A Thief in the Night

Chapter 1:

The dirty road sign was hard to read with all the mud caked on it, but I was able to make out the white words that wrote "Tulsa" on it after a few minutes of hard scraping with a stick.

"T- Tu- Tus... what does it say?" the dirty blonde hair nine year old asks after a few poor attempts at reading out the towns name, "Tulsa. We're in Tulsa" I tell him as I pull off my backpack that was making my shoulders ache to get some water.

I have been teaching my practically younger brother how to read with some cue cards, he's coming along, but he still struggles.

After finally retrieving the water, I opened the cap and poured some water into my mouth. 

The cool liquid running down my throat made me spark a boost of energy, and after giving the rest of the water to Oliver, I was ready to walk again.

But before I could take off in a determined strut, a tiny "can you carry me?" squeaked it's way out of Oliver's mouth. 

***

A few painful minutes later Oliver and I made it to Tulsa.

I instantly forced him off my back, straightening it and stretching it till it felt decent.

A few houses were scattered around here and there, and a few people roaming the streets smoking, other than that it was just some boring old town that we would ditch after a few nights of staying.

"I'm tired" Oliver groans as he starts to drag his feet along the pavement, his frail kneecaps buckling with every second step.

"You're tired? I carried you most of the way" I tell him as I look around for a possible place to stay for a bit.

 I heard a "hmph" come from him, and he crossed his arms, I ignored it.

My eyes halted on an old wooden house that was starting to fall apart.

Across from it was a house with a broken roof.

Judging by the state of that house no one is living in it, and with a broken roof on the house across from it, the people living in it are probably staying somewhere else, making this the perfect spot to stay.

"Over here Oliver" I say as I make my way to the old house.

I made sure no one was around before I opened the door. It wasn't even locked, I don't even think it had a lock.

As soon as I cracked it open dust  particles filled my nostrils and I started coughing. Judging by Oliver's ugly coughs, he smelt it too, behind the overwhelming dust, the smell of something rotting. 

Oliver dry heaved, and my eyes were becoming watery. I tried looking around to find where the smell was coming from, but couldn't find anything, so figuring it was an animal, and that we would only be staying here a few nights, I placed my stuff down.

"Are we really going to stay here?" Oliver asks in a disgusted tone as he places his stuff down in a dusty corner.

"We've stayed in worse" I reassure him as I take out my spare blanket from my bag, "have we though?" he asks as he look around.

No, we haven't

The paint on the walls were completely peeled off, the floor was scraped up and busted some pieces sticking up just waiting for you to step on bare foot, the windows were boarded, only allowing minimill light to shine through, and the ceiling was cracked and about to fall down.

"Just get ready for bed, we're only staying here for a few days anyways" I tell him as I start to get ready for "bed" myself.

***

After finishing setting up a blanket for Oliver to sleep on, I tuck him in with the left over blankets, and make sure he is as comfortable as one could be in an abandoned run down house.

I tell him a bed time story, the usual about the mama deer and baby deer losing each other, and as usual he drifts into sleep with a soft snore right after the two are reunited.

I carefully get up from the spot I was sitting on, and carefully make my way to my bag.

I throw on my black ripped jacket and swing the bag over my shoulders.

I make my way to the door, and quietly open it, making sure not to make any loud noises to wake up Oliver, and with one last look to make sure he was sound asleep on the blankets, I open the door, and step into the chilly nights air.

It was a windy night, and it bit at my cheeks like tiny snake bites, but I kept going.

I didn't know exactly where I was going, I just knew that I needed to get food, water, and some more clothes.

The richer houses aren't the best idea because of the advanced locks and gates, and I'll admit I'm good, but not that good, not that dumb.

The poorer houses aren't a good spot either, can't steal from someone who doesn't have anything to steal.

My thinking was cut short when I came across a house that a simple fence and gate, simple windows, simple door, and simple look.

Bingo.

I look up at the sky to see that the moon is barely showing, only a slim crescent showing, and it's sounded by complete darkness. There are no stars in the sky.

I make my way over to the house to inspect it some more.

All the lights were off, and I couldn't hear any noises coming from it, so I got a little closer.

I opened the gate, letting only a small creak to sneak it's out, and slowly shut it so that id anyone happened to walk by it wouldn't look suspicious, but I didn't latch it so that if I needed I could have an quick escape.

I made my way up the few stairs and made my steps light as I approached the windows.

The paint was peeling a bit around the corners and sides, and there was a tiny rip in one of the protective mesh liners.

I don't see any TV's on, or people moving around, so I begin to make my way stealthily to the soft pastel yellow door.

I try to pick it with the paper clip I always keep in my back jean pocket, but realize that once I turned the door knob, the door opened.

It wasn't locked?

What kind of person doesn't lock their door in a town like this?

I ignore the odd action, and continue to quietly make my way into the house.

There was a couch facing the small box TV, and a recliner sitting in a corner, a newspaper on top.

As I got closer to the recliner I saw more of the newspaper, and was about to turn away when I saw one of the headlines.

"Reports of multiple break ins, and missing goods"

I chuckle.

I'm famous.

As much as I wanted to go through the newspaper, I just put it in my bag to read for later.

I wandered into the kitchen, and took my bag off my shoulder, and unzipped the zipper to start putting things in.

I opened up a few cupboards and finally found some food.

I loaded in some peas, corn, spam, and water before the door of the cupboard I was grabbing food out of slammed shut, and the lights turned on.

My eyes bulge as I see a big hand placed on the cupboard, and they completely pop when a deep male voice spoke right by my ear, "what are you doing in my house?"