Hi. Okay so I'm doing a modern setting, and I know there are like millions out there but I had a super idea and it was awesome. Well, awesome to me, I don't know about you. And I've done some outlines nstuff to see what fits and what doesn't. Also they live in Maine because I love Maine -3-
Enjoy!
Scene One- Caught the Thief
A boy leant against the wall in the alleyway of Croll Street watching the people walk by as cars honked and beeped. Rush hour, a strange thing to call it. The boy watched with wary eyes as bustling people rushed by, ignoring the fact of anyone was there beside them, they wouldn't even notice if they were being mugged or orphan stood up straight and walked forward, nighttime was dawning against the horizon, a white crescent stood in the sky awaiting the darkness as the rest of the people got in their taxi's and left the shady area.
He walked out into the open as nightfall struck, he stared up at the incoming stars and gave a sharp sigh. He hated night, it was always too cold considering it was fall. He looked to the concrete ground at his bare feet, there were no leaves. This is a city. No trees unless you go to a park or leave for the rural or suburban neighborhood.
The boy, Ezra, shivered and unnoticeably rubbed his arms as he looked around the dark street. Where could he take refuge tonight? Ezra knew he couldn't sleep where he did last night, he'd almost gotten stabbed in the stomach because he was sleeping in a 'turf' of a gang.
Ezra continued to walk down the sidewalk and look around, alert for any danger. He stared at the streetlights of Portland. Garbage littered the streets and Ezra remembered how selfish the people around here were. He'd figured at least the kids and high schoolers would learn a thing or two about recycling and the environment, but then again Ezra didn't know how to read and he could barely write.
He wasn't exactly intelligent in an educated way, but he knew his street smarts and he could read people like a book, emotions were inevitable and their reactions were readable even if they had a stoic face, small movements and change in heartbeat pace were easy to trace different emotions. That's pretty much the only thing he was good at, other than pickpocketing and hiding. And maybe fleeing for his life, yeah, that too.
He stood stiff and ran behind a few trashcans as a large group of older teenagers sprinted past, he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding after his stomach gave a flip-flop. Ezra had learned to always stay away from other people, and not to interact with others. Being alone didn't mean people didn't like you, it meant that you chose not to trust anyone. Ezra had… trust problems, he didn't like anyone and that was how it would stay.
He needed to find somewhere to stay, and quick, he could feel a breeze starting to pick up, he could smell the vile of a storm approaching. He broke off in a run down to the suburban neighborhoods. The forest was down near the area and if he saved some time, he could take the night in the forest and get to Casco by the afternoon. If he could scrounge a bit of food by then it would be good too.
Ezra didn't own a lot of money, he had only a little bit, about ten dollars and forty cents. And he didn't intend to spend it unless it was an emergency. He didn't think he would, he'd probably be pickpocketed while he slept. Ezra could smell the disgusting scent of waste, he was near a dumpster or a garbage truck. Either one, but it was foul and he kept to the left. Hopefully the workers wouldn't be out until two a.m. The frost would come in early, and citizens would be complaining with the extra ice over the ground.
Ezra snorted at the thought of a man walking his dog slipping on the ground. That would be the most hilarious thing he'd seen, well, other than a failed attempt at suicide when a guy's pants got stuck on a fire escape, even he laughed about it! Still, it was only a story that Ezra vowed to never tell anyone because it was too ridiculous.
He reached the cobblestone gate of Redwood forest, and slipped through as he sprinted off of the gravel path, and deeper into the forest.
He didn't account for it to start pouring.
And Ezra despised rain, it made it harder to run, especially because he was barefoot it was harder to warm them and other parts that were exposed. He sat back against a broken tree stump with a sigh, he needed to find shelter, and fast. Thunder boomed as lightning followed shortly after. Ezra looked behind the stump, finding a dry spot under a porch.
Perfect.
Hera chuckled as she entered the room, setting her hot chocolate on a nightstand as she settled on the comfy chair. She stared at her roommate and her two kids, smiling in content. "So, Sabine, Zeb, how did you do on your algebra tests?" She asked, even if they were in different grades. Kanan looked up for a moment before turning back down to his police reports. "Jesus, this pickpocket is a real troublemaker, robbed sixty people in one month, And a hundred and seventy four in a year!" He gave a sharp huff and closed the file, slapping it down on the table.
"This kid's running me dry." Sabine perked up from her sketchpad and Zeb looked up from the Soccer game on the TV. "It's a kid? How old?" Sabine implored, intrested on how a minor could pickpocket one hundred and seventy four people a year. "The people described him thirteen to fourteen, but it's probably younger. I've only seen the kid once myself. And he was pretty small for a thirteen year old.
Sabine was lost in thought as she picked up another colored pencil and running the thin lines over the thick construction paper. Zeb turned off the Tv and stood, stretching slowly. "I'm gonna turn in for the nigh'," He waved them off and made his way up the stairs and into his room. Chopper padded down the stairs and flicked his tail as he sat at the base, licking his paw and rubbing his ear.
"Stinkin' cat pooped in my room again!" Zeb's voice echoed through the house. Sabine and Hera snickered as Kanan raised an eyebrow and snorted. "You have to clean it up!" Sabine called, "It's your territory!" She added quickly before grabbing her acrylic stubs. He heard the older man groan before the door slammed shut.
"I think I'm gonna hit the sack too," She said as she gathered all of her art supplies and stacked them neatly on the side of the table, "Night mom." She waved before heading upstairs, giving Chopper a pat on the head and a thumbs up. "Night Sabine," Hera said as she continued to sip her hot chocolate. Kanan sighed as he flipped through another file. "Man, this cop stuff is wearing me thin." Hera chuckled, she figured Kanan was tired from working all day, she sighed, "You signed up for it, you gotta deal with it." She said and placed the mug down on the table. The lamp illuminated her brown hair, the bulb flickered before it went out and thunder rocked the house. "Well, I guess Mother Nature is deciding to have Maine another storm, not like we don't get those every day." Kanan commented dryly before stuffing the files in a draw and closing it. "I think we should all go to bed, it's late,"
He stared at the clock for a moment, "Eleven thirty-one, yeah I'm heading off. Seeya in the mornin'," he yawned and headed down the hall. Lightning flashed outside as Hera stood, brushing off her sweatpants. "Okay, bed time." She mumbled to herself as she placed the cup in the sink and turned off the lights. She could feel Chopper wind himself around her legs. Hera picked up the fat tabby and brought him to her room, placing the cat on the bed and she climbed in. The darkness of a sleepy abyss took over her.
Kanan woke up eight hours later, slapping his alarm off he looked at the time. Eight O'clock, good time to get up on his day off. He sat up in his bed and he realized he forgot to take out his ponytail and he could feel stray strands around his jaw. He retied it and pulled it back again. He changed quickly and headed out into the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee. Hera trudged into the kitchen minutes later, Sabine and Zeb crowding in too.
"You guys want cereal or somethin'?" She slurred tiredly, accepting the coffee Kanan handed her. She sipped it reluctantly, Kanan leant against the counter, looking at the two teenagers. "Oh, yeah, Mom, theres no school because of the rain. Trees fell and six of em' surrounding the school fell on the classrooms and auditorium." Sabine explained, Zeb raised an eyebrow but continued to munch on his cereal.
Kanan looked outside and set his coffee down on the counter. "I think a tree fell out there," He paused, hearing a crack, "Be right back." He mumbled before opening the sliding door and walking down from the porch and to the lightning-struck tree. He poked it, before another crack resembled and the whole tree came trembling down. He watched it fall forward. He stared at the trunk that was black and insects crawling out quickly. He shrugged and turned around.
Kanan froze, he ventured forward and crouched, seeing a scrawny boy, half soaked and shivering, curled into a ball. His face was smudged with dirt and two thin scars across his right cheek, Kanan's eyes widened,
It was the pickpocket!
"I finally caught you, kid." He smirked.
Yay first chapter of All Together! I hope it's good. I gave a long thought about how I wanted to write this. :3 I hope you enjoyed. And there's no relationships in this story I'm sorry but it's not how I roll because I fail at writing romance. So Kanan and Hera are roommates. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!
May the Force be with you!
~Space