Chapter 2: Go Big or Go Home

The church doors swing open and the village folk pour out in droves. People stand near the stairs while engaging in conversation with one another. Their faces beam in delight as they regard their fellow folk as friends. Today is the day where they set aside their differences and pretend to be an honest community. I spit at the ground in view of their contradictory habits.

Instead of wanting unnecessary attention, I walk away from the happy folk. Luck is not on my side, for a voice shoots across and pierces my ears.

"There's the elf!" The voice of a shrill woman makes me cringe. 

"That pitch," I scoff. If only she knew how harsh her vocals are, then maybe she would refrain from talking. "Think fast."

I glance behind in order to assess the situation. Not one, not two, but dozens of folks are on the pursuit. Clearly, they all want that gold. Talk about the irony! Yet, I am not one to judge another. 

"He's in the open, make sure he doesn't set off and hide!" A burly man bellows out the order. 

Everyone heeds his advice and begin to scatter across the village square. Although many claim Saunders as their lifelong home, there are secrets that they do not know. My feet sprint towards the nearest street. I must dart between the corners in efforts to confuse my pursuers. One advantage that I have is silence. My steps are lighter than theirs which, in turn, suggests that they will have a difficult time discerning where I tread. Fortunately for me, they are excited and rowdy. 

"I saw him on Elm's!" A voice shouts in the distance. 

"Are you certain? I just saw him pass the tavern!" A confused tone provides me with confidence. 

'The folk are already pinning against each other!' Teamwork is of essence when tackling a target. Comfort is another factor to take into consideration. Not many of the villagers are trained in endurance. Therefore, they may be quick to give up the hunt. 

"I see him!" The voice echoes from above.

A woman cradling her babe points towards me from a window. Next time I seek the announcement board, I'll be doing so in the night. I sigh and continue towards the only solution; the hideout. What is one of the most horrid of places where people do not go willingly? 'The sewer...' The thought prompts my feet down a familiar path. 

Take a right onto Eastgate, then one will chance upon the iron door. I can hear the stampede approaching my location. Time is of essence and I drop to the ground next to the cover. With a grunt, I lift the heavy lid aside from its entrance. Carefully, I place myself on the ladder. Once confident in my balance, I reach towards the iron lid. 'Goodness this is heavy!' My frame is built for speed, not managing a ninety-pound cover. Regardless, I place the cover in time. 

"Where's that vile rogue?" a familiar voice booms nearby.

Bordock! It's good to have fooled him again. The fisherman and I have been at odds ever since I came to Saunders. I climb down the ladder and decide to wait for the villagers to tire from their search. As I land on the dark stone platform, I feel my foot slip. 

"It appears that your 'vile rogue' has stepped in some bile." My response is inaudible to those above. Yet, the weight of the statement makes me sickly curious.

I lift my foot and, despite the dark sewer, my eyes are able to see the smut. Oh, the smell is even worse once disturbed! My gut lurches and I must vomit. 'What a mess I am in!' My mind does not feel pity, but a sort of bitterness. 

"That does it!" I shout in disapproval. "Why does the theft of some fish require pinning a face to paper?" 

Not to mention, the failure of the artist's hand! If a wanted elf I am, then a wanted elf is what they shall receive. In the dank corridor of the sewer, I fumble with a plan. Bordock may have influenced this poor situation. Yet, the one at fault is the village head. Good old Ode will have to answer to my discontent. The only question is how? 'A heist, that's the solution.' Ode's luxurious home is easy to pinpoint. Only the wealthy have fences. Should I take a trinket of greater value, then I will no longer be a common thief of fishes. I will become a more seasoned rogue from the experience. The concept draws a wicked grin to my face. I'm willing to raise the stakes just to inflate my own pride.

As time passes, I return to the surface. The smell of sewage has clung to my robe to my dismay. Oh, how I appreciate the fresh air! The scent is sweet and filled with extra aromas of food. The village folk are eating dinner and their meal brings a pang to my stomach. I may be an elf, but I still need regular meals.  Before I take to the rooftops, I remove some cooked salmon from a pouch at my waist. Fortunately, the smell of the sewer does not circle around the morsels. Upon the last pieces of fish, the operation can be initiated. 

I scale a house and gaze across the rooftops. My eyes catch the white fences of Ode's estate. 'Isikhathi sokugijima'; time to run.

Despite the steep shingles, I manage to find my balance. Sprinting across buildings can be unnerving. Yet, with practice, anything is possible. While the sun sets, I reach the old man's home. There are candles set in the windows. I believe such actions are traced to a tradition that the Saunderian folk equate to: welcome. 

If truth is present in that statement, then thank you Ode for the invitation. I climb down the building and find myself within arm's length of a tree beyond the fence. For a moment, I scan the perimeter. There are a few guards to the front of the home. As for the rear, no one seems to pay any mind. Perhaps, they believe a fence is enough to keep intruders at bay. 'Not for me,' I smile at the thought. Across from my current station, I see a balcony. 'That's the master's chamber,' I conclude while maintaining my thoughts are kept within my own mind. Excitement will not be a blunder tonight. 

Deftly, I make my way to the balcony. My eyes scan for a means of leverage. While rubbing my hand across the house, I notice that the spacing in between the bricks provide enough room to serve as a climbing hold. A wicked grin glides across my face as I savor the discovery. One by one, I use the bricks to my advantage. I keep an ear towards the front of the house, just to ascertain that the guards are not interested in my position. The work is arduous, but I manage to reach the balcony. Once I climb over, I crouch to listen.

I can hear the front door open. The guards begin talking to another person. The voice is unfamiliar, perhaps one of Ode's family members. I then place an ear to the glass panel. After a moment, I can conclude that the room is silent. A hand happily ventures into my other pouch, a set of lockpicks greet my fingertips. I work on the lock and smile once I note the... click!

"Yes!" I mutter beneath my breath. 

I quietly slip into the room. There's a large bed to the left and a lavish dresser on the right. My feet walk towards the dresser. Not many have the gold to fund such detailed craftwork. I notice that the knobs themselves are made of brass. Should nothing else strike my fancy inside the drawers, then I presume that the brass would be a fine addition to the bag. On second thought, I want something more... valuable. 

The dresser proves to be a failure. Disappointed, I decide to stalk deeper into the home. Instead of risking detection, I place my ear to the floor. There are more voices below me. Soon I hear the boastful laughter belonging to Ode. 'Good, if he's downstairs, then others are bound to be in his company!' The conclusion may be faulty while having only assumptions to work with, but I cannot be too pessimistic. 

Tip-toe across the room and open the door. Slowly move my hands to twist the knob. I peek down the hallway, left and right. The quiet floor of the house provides me with more confidence. The next door on the right is favorable. I poke my head into a dark room, lit only with a single candle in the window. While my eyes glance around the room, I notice that I have found a study. Typically, such rooms are on the first floor. Yet, perhaps Ode's weight prompts him to keep his desk close. I shake my head. 'Focus, Umlingo!' My mind scolds my distractible nature. 

The most eye-catching piece of furniture is the desk itself. The dark wood is carved to perfection. There is a folding piece that opens to reveal the desktop. My hand reaches for the top drawer and feels resistance. 'It's locked!' I pull out the tools necessary to unveil the drawer's secret. A smile appears again as I hear the fated... click!

The drawer opens and I find beautiful rings and ornate wrist-bands. Odd bits to place in a desk, but perhaps Ode does not expect a thief to explore his study. I place the valuables in my pouch. The treasure is enough to satisfy my retaliation for the wanted poster. I begin to head out of the study when I hear footsteps walk up the wooden stairs. In a moment of panic, I try to find a place to hide. The room is too open. 

To my dismay, my footing falters. While using my arms to regain balance, I knock into a stand. My eyes spot a porcelain vase teeter tottering from the contact. My efforts fail as the vase crashes into the window pane. Before I can inspect the status of the candle, a voice grips my attention.

"Who's in there?" A guard yells from outside the door. 

While forgetting about the candle, I rush towards the door. I have no choice but to confront the man. The guard fumbles with the knob. His struggle provides me time to unsheathe my dagger. Despite not knowing what arms my foe bears, I stand confident in my position. 

"Why hello there!" I greet the man as I open the door. An act of shock is just as alarming as stealth. A fox does tease the dogs in a chase.

"What the..." The guard stares at me in bewilderment. "How did you break in?"

"You see, I'm an expert." The bodacious banter is interrupted. My nose twitches as I come across a new scent. "Hey sir, what's that... smell?"