A little theif

[2months Ago][October 2022]

"That's all" The pharmacist prescribes the buyer with doses of medicine.

"How much?"

"550bucks" that  man put his hand in his long jacket pocket to take out his wallet.

Suddenly a small hand sneaked in through the sides of his, clutching medicine in his tiny fold and sprinted in the alley.

"Yaah! Stop there you scum" The pharmacist yelled.

"CATCH THAT BRAT!" He spats as he hastily came out of his shop to the road.

People on the street followed the running boy with their eyes, as a man screamed behind him.

A masked boy ran after the kid, reassuring him.

"I'll find that kid."

Man hushed in frustration, he can't chase him leaving a customer on standby.

"Again....again, just once I get my hands on you, I'll myself broke your very hands and leg you Rat! ",  he angrily spat.

This is the third time this has happened to him this month and he still manages to slip right through his fingers.

The man standing in front of the shop watched the choas, chucking.

"Same old story everywhere, just different methods" he laughed.

He glanced at the shopkeeper, pursing his lips with raised eyebrows as if asking

"Now, what about me?"

"Yeah..yeah wait" man shook his head while walking back towards his shop then to  shelf  collecting the medicines again.

That Little boy running in his already torn off shoes clutch those medicine preciously. a small smile linger on his lips, as if he just got his favourite landed,'may be when she open her eyes she will smile again' a lone thought ran to his simple mind.

Just then a shadow howers him.

"Gotch you"

Before he could grasp what was happening, he felt the ground disappear beneath him. he was suspended in the mid-air, held by the hand of a tall young boy.

"Give me that" that tall guy demanded.

Little kid shivered but his hold grew stronger on the bag.

He strongly shook his head keeping his face down not wanting to get revealed.

"I said return it" He tried to snatch the bag from the kid hands, but his unending wiggles helps him not to, while still being held up, he secured the medicines in his one hand clutching to his chest and poked the eyes of other by his other hand in a single heart beat.

The kid felt the impact of hard ground as the tall guy let go of him, scratching his elbows in the process.

"Youhh..." He screeched, though his vision is still blurry by the previous action, still he get himself near toward the kid.

"I asked you nicely" He said, grabbing the kid's leg before he could run, he raised his hand in the air, before he could land his hand on him, the kid cried, terrified of being beaten.

"I W-WANTED  CAN-CANDIES... P-PLEASE D-DON'T HURT ME" that kid wailed, stuttering.

He halted in the middle hearing his frail voice, his grip on the kid leg loosened.

'This kid has mistaken the medicines with Candies' He thought.

"They are not candies" He said in calm voice while the boy curl himself closely.

"They are" the kid says.

"Inedible boy, they are inedible. look they all are have dirt now." He pointed towards the bag which was now get shrivelled and coated with dry mud.

The kid face wither in sadness just then he sees a hand on bag.

"NO, GIVE IT BACK" He shouts.

"Come with me I'll get you candies, and keep your voice low, i don't want to be seen doing this" The young boy said with stern face.

Suddenly dirt tossed on his face and the bag get snatched from his hand.

"Ugh!" He tightly close his eyes feeling the dirt inside.

"DAMN KID" he muttered

The little boy runs fastly, his heart is pounding rapidly as if it could burn in any seconds.

he didn't dare to look behind feering of getting caught again.

he goes through the woods,then to the fences,he halted before a door and brushes his dress off the dirt, and quickly look around while opening the door of small old cottage called his home.

Hearing a creek, a small unheard voice  whispered.

"YOU CAME"

"Eomma" The kid march towards the lady,with a smily face.

She back his smile,'its you' she murmurs.

She raised his hand wanted to ruffle the kid's hair

"Did you get outside" she ask in suspicion.

"No eomma, someone left this medicine on our door" he lied "eomma you have to take it now."

She hardly sits on the bed while the boy leaped to get the porridge out of the fridge warming it and placing it on the bed table.

She looks toward him, such a small frame still so lively, she feels a feeling enveloping in her heart, 'if only i had not being left with him , if only that night I didn't followed that, could the future had changed?  what will be of him if she will not make it to his  Adulthood even.....teenage'

'What if he also gets through the same' just then she sees the scratches on his elbows.

"Eat it, then take this one, this red one and this big candy, Ohk" he pointed showing his boxy smile he wanted her to feel relaxed.

seeing her drowsy sunken face made a big hole in his tiny heart. he was scared of something unimaginable.

He didn't know what it is but it is unpleasant he is sure off.

She painfully smile,never a thought of a 6 year old boy behaving this way ever cross her mind.

After being done with doses,she laid down, and waved the boy to come near.

"How did you get that scratch?" she asked.

"Oh that i..i fell while playing Dora on tv" He lied.

"Did you keep the volume low?"

"I did"

"Hmm, bring that box" she pointed.

"Apply that ointment on your scratches" she gesture the kid, who did it amateurishly.

being on bed for a week took a toll on her health, she easily get breathless with simple talking.

she didn't find in her self the energy to took care of it herself, her head still feels warm and a unending longing already drying in her heart.

"Get rest dear" she said, her voice soft and raspy from the persistent cough.

"But eomma I want to be near you,

Can't i sleep with you?" He pleaded, his small hand reaching out to touch her arm.

"What I told you?" she coughs.

"I'm old enough to sleep on my own" He slowly muttered.

"And?"

"Ghost are not real" He looks down to his feet.

"Then, why do you want to sleep with me?"

'I fear if I don't keep my eyes on you,you will become ghost and they are not real just like father, what if she also become something unreal' He caved his thought in his heart while pleading through his eyes.

"Ohk,Come here" She said.

He smiles widely.

Sun already has sunk to his stars bed, he watches the twinkling of stars through the window, though they are deep into the woods in this no look up run down cottage,  it still has a homy vibe with it.

He looked at his mother, she has her eyes closed and was normal breathing he examined her close lids. if maybe she is still awake?

"Eomma," He softly calls her.

She hummed in response.

"Is father not going to come?"

"He will"

"When eomma?"he looks at her with hope.

She opens her eyes and look toward the laid boy next to her, his innocency she doesn't want to ruin.

"When air feel chill and give you goosebumps and vapour comes out your mouth."

"You always feels that eomma!" He exclaimed. "Though, every night nowaday... it comes with cold sweats too." He muttered slowly to himself.

"When you also feels the same then he will come" she says closing her eyes which were getting heavy with the dose.

'Eomma I'm going to be a good son this time, I'll stay behind the door until father calls me out, just like you told me to' He said to himself with a longing heart for his father and sneak in the warmth of his mother.