~Beggers can't be choosers~OPEN~

Lacey Malice

I'm not the brightest person, that's for sure, So I'd normally be thinking 'What the hell am I doing here?' but I've figured out that the people who go in these kinds of stores are rich. They don't need any of these things, but they buy it anyways. To me, it's a waste of money. If they want to use up their money, they might as well sped it on us poor people. So if I'm right, they should have some valuables in their pocket. If I'm wrong, I can just take some of the books and resell them for something lower.

I twirl up my index finger in my hair before entering a book shop. It smelled like, paper. I hate the smell because it smells like puke. Now, I had to look for a target to steal from. Someone who looks weak, kind and gentle. Those are usually the best targets. Sadly, there are too many people here so I can get caught easier, but there aren't enough people to mask me. Maybe I should have chosen a different area to steal from? Whatever, I'm just going to have to go to a place where I'm un-noticed.

The sudden thought of Dice enters my mind. Normally, we'd be doing this kind of stuff together and then split the loot between the two of us. I still remember that day when he last held my hands. I remember when he held his district partner in his arms. He didn't look weak when he was crying, it was more like passionate. Then when he partnered with that blind girl and then she died. I remember cheering for him in the arena until he came into the final five. I was so sure he had a real shot at winning, and he did, but sadly he died and so did his killer. A tear threatens to come out in memory of Dice, but this was a way to vent my pain.

We where going to hold a proper burial for the District 6 tributes some time, but right now I'm trying to avoid the thought.

I go to a place behind a book shelf because it seems rather unnoticeable compared to the other parts of this store. When I check for a target, I see a girl who looks around Dice's age and think that maybe she could be a good target. I walk up to her putting a innocent face on and 'accidentally' bump into her checking to pockets. For a second I felt nothing in her jacket, but then I felt the shape of a small book and a watch. Score. I take the watch and put it in my sleeve with that hand.

Quickly, I take out my hands out of her pockets before she notices and I put my hand to my forehead, making the watch slide down to my elbow. "Oww.... Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry." I say to her, trying to sound innocent without sounding fake. That trick I did is a really old one and almost every thief knows it. What if she... No. She was just going to buy that book in her pocket.

She had a nasty look on her face and I just wore mine almost blank. Thiefs never steal from other thiefs of the same 'family'. Not that she was connected to me in that sort of way, but she's the first target I felt sorry for. I never feel sorry for people I know scarcely.

"Give me back my pa's watch" The older girl said. So I was right; it was a memento of someone special, in this case her dad. Her dad must be really special to her, judging by the fire I can see inside her.

That girl suddenly lunges her hand towards me and grabs that watch in my hand. I don't struggle. In fact, I don't need it. This is the weird thing, I like people who are like this because they're bad in my way, yet good. Perhaps we could be friends if this kind of event didn't happen, but I know that's almost next to impossible now.

"Don't....Don't you dare try anythin like that again, you hear me you little theif.....don't...don't think I didn't recognize that move of yours" There's an obvious shakiness in her voice. I don't crumble or feel sad for her, instead I remain emotionless. Once I hear her last sentence, that's when I realize she's a thief too... or, at least that trick was played on her so many times before that she recognized it.

She wipes her imaginary tears in the rain and I can't contain my grief any more. As soon as she turns around, I look down and give a frown. I must know her name. If we ever meet again, perhaps it would be under better circumstances.

"Hey you." I call to get her attention. Walking a few steps closer, I extend my hand for a hand shake and say "I'm Lacey-" I was about to give my last name, until I realized something. Dice's bead. It's gone. No longer in my hand anymore. For an instant I think that she took it and I immediately shout at her, grabbing her jacket with both my hands "Where is it!? Did you take it!?" A set of tears run down my face blatantly before being caught up with other drops of rain on my face.

"Oi! Y'u!" a shockingly familiar voice calls out from behind me. When I turn around, I see the vendor of the shop I stole Dice's bracelet from. Right then and there I know I'm in deep trouble. He lifts me up from my collar with his right hand and in his left, he holds... Dice's bead! I struggle to get that bead, even more then making him let go of me. "Care to explain to me what this is?!" He tells me sarcastically. Just as I'm about to call out for help, I realize that there is practically no one else on the streets except for that girl due to the rain.

"That- That's mine! It was part of Dice's token!"[/i] I scream at the man. Really, I need help now. For a moment I feel like a deer in a snare; just trapped. I look at that other girl and another tear comes from my eyes screaming for help.

"Really! Well we'll see what the peacekeepers 'ave to say 'bout this!" He threatens me. Oh no. I'm dead. I still have to try and get out though. Quickly, I struggle like a fish out of water, but it's futile, he's going to take me away. What will happen to me? Will he send me to a prison? I look at that other girl and cry one last tear as both an act of repentance and of desperate plea. Help. [/color]

Just as the jewelry shop owner turns around to get me off to a peace keeper, the girl I stole from gets his attention."HEY MR!!" When he turns around, for some reason he drops me and Dice's bead before holding his groin. Right now I'd laugh at him, but the fear of what he almost did Is stronger then that urge. Before I can look around for the bead, that other girl grabbed it first. For a moment I'm about to take the last piece of Dice's token, when she grabs my arm.

"C'MON!!" She says before we both start to run off. Running through the rain is quite dangerous becuase of the wet pavement, but we still needed to get as far away from him as possible. That shop owner doesn't seem to be pursuing us and I think we're in the clear.

We both stop and take a breath from exhaustion. I'm clearly not athletic at all and I regret not taking running as seriously as I should have. I few seconds of inhaling breaths that seem to be like breathing in a cloud of smoke, I manage to get my words out. "...Trader. I'm Lacey Malice. I... Owe you." I manage to say before coughing a bit. I never really liked being in anyone's debt; no one does. She really could have saved my life right then and there. Who knows what the shop owner or even the peace keepers would have done to me.

After taking a few more gasps of air, I ask her "...And you. What'd your name... Also... What's your code... code of honor?" I end up coughing in my sentence, making small brakes in between my words. Thief's usually follow their own set of rules when it comes to stealing. I follow a set of rules that me and Dice made. I wonder what kind of rules she follows?

"Names Zilla, Zilla June......as for my code? Well, Rule 5- Always, Help a theif in need..Rule 4-Run when caught....3-Cardio......2- Thieves, well me at least, don't cry and Rule number 1- Always listen to the rules...here you might want this back" The girl said before revealing that bead in her hands.

I hastily grab that bead and hold in in my palm. It's safe. Now that I have the bead, my attention focuses on the girl I'm speaking, Zilla June. That may not be her real name though. She didn't notice but I gave her my wrong last name. My mistake before was that I already told her my first name, but at least that should throw her off my case if she tries to find me. "Zilla June, huh? Is that your real name?- or your Con name?" I ask the girl.

A touch of guilt enters my body because she kind of sacrificed a whole lot for me and I have nothing to show for. "By the way, my real last name is Malice." I give her the grace of knowing my last name. People sometimes know me as: Lucy, Marry or Katie because they're so common. The name Zilla is probably her's because it so obviously stands out, a con artist wouldn't use it.

"Yeah it's my real name.....I can see you know the tricks of the traid- care to share who taught you them Lacey?" She asks me after confirming that her name was really Zilla. Apparently, she doesn't know that whenever a con artist does their work, they use con names. It's a beginner's mistake. Now, I wonder how long she's be into the 'industry' because now I really can't tell.

"You mean you don't know them? How long have you been stealing?.. Anyways, I'll grace you with answering your question. I learned most of these things on my own, but our boy tribute for this year's games; he's the one that's been teaching me a bit. Most of the things I learn from him are tricks that're supposed to be done in pairs... Well... Now that he's gone..." I take a deep breath, to remember Dice. I've cooled down a bit from the loss, but it will still take some time to recover from it.

"...I suppose that the things I've learned are wasted... So, what's your story? Are you stealing for the hell of it? or because you need to?" I ask her before leaning on a brick wall behind my back. The reason I asked her a question was to try and pull the topic away from me, and on to her. Also, I actually wanted to know more about her anyways.

A drop of rain fell on my cheek and I wipe it off and for a second my brain shocks me with an image. It was of Dice holding a girl and then there was a tear drop on her face, but it didn't come from her, it was from Dice. I clench my eyes for a second and try to take away that flash of the first of horrible events.

"Since I was 7..probably before you could even count to 2.....and I steal cause I need too. Ma ain't exactly gonna get up and do work...Pa's dead so......" I listened to what she said. So it's one of those stories. One living parent and that one can't support the family, so the child has to work. In this case, we have to steal things rather then earn them... Yeah, we. There's more people who are like us; children that need to steal to live. I give a small grin to her, staring into the ground and give nod in approval to her.

She continues by moving on to a new subject"And I knew Dicentra...not personally...I saw him at school.....and in the Games....and I knew he stole- I noticed once or twice..but I never knew he had..." My smile turns into a slight frown as soon as Zilla said Dice's name. For a moment, I forgot him, but now memories rushed back so quickly. I remember all the pranks we used to pull on lots of people. I remembered being with Dice and watching the reactions of the people we tricked. I can never forget those times when he helped my family through the tough times. Oh, how I miss him dearly...

I feel Zilla's hand rest itself on my shoulder, and I'm about to recoil, but I refrain from doing it. "er...Lacey..you alright?" I give her a cocky smile. I usually hate it when anyone feels pity on me, but now, it's different. Zilla is different.

I'm suddenly struck by the fact that my family needs to eat something for tonight. Business is kind of slow for my parent's shop lately, and we don't have enough funds for even a loaf of bread. I need to steal some, but I'll get caught for sure if I do it alone. That's when I hatch the idea to ask for Zilla's help. I respond to her first question first "I'm... Perfectly fine... Hey Zilla, are you interested in helping me with a 'job'?" I casually pop the question to her. In the slums, or at least between Dice and me, when we say the word 'job' it's code for stealing. I look at her, hoping that she'll accept my offer.

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