The Jewel Thief

The Reveal

I gasp. "Oh my goodness, she's here? Why? Quick, we have to hide! In the closet!" I pull her into the dreaded wardrobe and shut the door almost all the way. I hear the front door slam downstairs. The steady tap of high heels starts up the stairs and commences down the hallway. "This is bad," I whisper loudly to Maddie. "This is very, very bad. We're not going to make it out of here alive." That was an exaggeration. "Never mind. I was being over-dramatic. What I meant to say was..." I am cut off by a sharp jab in the side from Maddie. "Shut up!" She whisper-shouts. "You're doing that thing again when you're scared and you start chattering nonsense loudly, and then you get heard and it gets worse." She reminds me of a situation with the Earl – we were hiding from our work and reading and the Earl was looking for us and we could hear him threatening to do terrible things – and I started muttering and he heard me and we were punished.

I shrink down into the depths of the closet, my heart pounding in my ribcage as if it was trying to burst out. I knock over a shoe and shudder, too afraid to make a single sound. Maddie hugs her knees to her chest and gently rocks back and forth. I know she's trying to stay calm, but I know soon that the sixteen-year-old layer of maturity and responsibility is soon going to break. I myself am terrified, and can barely contain my fright.

I hear Marissa walk into her room and plop down on her bed. Peering through the crack in the door, I watch her turn on the stereo and start dancing. Suddenly, I get an idea. A really, really risky idea. But it might just work. "Maddie," I say so quietly I'm almost mouthing the words, "We should make a run for it." She looks at me, the expression on her face obscured by the darkness of the cupboard. But then she nods distinctively. I nod back and then I frown. Should we actually try to sneak out of here? With Marissa so near? But it's our only option. We have to get this done.

I push the door open ever so slowly, stopping whenever I hear the slightest creak. Marissa still has her back to us. I can hardly breathe, I'm so scared. What would Marissa do if she saw us?

The door is open enough for us to climb out. I put a toe on the plush carpet, sweat trickling down my forehead. I step onto the rug and stop to look. Marissa blares the music louder, concealing the little noise we make. We're just about out the door when the music stops suddenly and Marissa slowly turns around. My eyes almost pop out of their sockets, and I dash down the hall. She must have seen me.

I grip the wall, catching my breath. But Maddie is still in the doorway, and I see her body actually shaking. I hear Marissa's stern voice.

"Madeleine Murgatroyd? Exactly what are you doing in my house?"

Maddie, obviously with all the courage she could muster, responded.

"Um... yes, hello, I was just... wondering if... you might have seen, erm... my coat, yes, my coat. I think I left it here when we came for lunch."

I hear Marissa's voice and it's clear she's scowling, even though I can't see her face. "I don't remember you having a coat."

"W- Well, I did, and, erm, it's purple, with, erm, yellow pockets."

"Why aren't you in school?"

"We – we had a day off."

"We?" she asks sternly.

"Erm, yes, that is, me and my sister."

"Is your sister with you?"

"Erm..." she steals a glance at me and I shake my head no firmly. "No."

"How did you get in?"

"Um, I tried knocking, but no one came... and the door was unlocked, and... well, I heard music, so I came upstairs to see if you were here..."