fun for anyone.

He opened a can of tuna and set it down to the creature. He had a name for it ever since he placed her in the box. "Luna," he said with a smile. He scratched her as he looked around his living arrangement.

He didn't have many possessions and of the ones he did have most were necessary for survival. However, he did have some things he could live without. This list consisted of an iPhone, a battery powered radio, his staff, a laptop, and a chrome book.

He walked over so his radio and turned it on. He loved music. He bobbed his head to the beat and walked over to a post that supported the roof over his head. He then began to punch it, hard. Splinters dug into his scraped knuckles. He felt the pain but ignored it. He had done this so many times he almost wouldn't have felt it even if he wasn't trying. This was his time to think, think about his progression, his regrets, his past.

                                                                                ..............

Three years ago

"Hello?" said an annoyed voice for behind Jackson.

"Bwaaaa!" He said as he jumped up. He looked at her. She was a blonde girl with brown eyes that glistened, but the expression on her face was both annoyed and confused which reminded him he wasn't supposed to be there.

"Who are you, and what are you doing leaning on my tree?" Asked the girl.

He didn't know what to do so he just slid on his mask and, ran away from the strange girl. He was still a little tired but much better than earlier. He turned to look behind him. What he saw surprised him however, it was the girl following him.

"That's it? You slide on a mask and think you are off the hook? No, you got it wrong, you are going to tell me what you were doing at my tree." She said.

Her tree, he thought. What was all this nonsense about her tree?

                                                                                   ...............

Present day

Hours went by and he continued to punch the post, he started trying to think of the pain more and more as his past grew more painful then any physical pain he could endure. He stopped and started crying.

"Tomorrow," he said. "One whole year how did it pass to quickly?" He cried harder.

Snap out of it he thought, there is nothing you can do now so think about something else. As he did this he realized how hungry he was. He pulled out a wad of cash he had stolen from the cash register last night and headed for the store.

He ran outside it was around 8:00 am so it was a bit chilly. He shivered a little and ran quicker. The store was about a mile away.

When he finally got there he picked up several bottles of water, celery, an apple, and a sandwich from the deli on the West side of the store.

As he headed home he munched on the celery, thinking about the trip he was going to take tomorrow. Long it would be, but he needed to.

Get control of your self,  he said as he started to think back again.

                 ...........

Three years ago

"What's that on you're back?" the girl yelled.

What is wrong with her Jackson thought, he was almost out of breath again, and she was starting to catch up.

He looked behind him again and to his delight saw no sign of the odd girl.

He looked back front and saw her right there. He tried to stop but, it only made him stumble. Right before he ran into her she stepped out of the way.

He continued to stumble however and even worse there was a large rock right behind the girl. He kicked it hard and flew through the air and then face planted into the rocky terrain. He tasted blood and felt a large rip in his bottom lip.

He felt sharp finger nails dig into his head. They pinched and pulled off his mask.

He looked up and saw her, she had a smirk on her face at first but her expression changed to almost a surprised look when she saw his face.

"What?" Jackson said annoyed, this girl chased him down just to take off his mask and stand there awkwardly.

"Um..." She mumbled, "I'm Lilian."

"Oh and I don't care." He said said harshly. "Now give me my mask back."

"What," she looked down and saw the mask. "Oh sorry," she said as she gave it back.

"Thanks," he said surprised how easy that was.

"Before you go can you at least tell me what you were doing at my tree?" She asked as he started to stand up.

Worried she would chase him again if he didn't tell he said,"I didn't know it was your tree I just was running and needed a break and your tree looked like a good stop."

"Oh, I feel really stupid now."

"It's fine. Well bye." He said started to walk away.

"Bye."

Jackson felt relieved that that whole charade was over. In fact he felt a great weight off his shoulders. But it was more than her leaving that made his shoulders lighter. It was the lack of back pack on it that was different.

As Jackson noticed his backpack was gone, he turned around and saw Lilian disappear into trees with his backpack.