diamonds in the dirt {faye/nori - blitz}

I had never thought it would come to this. Stealing: it's what criminals do. But desperate times called for desperate measures and before I knew it, I was in too deep with a strange addiction that is no better than the one my parents have. All I had ever wanted was to provide, to provide because they wouldn't; I had enough love to make their worlds go round and could sit for hours upon end just listening to childhood worries, scribbling them down and then burning the paper --- it is symbolic, it makes them think they have gone away.

Petty theft starts at two. When the suns out, it makes things easier because people like to soak it up. They're outside, not caring, not thinking about anything other than how much this fillet of fish will cost to have for dinner tonight. That is where swoop in, like birds of prey waiting in the skies above to notice a single wrong move. A quick slight of hand and the job is over before it really began.

"Hey. Sorry I'm late." Nori arrives, her hand laced with the red berries which people seem to pay an absolute fortune for in the winter. I can't blame them, they're nice. I take the couple, nodding my head in thanks. "See anyone good yet?"

I pop the berry in my mouth and give her the lowdown.

"Tall, dark, not so handsome on the left might be good. Preoccupied with his kids." I nod my head in his direction. "Or, there is the older woman with the fanny pack on the wrong way round." We got swipe from either of them, providing the coast was clear and there were no hidden peacekeepers lurking in the shadows.

"Oh, that lady will do," Nori says. "Do you want to distract her, maybe ask if she's lost something? Or dropped something, that works too. I'll do the taking with this one." I nod, my mind conjuring up different questions that I could ask the woman so that she would be preoccupied whilst Nori steals from her. It can't be too hard, and whilst stealing a few coins from her may mean that she has rice for dinner tonight, it means that my siblings are well-fed, well-kept and happy. Perhaps if we asked the woman, she might be generous enough to donate.

But we are not a charity case, we are a family, dysfunctional and all. 

"I got this," I tell Nori, straying from her side to converse with the woman who probably came out to enjoy the weather. I bet she didn't think this would be how the day would go down. I can't let myself fall into the shoes of the victim --- we'd all do criminal acts if it means staying alive. Isn't that what the Hunger Games prove?

I look down to her, she can't be much taller than five foot two. "Um, have you seen my cat?" I ask her, eyes dropping to the floor. "Ginger, quite fat. She's called Tabby. She's been missing for a few days now," I glance over the woman's shoulder to Nori, almost as a signal that this one is ready for the taking. The woman shakes her head slowly. It would be a strange coincidence if she had seen the 'missing' cat that isn't really 'missing' at all because it doesn't exist.

"Oh, thank you anyway. We've been looking for days. If you could just keep an eye out, that would be much appreciated." A false smile is painted across my face. I don't know how much time Nori needs to do her thing, but this isn't so bad after all. Anything for them, I think.