The Sugar Thief (G/T) (Completed)

1 - The Sugar Thief

Pin? Check. Hook? Check. Cloak? Check.

Carter glanced down at himself, making sure that he had everything he needed for tonight's scavenge. It was always a process, making sure that every little detail lined up perfectly, but every borrower knew that one small slip up could mean life or death. At this point though, the small boy was used to living on edge. Being a stout five inches tall, Carter had to be constantly wary of every move he made. There aren't many things that can't kill him. Even one wrong slip from high up in the walls could send him plummeting to his death.

He swallowed and gripped his bag tighter, trying not to think about it.

Humans were incredibly perceptive, but equally as unobservant. He'd been living in this house for his entire life, and his actions were never once noticed. To be fair the things he was taking weren't big, in fact they were things that humans either discarded, or have in abundance so much that they wouldn't notice a dent. But the fear of being caught never left the back of his mind. His kind was to stay hidden and remain that way, for who knew what happened to those who were caught. They were often never heard from again.

He'd heard stories from his parents, of the humans trapping borrowers, torturing them, keeping them as pets, and worse. He couldn't hold any truth to it, but it did it's job to scare him away from doing most of his bolder thoughts and kept him safe as a child, even if a little traumatized. There was nothing more dangerous than a human's insatiable curiosity.

But that bridge went both ways. Although it was just his way of life to live off of their scraps, the tiny borrower found himself absolutely captivated by the ginormous world above him. The things they discarded were often very useful, and if not they at least made cool trinkets. The humans scared him completely, but their possessions and abundance of food had always blown him away.

He thought back to his first scavenge, the first time his parents had let him leave their home in the walls. They had finally caved after months of him begging them, and trying to prove that he was old and responsible enough to go. His big brother had always been the one going to help his father, as he was eight years older, but Carter was eager to know what it was like. The stories didn't cut it.

He still remembered the rush of adrenaline as his father pushed aside the loose panel into the pantry, providing a small entrance into the massive world for the first time.

His first visit was to the pantry, for a cracker and some pasta if they were lucky, but he found himself stuck in his tracks at the vastness of it all. Rows upon rows of food lined up before him, on shelves so much bigger than he'd ever seen before in his life. Jars towered over him, containing foods and liquids alike, big enough to encase him entirely. That was the moment when he truly realized what he was up against and why stealth was so important to his parents, and his survival.

Luckily for him every mission they had gone on together was successful, with the humans being none the wiser.

Well, until the day when nobody returned.

Carter grimaced at the memories, shaking his head clear of them. Almost a year had passed since his family had vanished, leaving him to fend for himself, but thankfully they were excellent teachers. It wasn't easy but he moved on without them, sleeping in their beds whenever his emotions got the best of him.

They had taken on a dangerous task and they all knew it, venturing out into the brush beyond the backyard. It was fair game for anything to eat you out there, or worse. But unfortunately in order to plan a move they had to go scouting, using the opportunity to grab other necessities on the way back.

But that day never came.

They had tasked Carter with taking care of the den and their belongings, promising to see him once again in a matter of days. He was 18 at the time, and could handle what they asked of him no problem, but he always wished he could have gone with them. At least if they were dead then they all could have gone together, and he wouldn't be stuck with this gut-wrenching loneliness.