Chapter 1 - The Chase

The sun sat high in the cloudless sky above Garlin. Matthew could not help but smile at the beautiful day as he walked down the street looking for a good stand to find his lunch. It wasn’t long before he spotted Old Man Hantan’s bread stand. It wasn’t the only bread cart in Garlin. It wasn’t even the only bread cart on Merchant’s Street. However, Matthew knew it very well. Old Man Hantan boasted that he made the best bread in the city, and Matthew agreed.

He approached the cart, eyeing the goods, looking for what he would like. A medium-sized loaf sitting on top of a pile of similar breads caught his eye. Matthew watched the baker as a man approached the stand, pointing to a pile of pastries. As the baker took the man’s coin and turned to grab the man’s order, Matthew snatched the loaf and quickly headed off in the other direction.

Matthew was almost certain he hadn’t been spotted until the call went out, “Stop, thief!”

Matthew’s head spun to look back behind him to find the balding baker pointing a long finger at him. He noticed that the baker was moving to the side of his cart, torn between protecting what he had left and trying to get back what had been taken. Matthew turned back around to run only to notice that the crowd was parting for a pair of guards.

“That one, that’s him right there!” The baker continued to shout. Matthew knew the baker was still pointing at him. He spun back the other direction and began to maneuver his way through the thick crowd.

Whenever Matthew managed to find a small clearing in the street, he would pick up his speed, hoping to put as much distance between him and the guards as he could. When he glanced over his shoulder, he found the guards where keeping pace with him. Luckily the crowd that Matthew had originally intended to use for cover was impeding the guards as much as it was him.

“Get him!” The baker shouted at the guards.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Matthew muttered under his breath as he pushed his way past another man.

Matthew found himself standing in the middle of a busy intersection. He quickly surveyed his options. Continuing on down Merchant’s Street would keep him in the crowd, however, the cross street was clearer, allowing Matthew more speed. He was certain he could outrun the guards. He wasn’t sure how long it would be before the crowd truly noticed that the guards were after someone and began to work against him.

Matthew glanced behind him one more time to see the guards now beginning to shove people out of the way and closing in on him. He made his decision and began down the side-street. He broke out of the crowd in the intersection and began running. He was glad for his thinner frame, as he often was. It lent him more maneuverability in the street than the guards would have.

Matthew spotted two more guards almost one hundred paces in front of him. Before he would get to them, as long as they did not notice what was going on, he would make it to another intersection. Maybe, just maybe, he could make it.

“You there, stop him!” A voice from behind shouted.

Matthew glanced back to see that the guards chasing him had broke out of the crowd and were sprinting towards him. People jumped out of their way as they ran, something they did not do for him. Matthew looked ahead again to see one the head of one of the guards in front of him spin to look his direction. The man quickly took in the scenario and elbowed his partner before beginning to move towards Matthew.

Run, Matthew thought to himself, pushing himself to run faster, to get to the intersection before the guards. It was going to be close, but if he could manage it he would have a chance at getting free.

“Out of my way!” Matthew shouted at the people in front of him. Heads jerked up and people quickly moved before getting run in to. The intersection was close, but the guards were closer.

Matthew leaned forward, hoping to push himself to move even faster. He shoved a hand into one of his pockets on his vest to hold the apples he had stolen earlier that were bouncing against his hip in an uncomfortable manner. Those weren’t any trouble stealing, Matthew thought. Of course, fruit was easy, it could be put in his pockets. The loaf of bread however was too big for a pocket.

As Matthew and the two guards in front of him both neared the intersection, a wagon drawn by two large horses moved into it. Matthew almost laughed when he noticed that it was on the guards side of the intersection.

Matthew cut the corner, losing very little speed. He heard the guards curse as they had to stop to keep from running into the wagon. He could hear the argument as the guards and the wagon driver exchanged words. Matthew took the chance to glance back. The two original guards were coming around the corner. He could tell from one guard’s manner that he was winded. The other, however seemed to be in fine shape.

Matthew dashed down the clear street creating more distance between himself and the guards. Few people stood in the way, most heard the commotion and cleared a path.

Another intersection, Matthew turned left. He ran as fast as he could. Another turn, right this time. He glanced back down the street as he took the turn. The guards had just made the last turn and spotted him as he made his.

Matthew saw an alley and decided to take his chances. He dove into it and ran to the back. He pressed himself into the corner hoping that he could not be seen in the shadows cast by the buildings surrounding him. He remained as silent as he could, crouched down low into the corner.

One of the guards stepped into the alley and Matthew’s breath caught. Don’t see me, by the weave don’t see me, Matthew thought to himself. The guard took a few steps into the alley, squinting. His eyes passed directly over Matthew. The guard took another survey of the alley as the larger guard stepped in behind his partner, gasping for air.

“You… you see him?” The guard asked between breaths.

“No, he must’ve kept going, come on!” He said as he jogged out the alley and continued down the street. Matthew could see the second guard roll his eyes before trotting after the first.

Matthew waited what felt like an eternity before finally releasing his breath and gasping in air. He sat crouched in the alley for a short time before finally moving to the opening out to the street. He pressed himself against the rough wall of the building and peeked out onto the street in the direction the two guards had gone. Matthew did not see the men. He quickly glanced back the other direction, assuring himself before he stepped out.

He strolled back down the way he had come, retracing his steps back to the first intersection on Merchant’s Street. The street was back to its usual pace now that excitement of the chase had passed. Matthew kept his eyes open for any guards, especially any that might have seen him before. Not seeing any, Matthew started his trek to the warehouse.

He kept the loaf tucked under his arm, protecting it from any that might think he was a good target for theft. Once he entered the storage district he began to jog towards his destination. There was not a single section of Garlin that Matthew considered extremely dangerous, but the storage district was definitely the worst.

He finally approached the warehouse, his home. He walked up to the door and knocked in the predetermined rhythm.

“What’s the password?” A high-pitched, nasally voice called in from the other side.

“Open the door Randson, there isn’t no password,” Matthew called back.

There was a scrapping of metal as the lock was moved back and the door began to open. Matthew shoved it the rest of the way, knocking Randson back. It was not hard, there was little mass to Randson. He had always been thin, even back in the orphanage when they ate rather well, at least Matthew thought it was rather well, he did not have anything better to compare it to.

“Hey, easy Matty-boy, wouldn’t want to get you into any trouble,” Randson chided after he had regained his balance.

“Like Vansen would really believe you if you told him I’d hurt you. Here, have some lunch,” Matthew said as he broke off a chunk from the loaf of bread and tossed it to him.

Randson’s mood changed when he caught the piece of bread and nodded to Matthew. Randson closed the door and slid the lock back into place. Matthew looked around the empty warehouse. Only four or five of the crew were there, most of the others were probably out getting their own lunch. He noticed that many of the ones that were in the warehouse already had theirs.

He made his way across the large room towards Tavira. Tavira had always been a friend to Matthew, even back in the orphanage. She was a couple years younger than he was, but that did not matter much to him. He dropped to the smooth stone next to her and broke what remained of the loaf in half, handing one piece to her.

“Lunch is on me today,” He said as she took the bread.

“Why thank you Matthew, how very kind of you,” She replied. She smiled, revealing her the teeth that seemed too large for her mouth. The smile pushed the freckles that she hated so much up around her eyes.

“No problem. Though, the trouble I went through to get it almost wasn’t worth it,” Matthew reached into his pocket and pulled out an apple, which he handed to her.

“Oh, what happened?” Tavira asked with a mouthful of bread as she took the piece of fruit.

“Old Man Hantan spotted me before I could get away,” Matthew said, “Just so happened there were a couple of guards nearby too. It was quite the chase, thought for sure I wasn’t going to make it this time.”

“Oh, I’m sure your just exaggerating to impress me Matthew,” She said with a mocking grin.

“That or he’s getting sloppy,” A voice said.

Vansen was walking by and had obviously overheard the two of them talking. Vansen was the leader of the crew. He had been at the orphanage too, just like most of the crew-members. Vansen had been released from the orphanage nearly seven years before Matthew and immediately started stealing to survive.

Matthew tossed another apple from his pocket to Vansen as he walked past them. Matthew knew that he did not need to, but he tried to give back to Vansen whenever he got the chance. If not for him, Matthew probably would be imprisoned or dead by now.

Matthew had been almost two years old when his parents died, or at least that was what he had been told. He did not know much about his parents and all he had were fuzzy memories and blurry images when he tried to remember them. After their death, he was taken to the orphanage, where he lived a reasonably comfortable life until his fourteenth birthday. That was when the children were put out from the orphanage, given five copper fangs and told to find work.

The problem was that being fourteen, and not having any trade-skills, there were not very many people that were willing to hire, let alone train him. It was the case of most of the children from the orphanage. Matthew had still tried to find work. He looked for nearly a month, spending his coins only when he had to. Still, five fangs barely lasted him two weeks. Vansen eventually found him and brought him into the crew, teaching him how to steal and survive on the streets of Garlin. That was four years ago. Matthew owed his life to Vansen and tried his best to repay it whenever he could.

Matthew took a bite of the bread, chewing it, savoring it before swallowing. He was glad to have something to eat. There were not many in the crew that dared Old Man Hantan’s bread cart, he had a sharp eye and a fast hand. But he made the best bread on Merchant’s Street without a doubt and Matthew believed it well worth the risk.

“Hey Matthew!” Vansen shouted from the door of what was once the office of the warehouse, “Don’t forget about the meeting tonight!” Matthew nodded to Vansen and he disappeared into the room.