Prologue: The Thief And The Orphan
Alice
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"C'mon Alice, do it if you say you really aren't scared of anything, unless of course you were bluffing?" Eret teased me. "Of course not, game on red-hair!" I quickly snatched a candy bar, then Eret and I sprinted off. "Stop thief!" the shop owner yelled. Eret was grinning broadly. " Wow, didn't think you'd actually have the guts to do that," he said. I almost threw the candy bar at his freckled face out of annoyance. Just then, I heard a siren. I quickened my pace and Eret cursed as he stumbled and fell. I was helping him up just as two bulky figures loomed over us. Eret's eyes widened in fear and the two officers handcuffed us. While we were being driven back to the police station, Eret moaned and said, " I am so dead, my parents are going to kill me for this. It's the fourth time I've been arrested. Alice why'd you steal that candy bar?" I glared at him and retorted, " Yeah well, you're just some random boy I met in an alley that dared me to steal a candy bar, so this is actually your fault." He shrugged and asked, "Yeah well aren't you scared of what your parents are going to do once they find out? I know I'm gonna be grounded for a whole year." At this statement, I rolled my eyes. "Aren't you exaggerating a bit? And besides, I...don't really have parents..." I mumbled the last few words and cast my eyes down. However, the officer driving heard me and turned to look at me. He squinted and stated, " You're Alice Lerui, your parents died in a fire four years ago" It was a statement, not a question. His partner nudged him and he turned his attention back to the road. Eret looked at me and emotions flashed across his face. Pity, regret, guilt. " It's not your fault you know, I accepted the dare," I said when I realised he was feeling guilty for daring me to steal the candy bar. He said nothing and looked outside the window, avoiding my gaze. When my parents had still been here, before the fire, they told me that I shouldn't associate with Eret, saying he was a natural born troublemaker. Yet here I was, in a police car with him and about to face the consequences of stealing a candy bar. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting exhaustion wash over me.
It wasn't long before Eret woke me up. At first, I was confused, didn't know where I was, then I remembered, I was in a police car handcuffed. As we walked towards the police station, I saw Miss Wil – the head of the orphange. Well, more like my caretaker since I was the only child in the orphanage. There was a grim-looking man and a woman who looked like she was going through too much stress. I watched curiously as Eret bit his lip and lowered his gaze, as if ashamed of what he had done even though I was the one who had stolen the candy bar. Miss Wil hugged me tightly and started lecturing me and saying how we would have to go through the ten reasons why honesty is important. I wasn't really listening since I knew I wouldn't be punished, unless boring lectures were considered as a punishment. I was more interested in watching Eret and his parents. I heard his mum say, " You are nothing but heartache Eret, you are grounded for a month and no sweets or comic books." Eret nodded and didn't complain. Strange, I thought, most kids around my age would complain, especially if they were banned from sweets. As Eret walked past me, I stealthily snuck him the candy bar. The officers had never taken it and I knew Miss Wil would never let me keep it, not that I had even planned to eat it since I didn't really like candy. Eret's eyes widened, he took it and slipped the candy bar into his pocket. He mouthed the word, "Thanks" and ran after his parents. Miss Wil took me back to the orphanage and started to lecture me(again), but I wasn't paying attention, I made a decision – I was going to find out more about Eret.
His parents were as good as their word, I didn't see him for about a month. When I saw him roaming the streets of Creek Town, I intercepted him with a "Boo!" Eret nearly fell down from surprise and I roared with laughter. "Not funny," he said as he glared at me."You...should have...seen your...FACE!" I said in between my laughs. "Why are you here?" Eret asked me when I was finally done laughing. "Why didn't you say anything when your parents gave you your punishment? I've never seen a kid behave like you," I asked him. Eret pursed his lips and sighed. "Promise you won't tell?"Eret asked worriedly and his golden eyes met my violet eyes. "Sure!" I said with a goofy grin. His expression was serious and I realised he wasn't joking or playing around. Must be some secret, I thought and changed my expression to a serious one. "No candy isn't really a punishment, even if I haven't done anything wrong, I can't buy sweets. My parents work 24/7 but there still isn't enough money to support the family. They want to move to a place where the pay is higher but we can't afford it..." Almost immediately after saying this, he clamped his mouth shut and watched my face carefully. Eret didn't steal because he wanted to, he stole because he had no choice. I didn't know how to react so I thought of something else instead. "Want to arm wrestle?" I asked. Eret blinked, clearly not expecting that response. I dragged him into the forest where there was a tree stump. It was my secret hiding place, it also happened to be the place I was emerging from when I first met Eret. He glanced at my arm and frowned, as if wondering why I was doing this. Nevertheless, he raised his arm and I raised mine. It was over in a flash. I whooped in joy, I hadn't been sure I could beat him but I had triumphed over him. "How?" was the only word Eret could manage. "Prepare to see something that will blow your mind," I calmed my heart and steadied my breath. This was dangerous, but Eret had shared a secret so I should to. I felt my bones shift, fur growing on my body, ears shrinking and a tail growing. I landed on four paws and cocked my head at Eret. He stared at me and my wolf body, mouth agape. Now, for the moment of truth. I didn't shapeshift that often as nobody in Creek Town had known I could shapeshift, I often came to this place to practise my shapeshifting, but even then, I was afraid that I would stay in that form forever, or worse, die. I felt my bones shift again, my ears growing at the side of my head, the fur disappearing and the tail shrinking. I stood with two feet and made sure I was fully normal again. Eret didn't know what to say and I couldn't blame him, after all, he had just seen me shapeshift. I had questioned whether it was a good idea, but in the end, I had decided that I shouldn't doubt myself or my decisions. What happens happens. Then, I hugged him in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. "Promise you won't tell," I whispered in his ear. "Promise," Eret whispered back.
1 year later
I sat on the field as I helplessly watched Mr Detrix load the last box onto the moving van. It had been a year since Eret and I had revealed our secrets. We had shared many good memories in that short period of time. The best one was of us eating ice cream Miss Wil had prepared for us. We had ice cream all over face. Ms Wil had the photograph taken and gave us each an identical locket with the photograph inside. I clutched the locket in my hand as I watched the moving van prepare to leave. A few days ago, Eret had told me that his parents had finally made enough money for them to move to somewhere where they could earn more money. There had been a farewell party earlier in the afternoon but I wasn't prepared to watch my best friend leave. My only friend. Eret had promised he would write to me as soon as he could, but he had said he was finally going to school so he might not have time. Creek Town was too small to have a school and didn't have the resources so most kids were homeschooled, like me. Eret glanced up at me and waved goodbye to me. I waved goodbye to him too, tears running down my cheeks, fearing that this would be the last time I would see him again.
