A Thief: Unknown

My pace picked up, no longer a fast walk but a glide, yes, a glide. My feet felt as though they were gliding across the white floor. And that was it. I had exited the building, and I was out. I was safe.

I began to quickly walk from the building to my house, it was a good forty-five minute walk, but I didn’t mind, I had just made off with over $400 worth of stolen merchandise from the local electronics store.
The small, metallic trinkets clanking in my jacket pocket, they were the ones, they made me feel alive. Nothing in this world was greater than the rush I felt.

This is the way I am, this is the way I’ve lived. I can’t say I did this to survive, because I didn’t, I did it for the adrenaline rush my body had become addicted, or more, accustomed to. This is me. I am James Raine, I have nothing to gain, and nothing to lose.


“Hey.. kid.. come ‘ere for a minute..” a gruff voice yelled as I was heading towards the center of the parking lot, as I turned my head I could see it was one of the employees from my targeted store.

My feet picked up and I bolted across the nearby street and into another plaza. I kept running. I had become used to this and because of it I have become fast, a classic speed demon, that’s not all my hobby has developed me in to. The kind of situations I’ve gotten into because of my thieving have required me to be fast and think faster, I can jump like no other, and because of it, I am more agile and flexible than most people should be, having to turn corners and outrun groups has done this to me.

Not only did I partake in the store’s valuable offers but I stole from houses, and people on the street. A “common pickpocket” or a “ruthless burglar” it was all the same, I didn’t mind, as long as I got the rush.

As I was running- though I had outrun any employee by far- I turned into an alley to rest. I sat down and begin to examine my new devices: A digital camera, a voice recorder of a fine quality, and handheld video recorder. “Yeah” I thought to myself, “this should fetch nicely on the streets”
Though as the minutes passed I grew bored of them and thrust them back into the concealed inside pocket of my jacket. I had regain my breath quite some time ago, as I realized I had been here for over twenty minutes, yet, something made me linger, something made me yearn to stay for the rest of my life, if not forever.

I still managed to get up to leave, and as I turned around to head back to my house I saw it.
There, lying on the ground, almost completely buried in a pile of crushed aluminum cans and cardboard containers, a gleam of white

I bent down to sift this treasure out of the garbage, I picked it up and held it up above my head, up to the setting sun, though pink, still high in the sky.

It shimmered and shone in the pink, mellow light. And I thrust it too, into my pocket along with the stolen goods.


I’ll never know why I picked up that mask, I’ll never know for sure whether I regret it or not, but I did, I can’t change that.





The room was dimly lit, and only by the flickering candles that adorned the shelves. The walls were stone: cold and gray. Hardly any furnishing was noticeable, however, in the back of the room stood a monument- an altar perhaps. It was stone, and shaped in the form of a hexagon. In the center was an engraving of a crescent moon, and around it, in each corner of the hexagon, but one, was an empty slot, begging to be filled. Aside from that, the room was bare, that is, except for the two men, both had hooded robes draped over them, both wore black masks, with the same symbol- the crescent moon on the foreheads of their concealment. The first spoke: his voice deep, and solemn. “It seems we have our new Phantom Thief.”
The second, his voice being higher, with a hint of cunning: “It makes sense, after all, his blood runs through his veins.”
“Yes, but after centuries the blood line grows rather thin”
“Though he may be the last of the bloodline, he is still the heir, the last in line, heir to Rakiiv, God of the Moon, and he is the only one with the ability to control Rakiiv’s concealment, though with blood this thin, he may have a hard time fighting it.”
“Either way, we need him, only the he who wears the concealment can sense them, can touch them and be unscathed, and only he who is the heir to Rakiiv can withstand His concealment’s power without succumbing to its infernal command.”
“He may need some help- after all he’s still a novice even with the concealment’s ability, a typical super-center shoplifter”
“Then we’ll… help…”
“Then let us tell the others, of our find, of the new… Phantom Thief.”








After I got to my house I looked at the clock, 7:28 it read. “Perfect” I muttered to myself “They’re both at work, and God knows where she is...”

I took off my jacket and emptied out the contents onto my dresser, I was startled for a second, for I had almost forgotten: The white mask that lay atop the pile, still gleaming, as if enveloped in an intricate and everlasting elegance.

It wasn’t a full mask, it only seemed as though it would cover the top half of the face, it’s eyeholes were black and empty, and for a moment I thought it was looking up at me, beckoning for my eyes to fill the empty slots.

Strange enough, I decided to keep it rather than sell it, which was my initial approach for just about everything. Then the thought crept up upon me: “Was I getting attached to this piece of junk?” A slamming door quickly interrupted the thought. “Jaaaamess?” A shrill voice cried out “James are you home?” My eyes widened and I quickly scrambled to my feet, draping my jacket over the stolen merchandise and mask. Only one thought coursed through my mind at this moment: “She was home”
Sabrina burst into my room, her black hair flowing behind her. “James where have you been? You’ve been gone hours...” She said in a rather slurred voice.

“Er- I’ve been..” I started, but then after hearing her I realized she had been out drinking again “Sabrina.. you’re drunk…” Remember your promise to stop?

Sabrina was almost a like a sister to me, we’ve been growing up together since we were 4 and 5 years old, 11 long years we’ve been by each other, side by side, I could honestly say I loved her, but she was too much of a sisterly figure to me for me to ever get intimate thoughts about.
Her parents went through a divorce and neither of them can support a daughter at the moment, she’s been living with me and my family for the past three years.
But recently, even though we attend the same high school, and hell, even live under the same roof, I can’t help but feel like we’re growing farther and farther apart. After the divorce things only got worse, she stopped caring, and she stopped smiling, at least while she was sober, now she constantly goes out with strangers just to make them buy her a drink, she goes to parties and she’s just been fucking herself up.
I’m worried about other things as well, she’s most likely been sleeping around, and I don’t want her to end up with a permanent problem on her hands, I’ve tried to stop her, but it was in vain. I refuse to use force, and when she’s sober she isn’t smiling, it really kills me. There she stood now,   16 years old, Caucasian, black hair to about her shoulders, and crystal blue eyes, she truly was beautiful.

“James…” she was a wreck now, I heard her try to stutter but no real words came out. “C’mon Sabrina you’re sleeping in my bed tonight.” Normally she slept in the guest room, which is hardly what you’d call cozy.

She mumbled some more to me, the happy look of her drunken stupor fading from her face, now being replaced by sadness, grief, and regret.
She kept repeating my name.

I helped her into my bed and brought her water.

And I stood there, by her side, the whole night, in case she needed anything, but she never did.
The water stood there, full to the top, as it was when I brought it.
And strangely enough, a tear fell that night, a tear fell onto the floor of my room.



The next morning, I awoke, still standing- a strange thing really, I was capable of falling asleep while standing rather easily, I guess it was a good thing- Sabrina was gone, there was no trace of where she had gone either, and my parents had not returned.

I went out to the kitchen where two matters were instantly cleared up.
There was a note taped to my fridge exclaiming that my parents would be out of town for the next 2 weeks and that Sabrina would take care of anything I needed. “Hardly” I thought to myself “It’s a little more vice versa” and the next thing I found that eased things up a little was a message on the answering machine, it was one of Sabrina’s friends, she was with them, and would be staying there for a few days.


“Well, well” I said aloud, my parents are gone for two weeks and Sabrina’s with a trustable friend for a while.

A smirk adorned my face.

“I think this will be my big break, this is the opportunity for me to make more than I ever have, without having to worry about being found out”

I immediately took a shower and got dressed.

I never really combed my black hair, it always seemed to fall into place.
My hair was long considering I was a guy, it was still shorter than Sabrina’s of course, it was usually messy and almost looked greasy, although it wasn’t, yet it seemed to fit me.

I draped on my favorite jacket, with the hidden pocket, and put on a pair of socks and shoes.

Before I left I examined myself in my bathroom mirror.

I sighed, I looked too typical, black messy hair, green eyes, a crimson shirt, a black jacket and a pair of jeans.

Yet I set out to make a fortune.


Several hours later I returned, I had made off with at least $600 in stolen goods, yet I didn’t smile, a look of boredom overcame me, and it hit me: The rush was gone.

The thing I lived for was gone, there was no more rush in stealing, the thrill was gone, and all I could do was sit back and let it happen.

I went into my room and stashed my merchandise along with the others.

Then I saw it again, and that reoccurring feeling enveloped me, as my eyes set on that mask.

Then I realized what I needed to do.
What I had to do to get the rush back

And I earned quite a reputation too.


I slid the mask onto my face, it seemed to fit perfectly, which was a lucky break seeing as I doubt I could find another one.

The thought was building up inside of me, more and more of this explicit fantasy seemed like it could be a reality.

If I wanted my rush back, I’d have to go bigger, much bigger.
I had two weeks to do so, it seemed like enough time.

And again, my name is James Raine, I have nothing to gain, and I have nothing to lose.

And so it had started

After dwelling on the thought for a while I began to add to the idea. It all seemed so far out and unnecessary, but this is how I was to do it. If I were to do it at all, this is how it must be done.

I walked into my parents room and searched their closet, sure enough it was there, my father’s wedding tuxedo. It was hardly bigger than my size and it still fit close enough, which was odd, but for some reason didn’t phase me, not in the least.

After removing all my clothes so that all that remained on me was the mask, I put the shirt on and buttoned it up, I slid on the pants, then added the top hat. I then went outside, to my back yard, where we had a small rose garden, I decided I might as well add to the elegance. I picked a white rose and stuck it to my chest.

I walked back inside, I was going to look in the mirror to see just what this all came together as, when I saw it, the perfect addition to my elegance, a silky black cloth. This cloth was the perfect size for what I needed. -My mother had probably bought it to sew with- I added hooks to it and two loops to the shoulders of my tuxedo, I then draped it over me and heard the successful “clink” I had yearned to here, I now had a silky white cape.

I resumed back to my original task and went into the bathroom, I stared at myself for what seemed like hours in the full body mirror: A black top hat, black tuxedo, black pants, white gloves, black shoes, a white rose and the black “cape”, and of course, the mask, the only visible part of my face was my mouth area. I laughed to myself, I looked ridiculous, there’s no way I could pull off even bigger theft in this kind of get-up, yet, it seemed right, almost the whim of my mask, I left it on.

By now the sky had began to darken and nightfall approached- my target time. I must have dozed off for a few hours though, because when I looked at the clock, several hours had passed in what seemed like only minutes. Nevertheless, I got up and made my way to the door, I turned around to look at the time.

Everything was silent, the clock read 11:06

“Haha” I laughed, I guess I should start this far-fetched plan.

I went outside and walked several blacks down, staying on the sidewalk.
There was no one outside to comment on my peculiar outfit, so that was a blessing.
I made my way to an enormous mansion, probably housing a rich family. It crossed my mind that I was actually going to break in. “Damnit.. what am I getting myself into..?” I wondered aloud. “Ahh.. I won’t turn back now, I need the rush… I should’ve at least brought some tools with me anyway”
Of course I had no equipment, I’d have to do this on sheer talent.

I made my way to the side of the house, there was a small window above what could have been a bedroom. “Not the best entrance… but I’ll go for it”
I picked up a rock off the ground and scaled the wall to the window. I lifted up the rock and I jaggedly brought it down on the lock, which broke off easily, I then slid the window open. “For a rich family they seem to have poor locks and security..” the thought almost scared me in a way. I crawled through the window and leapt from its high ledge onto the floor. I landed without a sound, and sure enough, I was in a bedroom, the bedroom of a child. I turned around and the kid was still sleeping. “Good” I thought “Now where do they keep their valuables…?” I exited the room and prowled around the house, I didn’t make a sound and everyone seemed to be asleep.

I was in a living room now, and then something sparkled out of the corner of my eye, a crystal vase, of extremely high quality –at least that’s what my eyes told me- sitting right there on a counter.

I just smirked and walked over to it.

I stopped just before the table upon which it stood, it glinted in the moonlight, it entranced me, called out to me, I knew it had to be mine. With lighting-quick skills I grabbed the vase, and dashed out of the room, around a hall and through a sitting room, various objects of great value adorned the rooms and halls as I ran through them, yet none seemed to catch my eye, I moved as stealthily as I did hastily. I don’t know what caused me to do this, and I don’t think I ever truly shall, but on impulse, as I reached a window leading outside, I jumped, subconsciously, and burst through the pane, glass shattered everywhere, a loud crash echoed throughout the streets. The noise didn’t phase me, I continued to run, up and up the streets until at last I approached my house, all the while thinking “Why was this house so unsecured, why did no one wake up when I foolishly leapt out the window?” But when I arrived home the thoughts seemed of little importance to me. I had what I wanted, and at once I knew- the rush was back. I reached for the door, it opened with ease, “Ah” I cursed at myself, “In my excitement I forgot to lock the door” And knowing this I was still strangely at ease, I felt invincible, untouchable, like nothing in this world could harm me- it must have been the rush that made me feel this way, but did it always used to make me feel so… so powerful? I quickly brushed away my thoughts, I had to examine my prize.
     I walked down the hallway to my room, realizing I had been standing in the doorway since I got home, I set the vase on my bed and begin to examine it. As fate would have it, when my right arm brushed it as I was fondling it, it fell and crashed to the ground, crystal flying in all directions, yet my gaze was diverted from the action, I seemed to be indifferent to the situation, instead my eyes fell upon a glinting object on the floor. “It must have been in the vase, when it broke it came out…” I thought aloud. I reached for it, as I picked it up I could see clearly what it was, a white jewel. “A diamond?!” I exclaimed. For the rock bestowed in my hand was larger than a golf ball, I decided it must be fake, yet it seemed so real.. and filled me wish such a sensational feeling. How had I known what to grab? Why did I go for this vase and ignore every other object, despite their values? It was as if I had known all along what the vase contained, but that of course, was impossible.