short stories

Exchange

"So, my friend, did you bring it?" The stranger's sweet voice whispered the question immediately, skipping any polite phrase usually exchanged when you meet someone you don't know, as we huddled close to each other in the dark alleyway.

My eyes skimmed over her body, taking in the rags she wore and the mud-caked work boots, before my gaze landed on a small package in her frail hands. Goosebumps rose over my arms at the sight.

"Depends," I spoke with arrogant confidence while she gave me a wary look. Thieves were tricky, and she was certainly more slippery than most. "Did you bring yours?"

I had been warned that she had an attitude problem, but so did I.

"Excuse me? Are you implying that I'm not trustworthy?" She thumped her boot against the ground in rage, splashing water around us as she accidentally stepped in a puddle.

I could have made a point of just how deceitful she was, as she was about to sell stolen goods to me, but I wasn't going to screw this up.

So I smiled, "I would never."

Her mouth had thinned during our short conversation, but she nodded stiffly. Too desperate for cash to leave even when angered.

The deal was on.

Her shoulder brushed against the rocky wall as she moved closer. The downpour was heavy and the streets were deserted, but the security cameras could still catch us if we weren't careful and we weren't completely alone; loud music and drunk voices rang out from the closest bar. Every now and then some customers would leave, stumbling outside into the rain and watch us for a second before they moved along. They might be drunk, but they still had eyes.

It was better to be cautions than end up in prison.

With barely any space between us, so no one could see, she began fiddling with the old newspaper it was wrapped in. I had to fight myself from inspecting her, realising it was more important to be on the lookout for any sign of danger.

Then, she stopped.

My breath hitched.

In her hands was the Galaxious Stone. Stardust of the highest calibre. Magic. Science. Life.

I reached for it, but she was quicker, removing it from sight before I could grab the most valuable possession anyone could ever own. She twirled her dirty hair around a finger, "I want my money first."

An uncontrollable laugh bubbled up from my throat. This girl had no clue of what she had stolen from the government.

"Give me a second."

She wrinkled her nose with disdain, but I was too excited to care or feel insulted from the way she was watching me, following my every movement as if I was the treacherous thief out of us two.

I took out my small wallet. Blue light covered us while I signed my signature and authorised the transaction. She took out her own wallet and placed it underneath mine. It didn't take more than three seconds to send her millions of coins, and two more seconds before I had the valuable stone in my sweaty hands.

It was mine...

"Pleasure doing business with you," Her face was covered in a toothy smile.

I grinned, "Likewise."

She would definitely regret this tomorrow. That's when the story would be all over the news and she would find out how foolish she had been. Not only had she endangered her own life from now on, as she had stolen the Galaxious Stone, but she had also sold it for much less than it was worth.