Chapter 1
"Get back here, you good-for-nothing little thief!" the ferociousness in the man's deep voice only made the boy run faster. He pushed his way through the busy crowd, just barely staying out of reach from the storekeeper's clutch. "I said get back here, boy, or I'll beat you within an inch of your life!" the boy heard close behind him. Looking back, he saw hell in the man's eyes. As he turned back forward, something useful caught his eye; two men carrying a long piece of shaped timber over their shoulders, probably being delivered to one of the nearby shops.
The boy ran fast, tempting the large man behind him to run full-speed to catch him. He had to time his next move perfectly... He suddenly dove under the lumber crossing his path and between the two men carrying it. The store-keeper behind him knocked his head against it and fell back unconscious. The clever boy smugly ran off with his trophy in hand.
Finally arriving home, the boy was relieved, "Jack!" until he heard his mother's screech. She scurried over in her raggedy old dress. Her hair was a birds nest and her eyes seemed to reveal she was in need of sleep, but her face mirrored that of a pretty lady hidden behind dirt and time. "Jack," she kneeled down to inspect her son, "Don't tell me you went back to that market again! I told you, we'll get along fine with out it. No need to get yourself into anymore trouble. I swear, your recklessness will drive me straight to my grave, it will." She took the stolen loaf of bread from her son's hands and stood to her feet.
"Mum, please," the son replied, "don't have any concerns for me out there; I'll be fine. I'm a lot more capable than you think."
"I don't doubt it, son," she said while pulling out a dull knife from a drawer in the cramped kitchen, "but you must still be careful, who knows what could happen to you out there, especially in these times being a young boy. If anything happened to you-."
"But nothing will," he interrupted, "Mum, I'm faster and cleverer than half the idiots around here! You know it!" His mother sighed and shook her head. "Jack," she took the knife and cut it through pieces of the bread, "Just promise me you'll be more careful."
Young Jack stood there, arms at his side. He bowed his head. "Yes ma'am..." he answered reluctantly. His mother nodded graciously. She walked up to him and handed him a slice of bread, "Thank you for bringing home dinner, Jack."
Thanks for reading the beginning of my story. Please review and tell me what you think of it so far.