the Secret Life of Damien Carmichael

6. the Heist

Damien was desperate for a drink.

The hours since his meeting with Principal Updike had only cemented this fact for him. His stomach had barely stopped churning for more than a few moments since.

He groaned when he heard his phone buzz on the bedside table. He didn't really have the strength in him to deal with it, but he knew it would be Carrie, and if he decided to ignore her, it would only force her to come to him in person.

Sighing Damien pulled his phone off the bedside table, and unlocked it:

Carrie: Guess who's got a key to solve our alcohol problem? ;)

Damien sat up suddenly, feeling excited for the first time in days: Really?

He didn't dare get his hopes up, yet the prospect that he might actually be able to get a drink was too enticing. She wouldn't be cruel enough to joke about something like this would she?

Carrie: Would I ever lie to you?

Damien considered this. He certainly didn't have any reason to think so, at least, she hadn't thus far. But he supposed there was always a first time for everything. He was just in the middle of texting this to her when his phone buzzed again.

Carrie: Meet me in the atrium at 9:30 in that little alcove behind the stairs.

Damien stared at the clock on his phone with a frown. 7PM, it was just past dinner, and there was little for him to do for the next two and a half hours. Sending her a thumbs up emoji, he decided to open up Tumblr in search of something to do. To Damien's dismay however, there were no messages from anyone, and he was far too jittery to even consider writing anything.

Plugging in his headphones, Damien turned on a YouTube video, and closed his eyes for a moment.

He was sure it had only been a few seconds, when his phone suddenly buzzed in his hand again, rather violently.

Carrie: Come on!

Damien blinked, glancing down at his phone. It was nearing 9:40. He groaned, leaping out of bed, slipping his feet into his trainers and raced out of the dorm towards the stairs. Curfew technically wasn't for nearly an hour yet, for the seniors but, he still didn't want to get caught by some monitor roaming the halls, or worse a teacher. The last thing he needed was to be stopped and interrogated.

Damien swallowed, sneaking thorugh the corridor quickly, passing several teachers who were talking animatedly amongst themselves and paying him no mind as he walked briskly towards the stairs.

The dormitories sat at the topmost floor of the Castle, making it at least a six minute trek, if you hurried. Over the last four years, Damien had learned several tricks to make it up and down the staircase as quickly as possible, which included taking the stairs at least two at a time going up and skiping the last three steps at the bottom. It was perilous and on more than one occasion he had nearly slipped and broken something, but he had almost always avoided being tardy. Then there was the fastest route. Assuming no one was around. Damien looked over the edge of the spiral staircase, and, not seeing anyone anywhere nearby, he decided to take a risk. Stepping up onto the banister, Damien kicked one leg over and gripped the thick, wood with his thighs, and allowed himself to slide down. His hands burned from the friction as he circled down, faster and faster towards the bottom of the staircase. Hopping off as he reached the bottom. Looking around, the atrium was competely empty, he looked at his phone once more. 9:43, he'd made it in record time.

"What took you so long?" Carrie hissed, when Damien made his way into the alcove beneath the stairs. She had illuminated the alcove with just her phone screen, giving Damien just enough light to see her, and a limited space around them.