Runners

4. Touch

Home similar to the one above, but you can imagine your own if you'd like :) ^^

LUCA POV :

The money is nearly gone. We covertly watched a few of the houses on the richer end of town, ones that were huge to us but some houses were still larger. We finally decided on which one we would hit for our slip.

Two rose bushes frame the Italian styled architecture. A cobbled driveway leading up to three stone steps where double doors sit pride and place. The entire home is made of bumpy bricks, with the exception of the large glass windows with a view obscured by thin curtains. There are no cars in the drive, and the place seems to be empty, which coincides with our observations of the home over the past few days.

We've never spent this long in one place so far, so our goal is to get enough cash to move on and hopefully it will be enough to stay in a nicer place than rundown buildings waiting for a strong enough gust of wind to knock it down.

Lily is crouched beside me, eyes fixated on the doors and windows. "Remember Lils. Only take the things they won't really miss. In and out as fast as we can okay?" She nods and we begin the slow shuffle towards the open widow on the side of the left wall.

The agonising minutes seem to drag on, only strengthening the fear of being caught and quickening the beating of my heart. If anyone were close enough, I'd be sure we would be caught because they heard the thumping of it against my rib cage.

Finally making it to the window, I use two gloves fingers on each hand to pull it open wider. Pausing for a second to listen, I hoist myself up, my arms tensing beneath my weight as my legs make it onto wooden flooring. I double check for any sign of life on this side before pulling Lily in too. My entire hand wraps around her arm and I feel the bone. Too skinny. We desperately need the money.

I place my finger to my lips and she nods in understanding. Both of us have our hair completely covered by a cap and then a hood to avoid leaving any hair. We can't risk them testing the DNA and the news getting back to him.

I hold up my hand, motioning for her to go search the first door on the right while I move towards the one directly across. Once I open the door, I'm met with a mahogany desk in the centre of the space; with a black laptop mat and a thick wad of papers neatly stacked. An office then.

In the back left corner is a thin bookcase with only a few books on the shelves. They look to be old but yet not used. Then behind the desk in the right corner is a medium sized palm tree that looks to be plastic. Along the white painted walls are frames, five of them to be exact, and all are empty except one.

Allowing myself a second of distraction I get closer to the filled frame. It's a certificate of graduation for a 'Jayden Clark'. Moving back towards the desk I begin to open the drawers. Most of them are empty, but when I close the bottom drawer there's a light thunking noise.

I open it fully again, using my covered knuckle to lightly tap on the bottom of it. It's hollow. Bingo.

I grab my penknife from my back pocket, flicking it open, and pry up the base of the drawer. It reveals a rectangular space which only contains a small golden pocket watch and a piece of paper. Flipping over the watch I take note of the letter 'F' engraved in the metal. I shove it, along with my pocketknife, into my back pocket and pick up the piece of paper.

On closer inspection I notice the faint outline of a woman's body in a floral dress. Well I can only assume it's a floral dress as the picture is so old and worn that I can't even make out the face. I put it back in the open space, returning the bottom plank of wood to its space and close the drawer. Thanks 'F', you'll be paying for dinner for the next few nights.