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Post by Haruske Elmdor on Sept 10, 2005 22:45:42 GMT -5
Stealing Hearts with Love
A dark shadow swept through the dark alley that a figure tracked. His agile body and dexterity simply outran another figure that was on pursuit. He could not allow himself to be caught. He had done it plenty of times before, and every time, he escaped from Harris, the police who patrolled Mineral Town by nightfall.
Harris sure is a slowpoke, he thought as his long brown hair fluttered behind, like a wave of the ocean about to fall down on the soft sand. This will be another easy escape tonight.
It was hard to trend the soft ground as the pale moonlight shone weakly, illuminating the back alley a little. Cliff swerved to avoid the boxes behind the supermarket. He was used to it after all, dodging the obstacles as if he could see it through the back of his mind, not needing help from the frowning moon above. He had nicked goods from the supermarket loads of times before, and his favorite route of escape was the back alley that led to the forest, of which the pale moonlight would not be able to penetrate thus securing yet another safe escape.
It suddenly became quiet, too quiet for Cliff. He grew perplexed, as Harris might be hatching some new scheme to catch him off guard. He abruptly stopped, and looked behind him.
Harris was nowhere to be seen.
“He gave up already? My, what a loser that guy is,” Cliff murmured, smirking to himself. But he didn’t lose his guard, as his instinct told him that a presence was still in the vicinity. A rustling sound came from a nearby box. Cliff jumped back on reflex, and started to run but held himself as he heard a meowing sound coming from behind the box.
Just a stupid cat, he thought. “Man, I’m getting the jitters tonight,” he said out loud, trying to psyche himself up. He was still a bit shaky from the abrupt hold up caused by the cat. He started to walk away when he heard a scream, a scream that came out from his own self. He felt a surge of pain from his foot.
“What the ¯!” he stammered, as his foot got caught in something sharp that immediately clamped his right foot, disabling him. “Damn! The cat was a trick!”
“Indeed it was Cliff, indeed it was,” said a cold voice, brushing Cliff’s ear. It was Harris all right. He sneaked up on Cliff by the roof and threw the cat from above, while setting up a set of snares when Cliff got distracted.
“You seem to have developed the ability to use your brains rather than just your feet this time to catch me eh Harris?” he said sarcastically as he tried to wrench his foot free from the trap.
“Yes, I’ve been hanging out at Mary’s library brewing a plan for you, my dear Cliff. Now, retribution will follow, come on now, come and give up quietly,” Harris boomed. He was scrawny and tall indeed. He never had a chance outrunning young Cliff in a footrace, so he thought of a cunning plan to catch his prey.
Cliff’s heart raced. I’m not going to be caught! Not today, not tomorrow, never. I’ll have to think cool, think Cliff, think! I must not look startled. I must show Harris my guts. That ought to dismantle his thinking for a bit.
He was about to give up on thinking when he remembered he was still clutching the shopping bag that was the cause of his setback. He smiled.
“Really now Harris? Should I feel special because you were thinking of me in the library or should I feel loved as well?” he spat as he pulled his face into a twisted grin, hinting mock sarcasm in his voice.
Harris’ face contorted with rage, but resumed his pace. He had already won the battle anyway, and Cliff was just intimidating him. “You won’t get me this time Cliff. I have you by the neck now, or should I say, by the foot? Hahaha!” he guffawed at his own pun, cold triumph and malice could be seen clearly in his face; he had been onto Cliff’s trail for a while now and at last, victory and justice for Mineral Town. “Justice is served at last,” he said in finality, as he brandished Mystrile handcuffs into Cliff’s still smirking face.
“I’ll erase that mock grin of yours Cliff,” said Harris in an annoyed voice. He started talking to himself on ways to punish Cliff and got absorbed that he forgot to handcuff his prey.
Cliff was doing something peculiar with the bag he still clutched in his hand, but Harris was too busy talking to himself that he didn’t notice Cliff reaching for something inside the shopping bag. I’m bound to get away with this plan. I pity Harris very much. He thought he already won the lottery and lost his awareness. Too bad for him but too good for me.
It happened within a blink of an eye.
“Hmm I could kick his ass a thousand times as punishment before turning him in, no that would be too harsh –”
“Hey Harris, are you hungry? Eat some of this!” Cliff yelled, catching the muttering Harris completely unaware. A powdery white substance flew along the cold breeze and caught the oppressor’s face square one. It was flour.
“What on ¯! My eyes! I can’t see! Damn you Cliff!” Harris yelped with pain. His eyes were bloodshot from the sudden action that happened, and it gave Cliff the time to pick his poorly done handcuffs and wriggle free from the snare that caught him moments ago. He was limping a little due to the wound caused by the ankle snare that caught him, but he was still capable of running away from Harris that was still reaching out blindly in thin air. “Catch you later Harris!” he jeered while spanking his ass as he started to run.
It was as if the night itself sat intently and watched the whole scene. The only noises that could be heard were coming from the owls perched on trees and Harris cursing due to his blind state. Finally, he recovered from Cliff’s attack, and he once again gave pursuit. But his prey was already ahead of him. He had no other choice. He had to make Cliff pay for his insolence. It would be sweet revenge if he succeeded. He halted and clutched something silvery from his side and took careful aim…
An ear splitting bang and two cries from two souls were heard, a triumphant yell and a wail of pain. It pierced the silence of the once calm night. The owls were nowhere to be seen anymore, shooed by the sudden noise that came from a silver gun.
******************************************************
“Oh my!” gasped a woman as she dropped the bowl of cookies she was carrying.
“Ann! What happened!” growled another voice, from a man this time, sounding concerned.
“Nothing dad, I just felt something bad happened. I’m ok, don’t worry about me,” said the woman called Ann. She was a lovely woman in her mid twenties. Her hair was a beautiful curly brown with a cute ribbon, though she wore jeans, a loose shirt, and sneakers. She seemed to be the boyish type, but her hair reflected her real feminine side. Her father, Doug, still looked puzzled at what just happened.
“I think something’s wrong with you tonight Ann, I know you’re not clumsy to just drop that cookie bowl without any reason. Tell me honey, come on,” asked Doug for the second time.
“I don’t know dad,” she replied. She was blushing a little. Apparently she was thinking of someone, and the thought made her blush, though she looked worried. Doug spotted this and instantly derived the answer.
“Is it Cliff?” he asked tentatively.
Hating the truth is as wrong as loving to tell fallacies. It was indeed true that Ann was thinking of Cliff, but she was embarrassed to tell her dad. Ann felt Cliff was in grave trouble. She knew of course, that Cliff had been nicking goods from Jeff’s store, but she couldn’t do anything to stop him. In her heart she wept that she was helpless, and in her mind she was angry with Cliff for his thievery. Yet in her eyes, his crimes weren’t wrong.
Still blushing, Ann nodded to Doug. It was true anyway, she was thinking of Cliff, yet in her mind thoughts raced like a whirlpool swirling nimbly. What could have happened to him? Surely he hadn’t been caught! No, that’s not true; I don’t know what to do if he gets thrown to jail. Oh Cliff, please be safe, my life will be torn if ¯
Her thoughts were cut short by a chuckle from Doug. “My little girl’s all grown up!” he smiled sweetly. “Though I personally don’t like Cliff, the riffraff he is to be honest, but I guess I get along with him pretty well when he visits, he’s not a bad guy I guess, though he commits theft. Hmm...”
“You’re weird dad! You praise him then you criticize him. And what are you talking about? Maybe you and Cliff ought to get married!” she joked as she stuck out her tongue.
“Such a tomboy you are Ann, but you can’t fool me this time, a blush tells me love is in the air,” said Doug in an annoying singsong voice.
Ann sighed deeply, torn between anger at her dad’s humor and her concern for Cliff. “Yeah, I love Cliff very much; I don’t know what to do if something happens to him…” Ann said.
******************************************************
The shadow that swept through the alley slowed down. Clutching his dangling right arm with his left, he fled for dear life. Harris was still on pursuit, but he was already slowing down himself due to exhaustion. Cliff climbed the fence that separated the town from the forest. He had gotten away. Even though he was onto no one’s trail anymore, Harris still sprinted until he too reached the fence. He wore an expression between a smile and a frown of guilt.
“Blood, I shouldn’t have shot him, but I didn’t have any other choice. I hope he turns himself in soon, or he might die due to his wound,” Harris sighed as he walked away, accepting defeat.
******************************************************
“Ann, you’ve been wiping that plate until late past eight. Get it? Plate-Late-Eight? Hahaha,” chuckled Doug.
“…”
“Hey I know how corny the joke was, but you could’ve at least reacted with a scowl. This isn’t right… Ann, you ok?”
“What? Oh yeah, I’m ok dad,” replied Ann, still absent-mindedly wiping the plate in her palm. “Why’d you ask?”
“Well obviously you’re not ok as you claim you are. You look a bit pale. What’s wrong dear?”
Ann was indeed looking pale. She was sweating a bit while softly massaging her stomach. “Didn’t you hear me dad? I said I’m ok! It must’ve been the omelet…”
“What omelet, the one inside the fridge?”
“Uh-huh, what about it?”
“And you ate it?” Doug asked.
“What am I supposed to do with it of course I ate it dad! It’s food, not a magazine to stare and gawk at!” Ann snapped. She raised her eyebrows as she saw her dad sweating more than she was. “What’s was inside that omelet anyway?”
“Well you see... Remember Harris suddenly developing a liking with omelets right? He has a bit of an odd tongue, or so to say,” Doug started. “It wasn’t the usual omelet we prepare here.”
Ann stared. “You mean to say that was a bad omelet right?”
Doug slowly nodded. “In a manner of speaking, yes it was. How did you know?”
“WHAT?! I was just joking with the bad omelet since you said it’s for Harris, you know I hate him right? Don’t tell me… Gingerroot and mustard, correct?”
Doug nodded again. “You know the rules Ann, the costumer is always right and that’s what he ordered. And you ate it? Bleh tastes bad doesn’t it? I tasted it myself. I don’t know why Harris would like to eat that, but he told me he’ll be dining here later this evening so I prepared one. Are you ok?”
“Oh very funny, do you still have to ask dad? I think I’m going to be sick,” Ann muttered, massaging her stomach a bit more. “I’m going out.”
“At this hour? What’s gotten into you? Oh, let me guess. You’re going to the doctor to get some medicine for your stomach right?” Doug snorted. “Don’t blame me miss glutton I didn’t ask you to eat the omelet.”
“As if I knew the omelet wasn’t for me?” Ann sighed.
“Ok you can go, but be careful ok? It’s already dark outside, and it’s a bit chilly too. You watch yourself got it? I can’t leave the inn right now there’re still costumers to attend to.”
Hmm, I was planning to go out for a walk, but he gave me a reason to. Dad’s so smart. “Ok I’m going now dad, see you later.”
Doug didn’t know that Ann knew beforehand that the omelet was for Harris, and he didn’t know that she wasn’t headed to the doctor for her false stomach ache. The weather was turning nasty as the trees appear to shrivel up, leaves dancing behind the moonlit path.
“Ann…” a voice whispered.
“Huh? Who’s there?” Ann suddenly broke.
Silence was replied to her.
“Must be my imagination, but I could’ve sworn I saw someone moving behind the bushes,” Ann mumbled as she continued on. The wind blew stronger as September drew to an end.
“I should’ve brought a shawl with me, I hope I can borrow one from Carter,” Ann muttered to herself as she slowly approached a building at the end of the path. She knocked at the big wooden door for a couple of times until it slowly opened. A tall man wearing a black cloak appeared behind the door as she stepped inside. He was handsome-looking, a few strands of gray fluttered with his straw-colored hair as the wind blew. He hastily closed the door behind Ann.
******************************************************
“Cliff! Hello! Oh no! You’re wounded!” screamed a boy and a girl in their late teens as they greeted Cliff inside a shack that was hidden deep in the forest between Mineral Town and Forget-Me-Not Valley.
“I’m ok Stu, May. Don’t worry about me. Here, I brought you food. Go eat now you two.”
“But…”
“Don’t mind me! Go! Eat now!” Cliff said fiercely, his wound opening a bit more.
“We should get help from my sister Elli,” suggested the boy.
“I’ll go tell Ann,” mumbled the girl.
“No! You will do no such thing! You will stay here for the night, feed yourselves, and rest. You will not leave this house, you understand both of you?” Cliff carried on with his voice, making his wound sear with pain again. He calmed down and spoke with passion to the two. “Listen to me May, Stu. You will stay here and not seek help from the people in town. Remember why we moved away. It’s their entire fault that both of you weren’t married. You understand?”
May was already in tears; her beautiful face was deep in remorse, her braids swayed as she dropped down the floor. Cliff’s reasoning touched her very much. True it was, that Cliff and Ann were among the few people who did not object when Stu gave May an elusive Blue Feather because they were still teenagers. They decided to run away and live with Cliff on the shack deep in the forest. Stu felt helpless. He wanted to help Cliff, as well as comfort May, but he was thinking of another thing that very moment.
The shack became silent except for May’s weeps. Cliff cleaned his wound, wincing every now and then due to excruciating pain. The minutes passed in silence as May and Stu ate. They were almost finished eating when Stu suddenly broke a whisper.
“Hey May.”
“Huh?”
“Listen, we must get help, or else Cliff might die. We’ll just wait until he falls asleep. Then you can go fetch Ann, while I’ll go tell Elli what happened.”
May frowned. “But Cliff said…”
“Cliff said that because he doesn’t feel he needs help, but he needs it badly!” he interrupted. “Come on May, I know you want to help him too. We can do this together, although it means we may end up going back to our own homes if Cliff gets sent to prison.”
“But Stu, I, I don’t want to leave you!” May said in exasperation.
“I don’t want to leave you either May, but we don’t have any other choice. We can still wait until we’re old enough right?” he said calmly, though he really wished he didn’t have to leave May. “Love has many sacrifices, and I know me must make one now. Time will give us the chance. We just have to wait for a few years before we can be together. Cliff might die soon if we don’t do it. I hope you understand.”
“Oh Stu! I do, I really do, but I don’t want to be alone again. Grandpa Barley’s dead. Your grandma Ellen’s dead. Your sister lives in Jack’s farm now. But we’re not allowed to live in a single house in Mineral Town! I can only live with you here, outside of the prying eyes of people.” May was on the verge of crying when Stu hugged her tightly in his arms.
“Don’t cry May. I love you, a reason enough not to make you cry.” He came level to May’s face. They were getting closer. Stu could see May’s tear on her pretty face.
“I love you too Stu. Ok, let’s do it tonight,” May say in agreement. She was so close to Stu she could count every freckle in Stu’s face.
Cliff snickered at the two souls at the dining table. He remembered himself and Ann before, and forced to himself a real smile. “Hey, no kissing under my roof you two!” he shouted.
******************************************************
It was midnight, yet the moon still shone weakly on the quiet but cold town. Two figures stealthily crept into the shadows to avoid being spotted by the patrolling Harris. They split up and headed to different houses. Desperate knocks were heard from the doors of Jack’s house. It was Stu at the doorstep.
A tall handsome figure opened the door. His brown eyes reflected the weak moonbeam that echoed the freezing wind of winter. It was Jack, the owner of the farm.
“Stu! What on earth are you doing outside at this time of the night?” Jack scolded as he grabbed a muffler from a hanger and gave it to Stu. “Surely this is of important matters to discuss? Come on and grab something to drink. It’s cold outside.”
“I’m ok Jack, thanks for worrying. But you should save your worries for someone else. Cliff’s in trouble, he’s wounded badly, and I thought Elli might be able to help, I left May so she could go tell Ann,” replied Stu as he went inside to gather warmth for his freezing face.
“You left May to do what?” Jack asked.
******************************************************
“Ann? Ann?” May frantically yelped while knocking outside the inn. She managed to reach the inn without being spotted by Harris.
“Whose there?” Oh, May it’s you,” a man replied as the door creaked open.
“Mr. Doug, can I speak with Ann? It’s really urgent.” May squeaked.
“Afraid you can’t. She’s out, went to the doctor’s place. Ate a bad omelet, she did.” Doug replied, sounding a bit sheepish.
“What? Oh, thanks anyways I gotta go now buhbye Mr. Doug!” She hastily waved goodbye and strode away.
Doug watched her until she went out of sight and muttered “girls.”
It suddenly clicked to him, like a pan smacking his head square. “Duh I have to follow her! What’s going on anyway?” He cursed as he bolted the inn and briskly walked, following May’s path.
Mineral Town looked gloomy and uninviting during nighttime, and May was no fan of fright and scary surprises. Her strides broke into a run as she headed towards the doctor’s clinic. She was almost there until¯.
“Wahh!” she screamed as she hit something solid. She was shocked to run into something in the middle of the road. Much more, it spoke to her in a hoarse whisper.
“Ouch! Hey who’s that? May, is that you?” a scratchy voice whispered.
“Harris!” May screamed once more.
“Do I look like a zombie or something? You act like you’ve seen a ghost. And what are you doing that this hour outside?” Harris asked.
“Looking for Ann,” May said in a monotone.
“Well she’s not here, so you better go home now,” Harris replied, an eyebrow rising from his scrawny face.
“What are YOU doing outside at this hour Harris?” May asked back, trying to sound casual.
“Well I’m a policeman and it’s my duty to guard Mineral Town at night, especially from thieves and culprits.” Harris spat.
“Do I look like one Harris?” May snapped. “You sound like you’re trying to hint something. And besides, from the way I ran into you a while ago, you were slacking off,” she smirked.
“I’m trying to catch my breath. I was following a nasty cat,” Harris said, with a tinge of guilt in his voice.
“And you had to use your gun huh?” May’s voice rose a little.
“Where’s Cliff?!” Harris shouted, pressing his hand on May’s arm.
“Ouch stop it Harris let go of me you’re hurting me!” May wriggled, finally slapping Harris in the face. “Rude! I surmised you used your gun because it’s unbuckled from your waist! I didn’t see Cliff anywhere, so let go of me, or you want both your cheeks to turn red?”
Harris let go of May’s arm. “Sorry,” he stuttered.
“Not good enough!” May scoffed. She walked away from Harris as she started to head towards the largest building at the end of the block, where a cross stood proudly in its top roof. Harris could’ve sworn he heard something that sounded like “jerk” before May disappeared from view. He sighed.
“Whew, that was a close call,” May muttered as she stopped in front of the church. She heard voices from inside the building. She pressed her ears on the door and listened intently.
******************************************************
“Ah, nothing never mind that Jack,” Stu hastily replied.
It was cozy inside Jack’s house. A blazing fire cackled at the fireplace, giving warmth to the entire house. The house was neatly groomed, due to another soul who lived there. A silhouette was visible on the center table near the fireplace. She was busy knitting another muffler while humming to a tune. Her shoulder-length hair swayed as she looked at Jack and the unknown person. Curious of the midnight visitor Jack entertained, she turned. The figure came by the name of Elli.
“Stu!” Elli cried with joy. “What are you doing outside at this hour? It’s really cold outside! Come in here now and warm yourself up. I’ll fix you some hot milk so –”
“Sis!” Stu exclaimed as he flung his arms over Elli. “It’s been a while! How are you Hey you seem to have gotten fatter! I have so many things to tell you, about me, about May, about Cliff. Oh, I’m so happy!” his longing for his sister poured out as he hugged Elli tightly.
“Hold your horses now there Stu, or your soon to come nephew might get squashed, calm down and have a drink. What were you saying about Cliff a while ago? I thought you said he was hurt,” Jack grinned, at the same time looking a bit concerned for Elli and Stu’s news.
“What! You’re pregnant! Oh silly me I should’ve guessed. That’s good news!” Stu said ecstatically as he let go of Elli. He then remembered why he visited and returned to the grave look that he worn before, as if a chilly blast of wind leaked from the cold night outside the house. “Cliff’s wounded, badly. He needs immediate medical attention it seems, as he poorly treated his wound. I think it’s a wound caused by a bullet, probably from Harris. That’s why I came at this time of the night. I’m sorry if I caused a commotion here.” He said as he gulped down on hot milk that Elli prepared as he told his tale.
“It’s ok Stu,” both Elli and Jack said at the same time.
“So, what are we going to do?” Stu asked.
“I need to take a look at Cliff’s wound. But in my current condition, I can’t especially at this weather,” Elli said.
“You can’t go outside as well Elli, it’s dangerous. It’s freezing outside as well,” said Jack as he started to examine a closet for some things to use.
“Jack, can you go to Cliff’s shack and bring him here? Stu’s still cold from being outside; I think he still needs to warm up. Cliff might resist, that guy’s tough, so you might need to talk it over. Honey, be careful outside ok?” Elli said as she sat down on a chair at the table and continued to knit the unfinished muffler.
“No, I’ll go help Jack sis, that way ¯”
Elli cut short Stu’s attempt to sneak himself out. He knew Elli was going to talk to him about something, and his plan of sneaking away with Jack to help bring Cliff was stopped. “You will stay here, and rest for the time being, understand?” she said firmly. “Well Jack, you should go now. Take care, and be careful.”
“Got it dear, I’m off. Stu, watch Elli for me while I’m gone ok?” Jack said as he whisked himself out into the cold night.
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