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fan fiction

(noun)

1: A genre of imaginative amateur writing that uses characters and events from mass entertainment or popular culture

2: A story written by someone with a lot of time on their hands about a Book, Movie or song that they are sadly obsessed with

3: The story you are about to read

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Chapter 1

The Magpie

Rebeca sat on her usual bench in Vauxhall Park and watched the people pass. The park was busy for a Monday. It was a bright clear day in late July and there were many people out for an afternoon stroll. American Tourists taking pictures of robins, Businessmen out on their lunch brakes, family's enjoying picnic lunches, people and their dogs romping about with Frisbees. All in all, the air was relaxed and enjoyable.

They had no idea.

Rebeca watched as a fat American tourist got his wallet stolen by two small boys. They ran away, smiling proudly at their prize. They had taken the whole wallet. It would probably be found later in a rubbish bin somewhere. The American waddled away towards the model village camera at the ready. He wouldn't notice it was gone until much later. Rebeca looked at the boys' retreating backs. They were still so young. She recognized them as being part of the gang and made a note to inform Bob about it later. She knew that in order to maintain the peace she had to share the park with others, but that didn't mean she liked it. It was a rookie mistake, stealing the entire wallet off of a tourist. It caused an uproar when tourists lost most of their identification. It wouldn't be too hard to determine that it had gone missing in the park. Before too long signs would be put up, warning people of reported thefts. They would be on the look out for suspicious characters. Such as a girl, who came to the park and sat on a bench every day for hours. Soon Her Park would no longer be safe to work.

She looked around her again, her eyes falling on a handbag sitting next to a woman who was watching her children play, momentarily inattentive of her possessions. She considered it for a moment but decided against it. She didn't want two instances of petty theft reported in the park today. Besides, she had already gotten her big take today.

Rebeca had come a long way since she was first introduced to the world of pick pocketing. She was now ever watchful of anything she could get her hands on. Her eye was usually drawn towards shiny things such as watches or bracelets. This attraction to the unattainable had been the reason Dylan had lovingly christened her "Magpie". The name had stuck, even if the others didn't use it lovingly. Dylan had explained to her that shiny things were usually expensive, easily missed and damn near impossible to steal. That didn't stop her from trying though. When she had first come back with a ring stolen right off someone's finger, the gang was all very impressed (against their wills). None of them were willing to try it themselves, claiming that it would be suicide, but they had no problem letting Rebeca take one for the team. After Dylan died, she had gotten more reckless, now having nothing to lose.

Rebeca looked down at the woman's wristwatch she had just nicked. It had caught her eye from a mile away. It was sleek and silver-y with what looked like tiny diamonds sprinkled around the face of the watch. As soon as it caught her eye her fingers had begun to twitch. She had had to make actual face-to-face contact with the woman in order to steal it, something she tried never to do. Rebeca hoped that the lady she had stolen from wouldn't think twice about the girl she had met in the park when she reported the incident to the police.

The watch glinted in the sunlight. It would sell for a lot of money, but it was hot. There was only one person she knew who would be willing to buy it. Rebeca placed the watch in the handmade pouch she had with her at all times. She got up off her bench and left the park, making her way past the noisy cheerful crowd unnoticed. She usually didn't leave the park this early, but Fletcher only hung around for so long. It was a long walk from Vauxhall Park to Fletcher's Street corner on Charring Cross Road. But Rebeca knew the way. She walked through the twisting, winding city alleyways for nearly an hour before reaching her destination.

Fletcher was a short, smelly, shifty man who would cheat you out of the clothes off your back if given the chance. Rebeca didn't like working with him, but due to his complete lack of morals, there were some things only he was prepared to handle.

'Well now', said Fletcher grinning at Rebeca as she approached 'if it isn't The Magpie! A pleasure.'

'Fletcher'. Said Rebeca curtly. She was in no mood for this man's false pleasantries. 'I got something for ya.'

Fletcher's yellow grin widened. 'Ahh Mags,' Rebeca flinched at the abbreviation 'you always bring me the nicest things.'

Rebeca pulled out the watch and tossed it to Fletcher who caught it and brought it up to his face to examine it with a masterful eye none but a crook can posses.

Rebeca watched him closely. Fletcher who appeared to be in a permanent state of inebriation, had certain tells. She knew how to tell weather or not he liked something. And she knew that the more he liked something the more money she could squeeze out of him. She could see Fletcher's mouth start to water. He liked it.

'Well Mags' said Fletcher grinning at Rebeca 'I'd be more than 'appy to take this orf your 'ands. 'Ows twenty pounds sound?'

Rebeca just stared at him.

"No?" Said Fletcher his grin starting to fade "'all right. 'Ow's forty then?"

Rebeca continued to stare.

"Fine" said Fletcher, fighting to maintain his smile "Eighty. And not a pound more."

Rebeca Sighed. Fletcher smirked, pleased that he had won. His smile faded however when Rebeca grabbed the watch out of his hands and made to turn away. Fletcher grabbed her by the arm, stopping her from leaving with the prize.

"All right, All right! Blimey you'll be the end of me" he pulled a wad of pound notes from out of the pocket of his dank over coat and stuffed it into Rebeca's hand. "Two 'undred. And that's really all I can give you."

Rebeca tossed the watch back to Fletcher and quickly examined the money before pocketing it.

Fletcher stuffed the watch into his overcoat and slunk away grumbling. Rebeca watched as he melded into the throng of people walking down the busy street. She watched as people sidestepped him as they passed, as though afraid of catching his poverty. She wondered if she would be like him when she was his age. She wondered if she would reach his age.

She sighed and turned away from the people and made her way back through the dark deserted alley.

Back to the Gang.

The gang didn't like her and she didn't like them, but they needed each other. Rebeca needed their protection from the police and rival gangs. And Rebeca brought in the biggest game and she was the only one who was able to get Fletcher to give one pound more than his original offer. Rebeca hated to admit it, but being affiliated with the gang on these streets was a lot safer than being alone.

Though Rebeca did her best to be as independent as possible.

Rebeca had gained enough reputation within the gang to have a certain amount of trust. As long as she filled her quota she was allowed to come and go as she pleased. The rest of the gang was under very strict schedules. Every member had to do their jobs in order to keep up their situation. The gang was probably run with just as much efficiency as a beehive.

By the time she reached the abandoned where house the gang inhabited, night had fallen. They had got a fire going and were cooking tonight's supper. Rebeca's stomach growled, but she couldn't get distracted now. She walked right past the enticing smell of baking beans and Headed toward the Drop spot, where Bob, the leader, was logging all of today's takes. He couldn't help but be impressed when Rebeca handed him the money. He counted it, then surveyed Rebeca warily. "Good job, Magpie" he said. Rebeca nodded and headed over to the warm glow of the fire. Even in late July, the nights could be cruel to those without a sufficient roof over their heads. Some of the younger members stared at her as she passed with a mixture of fear and admiration. Even the girl who handed her her portion of food, looked at her with a certain amount of reverence. Rebeca took her beans to a spot as far away from the fire as she could get without escaping the reach of its warm glow.

The beans were warm, but bland. However, a warm meal was always welcome for people like her, and she ate them with out complaint. Although she wished for salt.

"That's The Magpie, don't you know nofink'?"

Rebeca looked up. The two boys from earlier that day were seated a few feat in front of her, heads bent together, conversing in would-be-hushed tones.

"I've never seen her before though". Said the smallest of the two

"'Corse you haven', Davey." Said the other, in an impressive tone, obviously put on for his friend. "Nobody sees The Magpie les she wan's to be seen."

"Why's she called The Magpie Sean?" Davey asked

"Well, no one knows her real name, you see" Said Sean, glad for an audience. "She just showed up here one day. Called herself Magpie. She's the best grabber in the whole of London. Gets big stuff too, no just wallets like the rest of us, but jewels and stuff."

"Honest?"

"Yeah, Joey says she once stole jewels righ' off the queens head. That's the reason why she ain't got no name. Well one of the reasons."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I heard that when she come here, she started trainin' with this bloke, Dylan. Once he taught her everyfin' he knew…. She killed him!"

"What?"

"Stabbed him. Made it look like it was Rawly's crew that done it."

"Cool!"

Rebeca put down her half finished beans and walked out of the warehouse.

So that's what people thought about her. That she was a murderous thief on the run from the law. Someone to idolize.

This was a new turn of events for Rebeca. These kids were noticing her. They were talking about her. They looked up to her. Rebeca wished that they would ignore her just like everyone else. This was not the person that she wanted to be. She didn't want to be the cold streetwise Magpie. She hated The Magpie. And she hated them for loving The Magpie. Any admiration that the group showed was directed to the part of herself that she hated. It was true that as The Magpie she was teased a lot less, but Rebeca was still hiding.

Rebeca made her way to her place. She ate meals with the group, but she tried to have nothing more to do with them. She had found her own place near by. The nights could get hard, but she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

She made her way through the labyrinthine back alleys towards her place, not really paying attention to anything. Suddenly something caught her eye. She bent down between two garbage cans and picked the something up. It was what looked like a large shard of what used to be a crystal bowl. Rebeca held it up to the glow of the moon. The light danced beautifully off it but It was absolutely worthless. Rebecca pocketed it and continued on her way. Rebeca had an attraction to shiny things and what ever couldn't sell she kept. She kept her small hoard in an old shoebox at her place.

Rebecca squatted in the attic space of an old abandoned building. It was hard to find and even harder to get to, which suited Rebeca just perfectly. As she made her way up the side of the building, she suddenly realized just how tired she was. Not just from that day. She was tired of life. She reached the entrance and moved the tarp out of the way. The space Rebeca occupied was cramped and very bare. Consisting of only her make shift bed and her shoebox. It took only a moment to take in the entirety of the room. Because of that, it took Rebeca only a moment to see the strange man standing in the corner, smiling at her.