Many years later, Wendell wiggled his fingers near a woman wearing a regular bracelet. One pretty for him. Although he no longer played hide and seek, that was fine. As long as he had lots and lots of pretties. Jewelry for a poverty-stricken man. Any jewel. Any fancy object.
Wendell smiled before he heard footsteps. After blinking twice, he looked back. His eyes became wide as soon as a scowling young man approached him.
''You'll never steal anything again,'' the man said to Wendell. He watched as the woman abandoned them. The man's eyes settled on Wendell another time. His scowl remained on his face.
Wendell stepped back with worry in his eyes. He turned and ran before the man pursued him. Wendell refused to imagine the physical consequences for trying to steal a bracelet. There weren't going to be mental images of cuts and bruises. There certainly weren't going to be actual cuts and bruises. Never!
Wendell saw a sewer lid and crouched by it. After it was moved to the side, he entered the sewer. Again, he never looked back.
He saw a barren area and ran into it. His back was to the wall. Footsteps were getting closer. His body became tense.
Worry appeared in Wendell's eyes another time. A game of hide and seek he never wished to play. Not at all like the past games with his father.