“Come on, want to help me with the generator upgrades?” says Lania. “Sure, but don’t let me mess anything up, you are the expert here not me, I’m just the funds collector,” I say. We work on the generator for a while talking. “Hey, what are you going to do about Marshal, Eden?” Lania asks. “I dunno, but he can never know I’m the Phantom Thief,” I say. “Speaking of the Phantom Thief we need more money for food and everything else we always need around here,” she says. “I’ll do a run tonight and I promise to come back with plenty of money,” I say. “You know we can always sell something from the Treasure cavern,” Lania says. “No Lania, we need that for only dire emergencies, we can wait, there's always plenty to steal in this city,” I say.
True to my word I grab my messenger bag and walk around the city. It’s not long before I find what I’m looking for. An open window. No one is around so I go in finding a fair amount of stuff to pawn. I leave without a trace. I go to a few apartments taking valuables. I see an open window three stories up. I jump in and see the room. Marshal’s mom’s room. I curse silently and go to the jewelry box. More to steal and they have high value. Lights turn on blinding me for a second. “Hey! What are you doing? I’m calling the cops!” I turn and see Marshal. I curse some more and try to dive out the window but not before he can grab my arm. I trip and land inches away from the window. “You shouldn’t be stealing,” Marshal says. “Give my mother's jewelry back now,” he says holding out a hand. That’s all I need. I wrench from his grip and dive out the window. I land on my left foot awkwardly rolling it, I cry out in pain and I have to try and bandage it fast, so I can get away. It’s enough time of Marshal to run outside running towards me. I growl in frustration and stand up straight ready to run, but I’m hurt more than I thought and the world spins around me. Marshal is only a few feet away when I get my bearings. “Come back!” he shouts running towards me trying to grab my arm again, he trips his hand outstretched. He grabs my left ankle on the way to the ground and I can’t help but cry out in pain at I fall down with him. I lay on the ground for a second in pain unable to move. Marshal is next to me close enough that I can hear him breathe, I go limp and Marshal tries to get into my bag to get back his mother's jewels from me. I lay waiting for the right time to strike, when he’s leaning over me ti reach for my bag, I snap open my eyes, pushing him off of me and run into the night.
When I walk in class the next day almost everyone is around Marshal’s desk. “You really say them? You saw the Phantom Thief? How?!” asks one girl leaning on his desk. “I hid in my moms room and I left the window open, I used some of her jewelry as bait and I was able to see the Phantom Thief. She got away but I know she was hurt dove out the window, because she was sort of slow running away and she limped a little,” says Marshal. I roll my eyes, stupid. “She? The Phantom Thief is a girl?!” says one of the boys. “Yeah she had long hair and had the grace of a girl,” Marshal says. “Did she hurt you?” asks the girl on his desk. “She shoved me off of her when I tried to get back the jewels she took, I tried to chase her down and I tripped dragging her down with me where she went limp and got away” says Marshal. I can’t help but snort. “You got something to say?!” says the girl. “Yeah I do, you seeing the Phantom Thief is crazy and I’m sure that you wouldn’t have been able to recognize her because she has been stealing for years and you just came here. So you must be lying, how can someone see your so called Phantom Thief if they haven't been seen before, ” I say standing up to glare at Marshal. “Can’t you just leave everyone alone for once? No one cares what you think,” says Shella. “Do you really want to say that to me? And I do leave everyone alone, it’s just that when someone says something stupid I can’t help but interfere because I unlike you know when something is fake,” I say walking back to my desk. I put too much pressure on my left ankle and I wince. “What do you know?!” says Shella. I turn around slowly. “I know enough to not get robbed by someone by lying valuables around where anyone can take them,” I say sitting down. After school I’m walking home on my own because I want to get some food for everyone. “Hey,” says Marshal behind me, I tense up and glare at him. “Why did you assume that I was lying? I wasn’t lying,” he says. I try to walk away but I’m a little slower than usual, Marshal grabs my arm before I get very far. “Do you want me to flip you again? Because I will, now. Let. Go. Of. Me” I say glaring. Marshal doesn’t let go. “Knew I should have gone the other way,” I mutter when he doesn’t let go. “Huh?” he says dumbly. “Leave me alone Marshal, before you regret it,” I say shaking him off. Marshal holds on tighter. “I don’t think I’ll regret anything,” he says. I try to take a step but my left foot rolls, I fall to the ground my foot throbbing I grit my teeth trying not to cry out in pain. “You ok?” Marshal says trying to touch me. “Don’t touch me,” I say hitting his hand. I try getting up but again the world spins and I fall back down. I take out some bandages and start wrapping my ankle so that I can walk better. “How did you get hurt?” asks Marshal looking at my foot. “I la- I tripped yesterday, now leave me alone, I can get home on my own. I don’t need your help,” I say getting up and limping away.
