The boy was asleep, leaning against a tree.
The sun rose in the distance. The light, shining on the boyís eyes, woke him up.
He looked around and, for a moment, couldnít remember where he was. Then, as he
remembered, he sighed.
Taking his sack, he stood up, dusted himself down and began walking.
*One week earlier*
The citizen walked past the man and boy without suspecting anything. When his back was
turned to them, the man whispered to the boy, ě Go on...do it now...quietly...î
ěIím not doiní it!î shouted the boy.
The man cringed as the citizen heard the sudden outburst and looked round, but, still not
suspecting anything, carried on walking. The man breathed a sigh of relief and turned to his son.
ěJust once?î the man pleaded.
ěNO!î shouted the boy and ran off.
The man growled and ran after him.
The front door burst open and the boy ran in.
ěHere we go again...î sighed his mother.
ěIíll never do it!î shouted the boy, ěThieviní is wrong!î
The man frowned as he walked in. ěItís a way of life...î he said sternly, ě...our way of life.î
ěItís not mine!î shouted the boy and ran out onto the street again.
ěHeís just a child...î said the woman, ě...why do you have to force him to steal?î the man frowned at his wife and said ěThe child must learn someday, he has to stop living in a dream world. All I hear is how heís gonna be the best sword fighter ever...he needs to stop liviní in a fantasy world and face up to reality! We need food!î
ěI know we need food... ě sighed the woman, ě...but that doesnít mean a boy of sixteen should have to steal.î
ěLike it or not, heís gonna to have to!î shouted the man and sat down.
Out in the street, the boy was still running.
ěGadwin! Wait!î
The boy looked round. He smiled as he saw the girl and stopped running. He waited for her to catch up then she said, ěWhere are you going so fast?î
Gadwin sighed and replied; ěAnywhere.î
ěAhh...now I understand,î sighed the girl, ěyour dad making you steal again?î
Gadwin sighed again and nodded. ěWhy does he have to steal?î he asked, ěstealinís wrong, why canít he get a good job? Like in a shop or somethiní?î
ěI donít know,î said the girl, ěmaybe he doesnít know how to do anything else except steal.î
ěThen heíd better learn! And fast!î shouted Gadwin and started running again.
The girl grinned at and chased after him.
Back at the house, the man emptied the contents of his sack onto the table. His wife sighed at
the small pile of stolen pouches and poor quality amulets.
ěWould have been more if the damned boy helped out!î shouted the man.
ě Well he doesnít want to, so leave him alone!î the woman shouted back.
ěNot ëtil the day he gets his head out of the damn clouds!î the man was getting angrier.
The woman recognised the signs and asked ěGoing drinking tonight?î
ěOf course Iím goiní drinkiní! What else is there to do!?î shouted the man and stormed out. The woman sighed and sat down.
In the streets, the girl had caught up with Gadwin and pinned him to a wall.
ěMan!î he exclaimed, ěHow'd ya get so fast?!î The girl grinned and said, ěIíve been training.
Come on, Iím hungry, lets go and get something to eat.î
ěNo!î shouted Gadwin, ěIím leaviní!î
The girl shook her head and smiled ěAgain?î
ěThis time Iím really leaviní!î shouted Gadwin, ěand not cominí back!î
The girl sighed. ěWhy?î she asked,
ěI canít live with him any longer!î shouted Gadwin.
ěStop shouting at meî frowned the girl, ěI didnít do anything.î
ěSorry...î sighed Gadwin.
As a group of Constables ran past, Gadwin gasped and exclaimed ěOh no! My mum!î
The girl gasped and they both ran back to his house.
They arrived to see his mother and father being lead away by four tough looking Constables.
Two more were searching his house.
ěMum!î shouted Gadwin.
His mother looked back at her son and began to cry.
He watched until they were out of sight then darted past the Constables into his house.
He grabbed his gladius, his knife, some food, a torch and his savings, shoved them into his
fatherís empty sack, took it, and went back out out.
Without looking back at the girl who was waiting for him outside, he began running....