Goldborne Academy: Children of light and darkness (Discontinued sorry)

Chapter 1 | Astrea

Time was running out. Every second she wasted, another worthy victim escaped from her grasp. As she perched on the edge of a brick wall, her fingers fidgeting with the frayed ends of her jacket, her stomach was knotted, all she could feel was the anxious flutters inside of her, reminding her about how wrong the act that she was about to perform was. She tilted her head up to face the rising sun. The orange glow reflecting in her silver irises. Her eyes darkened at the thought of what she was about to do, but she had no other alternatives left. She had to do it, Dorin was depending on whatever money she would bring home today.

Her tired eyes were starting to glaze over, her thoughts wandering further and further away from her goal. She shook her head as an attempt to clear her mind. To prepare her for what was coming next. She wouldn't let guilt get the better of her. She couldn't.

Her eyes locked on a perfect target. It was a man with graying hairs and a wrinkled face. He was holding a bulging wallet. Great, maybe Dorin and her could buy a proper dinner tonight for a change. She kicked her legs to the other side and started making her way down. But she stopped, she couldn't do it, the old man had done nothing to her and tonight he would go home without his wallet. But she had no choice. He looked like he was the only one she could even try to pickpocket. It was a whole different story for if she would get caught. She wondered if they would let her go seeing as it was only her first crime, and if they didn't, what would happen to Dorin? But if she didn't try to pickpocket him, what would happen to their lives?

She was now vulnerable in the midst of all the people. No safe shadow to keep her out of sight; only the blazing sun rising higher. She inched forward, positioning herself behind the gentleman, waiting for one of those big crowds for the old man to get caught up in so she could grab his bulging wallet. She was just about to go in for the kill but she got caught in her thoughts again. She was just about to turn her back on him and return home empty handed, her guilt having taken over, but she saw the man passing by a young boy sitting on a threadbare blanket, his gaunt face full of hope that the old man would give him a penny or two. But all the man did was scrunch up his face in disgust and kick him as he walked by, not giving him a second glance.

That was the one thing that triggered her the most. She had her fair shares of kicks in the gut when she had nowhere to go with Dorin. It was only recently she found an old abandoned shack to seek refuge in. She slipped past the women in fancy pearls, trying to locate the old prick. He was turning at the corner of the orphanage, scoffing at it in distaste and muttering under his breath. No doubt something rude about orphans.

Just like before she positioned herself right behind the man and waited for the crowd to arrive. The sudden abundance of footsteps, in contrast to her almost silent ones, and bellowing voices signaled her that it was time to strike. It was now or never. She pushed herself past the man, fingers fumbling into his coat pocket. Her delicate hands returned to her with a few coins. Where was the actual wallet? Oh the other pocket, shoot. She had no choice but to turn back and go the other way. She would have to be content with what she had.

She went back the way she came, hoping she didn't draw too much attention with her worn clothes and ruffled hair. Unwillingly, her eyes drifted to the snivelling boy that the sneering, old man had kicked. Her eyes darted between the coins and the boy with the tear-stained cheeks. She sighed as she gave up with herself, the inner battle she had playing in her head. She strolled by, trying her hardest to look like an ordinary passerby. The boy flinched as she approached and her eyes softened at the familiar sight. She dropped the coins into his tin can, smiling at him as she did so. All she kept was a single copper coin for her brother. Christmas, it normally just meant that it was colder than usual and occasionally the gossiping rich women that lived in the large houses at the end of the street would make them their charity cases, feeding them the leftover scraps of food. This year she would get something for her brother, it would be different,three years she had saved up.

This wouldn't be enough for dinner. She needed more. Just then her eyes fell upon a dark- haired young woman, standing in the archway, smirking at what seemed like one of the displays in one of those expensive shops, juggling three gold coins in her hand. She put the coins in her wallet and put it in her night black, velvet coat pocket, almost hanging out.

"Bingo," she muttered.