Vignettes is a thread to feature stories written by players.

A great deal of freedom is given, but players are asked not to feature other player characters or established non-player characters.

"Okay, just like we trained." Dirk said to Jilly, as the two stood in the shadows of a merchant's stall in the market place.

Dirk wasn't his real name. He had taken that name when he ran away from home, away from an abusive father, towards a life of excitement and crime. Of course, starting off, there hadn't been a lot excitement, just hunger and fear. But now, three years later, at the age of twelve, he felt like a fully experienced criminal. Even if Martin told him he still had lots to learn.

Jilly was eight, and this would be her first purse snatching. She looked up at him with frightened eyes.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Dirk assured her "I'll distract him good and proper with my little beggar routine. All you have to do it cut the purse."

---

Dirk skidded into the alley, dragging Jilly behind him by the upper arm.

"They went into the alley!" a shout sounded behind them, down the street. So much for giving the guards the slip. Thus far they had only managed to stay ahead of the guards due to the two of them being small enough to slip through the crowd, where the guards had to push and shove. Having left the market place, that was no longer an option. Not while dragging Jilly along.

Dirk quickly gave the alley the once-over, and then pushed Jilly towards a pile of boxes.

"Hide!" he hissed "Hide and be very quiet. I'll make them follow me. Don't come out until the next bell."

He paused only long enough to see her darting behind the boxes, then he started really running.

---

Three hours later, with dark beginning to settle, he finally reached the place he now knew as home. Opening the door to the sagging two-story building, he called out "I'm back."

Inside the doors was a large open room, with the fireplace and the common table with two long benches and a couple of chairs, as well as all the clutter of many people living in one place. At night the young ones would sleep close by the fireplace, while Dirk and the other older boys would sleep in the back room that was used for pick pocket practice.

Right now Lenna and Ophir were at the pots. They weren't young ones, but the older girls got to sleep with the children, at the fireplace where it was warm. Lenna was the oldest of all the kids in the house, being fourteen. Of course, that didn't count Martin, who was ancient by Dirk's standards.

Lenna looked up quickly from her work, but then smiled, upon laying her eyes on Dirk. Dirk was beginning to think differently about girls, and Lenna's smile always gave him a warm feeling.

"Jilly came back a while ago." Lenna said "I was worried when I heard you took the chase with you." She smiled "But you are okay. And it was a really good purse. We might eat for two days on it."

She turned back to the pot, and gave it a couple of more stirs. "And you are right on time. Dinner is ready."

Raising her voice, she repeated loudly "Dinner is ready!"

A stream of kids of various ages erupted from the back rooms, flocking to the table. Dirk quickly took his own spot, near the head of the table and Martin's chair.

One of the young ones, Harry, who was only six and hadn't even begun training yet, looked towards the empty chair and asked "Where is Martin?"

Lenna was in the progress of filling up bowls, which were passed on to the table by Ophir. She smilled at Harry.

"Martin is out doing a job. He is hoping we might be able to buy you some new shoes."

Harry looked down at his feet, and wiggled his bare toes, then up at Lenna again.

"But won't he be hungry?"

Lenna handed another bowl to Ophir, and replied "Oh don't you worry. Martin can take care of himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:28, Mon 16 June 2014.

Three months ago Martin was sitting at the common table, using a bowl and two dice to give the older boys a lesson in filching. The rain outside were dancing a merry dance on the roof, and dripping on the stone floor in the one spot where it had managed to penetrate the both the roof and the floor above. Dirk didn't find the lesson particularly interesting, and his mind was in a half trance, listening to the patter of the rain, even as he pretended to listen to Martin.

Soren wasn't paying much attention either. He was older than Dirk, at 13, and every indicator pointed to him soon striking out on his own. He had grown into a bit of a bully over the last year, but only a bit. Martin didn't tolerate bullies. But even if Soren kept his bullying below the threshold, he was still distancing himself from the rest of the family. It was unlikely that Martin would kick him out. But contrary to his normal manner, he was nudging. Maybe Martin didn't even realize, but everyone else recognized it.

The last boy at the table was Zinker. Zinker was always ready to learn more, even if he was never any good at actually doing the thing. He was clumsy and a bad actor. He had been almost caught so many times, that he had settled for either begging or acting as a look-out. Begging did seem like his calling. He had the right pitiable face for it. But despite that, he always wanted to learn more. More stuff that he would probably never get to use.

As Martin made a distracting motion with one hand, he scooped the dice from under the bowl with the other. In slow-motion this time, while he explained. Then there was a knock on the door. Martin looked towards it, and then made a toss of his head towards it, looking at Zinker. Zinker immediately jumped up, and ran over to open.

Out of the wet stepped Rammus. Rammus was everything Dirk dreamed to be. Daring, capable, and always ready with stories about his latest heist. Martin said that Rammus was reckless, but despite that he was still on good footing with his former pupil. Rammus had been one of Martin's flock until four years ago, shortly before Dirk joined.

Taking off his wet cloak, Rammus handed it to Zinker. While Zinker carried the cloak to the fireplace, Rammus walked over to the table with a big smile, and sat down on the bench.

"Martin! It's been while." he gushed.

Martin on his part looked at Rammus' face, and then grunted noncommittally.

Rammus half recoiled in mock hurt "Oh come on Martin. Don't be like that. I come bearing information about the possibility of a perfect caper."

"I know." Martin replied "Except I remember the last 'perfect caper'."

"But.." Rammus tried to protest, before being cut off.

"And the caper before that."

"Well.. yes." Rammus said, now properly chagrined. Then a slow smile crept onto his face. "But you must admit. Despite the trouble, it was a pretty good haul."

Martin tried to stare down Rammus for a couple of seconds, and then slowly shook his head in surrender "Okay, I must admit that. So what is this 'perfect caper'?"

---

In the end, Martin did agree that Rammus has spotted a good opportunity. But he did shoot down Rammus' plan. This wasn't a two-person caper. So now Zinker and Betsy were placed as lookouts on opposite sides of the shop, while Martin, Rammus and Marcel were hidden in an alley behind the shop.

Dirk looked out from his hiding spot, in the alley in front of the shop, feeling the presence of Sandy behind him. Sandy was a lady of the night, but tonight she was dressed up real pretty. Another former member of Martin's flock, she helped out every once in a while. For a share, of course.

Everyone were in place, and Dirk nodded to Sandy. She took a deep breath, and then screeched "Help! Thief!"

Like a bolt from a crossbow, Dirk darted out of the alley, running straight past the two guards standing outside the store. He heard Sandy coming out of the alley, still shouting "Help! Help!"

A few moments passed, as the guards processed the situation. The moment stretched until Dirk was almost afraid they wouldn't take the bait. Then one hollered "Halt!", and began clanging after him.

Dirk darted a quick glance over his shoulder. Only one was following. That was okay. Sandy should be able to keep the other one plenty distracted. Unlike Zinker, she was an excellent actress.