Stellah & The Curse of the Zodiac

The Loaf

"Hey kid, get back with that bread!" 

I sprinted down Midday Street, the local knights on my heals as I ran deeper into the city.

I shoved my way through each crowd of people. Elbows jabbing my sides and feet threatening to trip me as I pushed forwards. Lucky for me the crowds were even harder on the knights' brawny suits of armor. Traffic was always the busiest this time of day, making it easier for me to escape through the waves of people.

The knights stretch out their arms to catch me but I narrowly escape their grasp every time until finally I was able to loss them in one of Wassermann's many back alleys. 

I leaned against the cobblestone to catch my breath, watching the last knight sprint passed to catch up to who they think is me.

You'd think they would learn by now, but nope. I laughed to myself and ripped out a corner of the loaf stashed in my jacket pocket. I tossed the piece into my mouth. Still warm. It was so flaky and buttery, I was half tempted to eat the whole loaf myself. Of course I didn't have much time to decide because a strong arm was pulling at my shoulder. 

My eyes darted up to see a tall knight with a red plume in his helmet. I knew who this was.

"Take it easy with the pulling, D! This jacket is falling apart enough as it is." I huffed

He removed his helmet, letting his shaggy brown hair fall in front of his face. "You're lucky I don't run you in for this! Don't you know stealing is punishable for up to a month in Wassermann jail?"

"Yeah because you give me this same speech every week." I said as I rolled my eyes

"Because you do this every week, you're not gonna be satisfied until another knight catches you."

He grabbed my arm and looked out past the walls, making sure that the coast was clear. He pulled me to follow him as we walked down the street opposite of where the knights were running. As he pushed his way through the crowds, his eyes kept glancing down to me with a stern look on his face. Probably making sure I don't try to escape again.

He acted like I enjoyed risking my neck for a lousy loaf of bread but I had no other choice but to steal. Ever since dad lost his job, money's been very tight. Damon would try to help us but he had his own family to support; that only left me and Davy but a scrawny girl and a six year old boy aren't exactly great working candidates. Thus, a secret life of crime stealing whatever we needed, with a few extra items swiped just for fun. It was easy to fly under the radar in a town like this, everyone's trying so hard to get ahead that they barely notice a little thief like me robbing them blind. Or almost blind if it wasn't for that loud mouth baker. 

Stealing was the only solution that I had and although I'd never admit it to Damon, it did worry me about what would happen if a knight finally caught up to me. Or worse, if my dad found out. 

The thought of that started to make me sweat. I wiggled my arm to help loosen Damon's grip on my jacket sleeve. "You're not gonna tell dad, are you?"

"I should, gives him a chance to discipline you for once." he said, making my heart sink instantly. But at the last minute, I saw his eyes soften. "If I promise to pull a few strings, maybe work more hours and bring home some more money, will you stop stealing?"

I knew it was an empty promise but I had no choice but to take his word in that moment. I nodded my head in surrender and small smile came across his face. "Then there's no reason to tell him.

I smiled. Even though I knew it was a lost cost, a part of me still hoped for the better. Damon noticed my smile and released my jacket sleeve, instead putting his arm around me in a side hug. 

When we had released from the hug, we were finally in front of our house and I felt a slight breeze of relief come over me. Maybe things will be different starting soon and I can live a normal life. Even if Damon couldn't bring in more money, I could just go back to stealing and work on being more discreet. 

I shrugged my shoulders as a tore another piece of bread off and tossed it into my mouth. What's the worse that could happen?

𝖧𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖺𝗁 & 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖹𝗈𝖽𝗂𝖺𝖼 𝗌𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗋!

𝖧𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌? 𝖫𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗐!

𝖣𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨'𝗅𝗅 𝗌𝖾𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋, 𝖢𝗁𝖾𝖾𝗋𝗌!

~ 𝓛𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓮