Tarzan

Chapter 4 - 3:30 @ the department store

Chapter 4

3:30 @ the department store

I arrived to school the next day and immediately searched for Tiff. When I found her I asked her about Jonathan and his sidekicks. "I've seen them a few times." She said "They seem to be pretty quiet. Scary looking buggers though aren't they." "Yeah" I said absentmindedly "just a little bit."

"Oi, Pan!" Someone shouted in the lunch room right as everyone was halfway through eating and/or socializing. I didn't look up, I thought that the shouter was referring to a different person, but I did look up when a shadow crossed my food "Hello again, Pan." Jonathan said, I realized he was referring to the joke from the previous evening "Captain." I said, not wanting to engage in any conflict by using his actual name "Gentlemen." I said to the twins, "What can I do for you?" I asked and Jonathan said "We're meeting downtown by the department store at 3:30. Be there." The trio left after they gave me this information and Tiff arrived moments later. "What was that about?" she asked but I just said it was nothing to worry about, "Just a good natured chat."

"Hello again." I said when I spotted the three men standing outside the department store at 3:30 "Looking very menacing if I do say so myself." I said and smiled to say that it was a joke "Very funny." Jonathan said, his thick Welsh accent making his words sound slightly angered. "So" I said "why am I here?" "To see if you're actually good at what you do." One of the twins said, it was DJ I think. "And what is it exactly that I do?" I asked and all three chuckled "You're light and you're fast" Jonathan said "I won't say anymore on the matter." And with that he jumped onto a ledge and hoisted himself onto the roof of the building next to the department store. DJ and Wes followed and I hesitated before going after them. "Lovely view." I commented when I got there "It's not the view we care about." Wes said and continued to follow his twin and Jonathan as they jumped from the first roof to the roof of the department store. How do they not get caught on a daily basis? I thought before taking a leap and landing next to DJ.

"What now?" I asked and Jonathan smirked at me. "Wes," he said, still looking at me but directing his order towards the twin, "open the latch." Upon the command, Wes went over to a trap door in the roof and pulled it open. "Where does that go?" I said warily "That, leads to the ceiling of the storeroom of the Apple store." Jonathan said and I started to piece the puzzle together. "Are...are you stealing?" "'Course." The twins said in unison before jumping into the trapdoor. "C'mon, Pan. Where's your sense if adventure? You won't get caught, we never do." Jonathan said before jumping in after his henchman. I struggled with decisions, "Fuck it." I said to myself and jumped in. "Good man, Pan." Jonathan said and clapped me on the shoulder when I landed onto the wood. Wes and DJ lowered themselves into the storeroom through a hole and found themselves surrounded by cardboard boxes...cardboard boxes filled to the brim with iPhones. "What colour?" Jonathan asked me with a smile. I felt something stir in my stomach, recklessness swirled through my body and I found myself smiling back at Cap. "White." I said firmly and he instructed the twins. "Two white and two black, lads." He said and they nodded, grabbing four rectangular boxes and pulling themselves up to meet me and the Cap. Jonathan slipped the boxes into his black backpack and all four of us returned to the roof and jumped onto the next one. "So, Pan" Cap said to me "how's it feel to have a new phone?" "To be honest, Cap. It feels amazing. I've never felt lighter in my life." I said and the twins both smiled and clapped me on the back "You passed the test, Pan." They said. "Actually" I said "I prefer Tarzan." "Alright then" Cap said and looked at the twins, "Tarzan, welcome to the gang." All three of them grinned at me and I ginned back. Only a little part of my mind realized that I was now a criminal, but I shoved it out of the way as me and the others soared from roof to roof. I felt free and like I could fly. And I had a new phone to boot.

"Good day?" Dad asked me when I entered the house. "Great day!" I said and smiled at him, I could feel the iPhone box in my backpack and my smile widened. I gave mum a greeting kiss on the cheek before heading to my room. I activated my new phone and entered DJ's, Wes', and the Cap's numbers in as my top contacts, then Tiff in after them. I leaned back at my desk and smiled. That little part of my brain that new the wrong I had done tried to get my attention but I ignored it. It's not like we got caught or anything.

Tarzan the trouble maker!

Comment if you have feedback and/or suggestions for the story. I'm always listening :)

- Jo