I looked into her big, beautiful brown eyes, they seemed to be lost. Her face looked very strange and different, yet, she was MY reflection. Tearing my face away from the mirror, I set out to work.
Work to me was pick-pocketing and petty thefts. Being just 15 years old did not matter, in fact it came as an advantage, I looked sweet and innocent, just the way people would trust. I was a professional, the only flaw that I had was a tender heart, but for this profession you need a steady hand and a steady heart. You possibly cannot have pity or emotions coming in between you and your prey. At times, I failed to do so. Probably this was the only humanity left in me but I wanted to get rid of it too. I wanted a rock, not a heart, wanted to be merciless, a mercenary and a person cold towards emotions. Love is a weakness, relations make you weaker – this was my motto. I believed in being tough, only the tough survived. Some Darwin chap had said the same, right? I had heard it when standing outside the school, my favourite spot, crowded while I was the wolf among those lambs. I chuckled to myself. I walked through the dirty, small lanes of this big city… the big city and small hearts.
I nibbled into a biscuit for breakfast. Today was going to be a busy day, they had the fete today. Fete was a synonym for money. I stood up from my last night’s abode, a pile of trash in the bin liner, they make comfortable beds… it was a luxury which I didn’t get every night. I put on my ‘cap’ if that is what you call rags that can cover your head. I wiped my hands to the worn out pair of jeans I wore, a kind lady had once given me three years ago, and luckily I never had enough to grow fat. They always fit me comfortably. My matted hair were short, people were very generous when it came to throwing away blades.
Walking down the street I saw just the kind of person I needed. She was an innocent beauty. I too put on an angelic smile and made my way towards her. When I say she was an innocent beauty, she WAS an innocent beauty. Her age could not be determined. She had the blush of an Italian landscape, her lips were as pink as the colours of dawn and her eyes were hazel, oozing warmth and confidence. She had soft features and looked as gentle as a lamb. But I saw greater beauty in her shopping bag… how naïve of her to let her plump wallet be on the top. The wallet beckoned me, it was appealing to me asking me to come and take it. It needed me, but more importantly, I needed it.
“I am so very sorry, it is my mistake, I should have seen where I was walking,” I said as all her shopping bags dropped on the foot path. I instantaneously bent down to help her pick her things.
“It is okay,” she replied, “It happens at times.”
She pulled back her auburn hair. She looked even prettier from the close range, but something else had all my attention. Opportunity was banging at my door! Skilful as I was, I whisked away the wallet from the ground in a wink. Its journey started from the ground to the warmth and safety of my pocket. Wallets should be treated with some respect in pockets or purses, not left lying on the top of any hopping bags!!!
I held up the bags for her, still smiling brilliantly at her. She thanked me and took the bags. Our ways parted, never to meet again.
How wrong I was!
An arm pinned me against the wall. I shuddered and raised my arms in front of my face in defence. Shit! I was caught! Red handed! I squirmed, trying to get away, but I was over-powered.
“Got anything, gal?” asked a rough menacing voice. Hey! This wasn’t the police, I knew the voice! I peeped at the tall figure against me. BIG AL! Big Al was the mean gang leader of ‘The Ruffian Rascals’. He was big and burly, hatred pouring out from each and every pore of the body. He collected revenue for all those who did their ‘jobs’ in his ‘territory’. He was so huge that he was enough to block the complete view of everything around me, there was no escape.
