Episode One: Runaway
The boy pressed his back against the cool arch. He hid this stomach’s growls with his hand, stayed still as if he wasn’t there in the shadow.
He squinted into the sunlight for any probing looks from passing shoppers. No head turned.
He shut his eyes to review the best food stalls. Then he wet his lips. Good; his lips dried quickest when he faced to the left, – his tell-tale beggar stink would be carried downwind of the street crowd if he made his move. He opened his eyes.
Ahead of him Bashir’s vegetable and egg stall now had shoppers impatient to top their baskets with eggs before they headed home. A good thing for the lad, – this late in the morning the women wouldn’t bother making a fuss if he slid in beside them.
He rocked on his feet and launched across to land between two grannies who were stretching to grab peppers. Their big robed bodies hid him from Bashir who was busy haggling with a customer.
Hamar pressed his belly against the stall and created a pocket in his tunic, swiping up an egg into the fold. No head turned, no eyes pinned him. Bashir argued louder now, and Hamar carefully swiped up another egg.
But Bashir’s head shot up!
“STOP THIEF” he yelled!
Leave a Reply