1 Chapter 1 {Scarlet}

The wind howls in my ear as I sprint along the metal beam, I hear voices shouting in the background, but I have no time to look back. I keep my eyes ahead, balancing carefully. I've done this more times than I can count, though one wrong step and I plummet to my death. I run with small steps, I feel like a tightrope walker in a circus, though with a lethal twist.

The constables who are chasing me are wary of crossing the beam, I can tell from the arguing voices coming from behind me. I leap lightly off the beam on to the roof of a building. Turning I see on off the constables starting to walk across the beam, he slowly wobbles, he turned and glares at his comrades. I grin and wave at him, he grows and pulls out his pistol, aiming it at me.

"Spades!" I mutter.

I turn quickly and start to run across rooftops leaping from one to the other. The constable has crossed the beam, he is a portly man, not as agile and small as me, though he does have a pistol which he keeps aimed at me. Others have started to cross now, my heart starts to pound faster. Glancing around I realize there are no more buildings in reach. I look down crowds of people milling about below, finishing their holiday shopping. Men dressed in thick cloaks and top hats the women in red shawls and fur lined bonnets. Red fabrics hang from building to building, draped to make a wave, wreaths hanging at each crest. Everything is covered with snow, which is still drifting down, mixing with the smog that is pumped from the chimneys of the houses. I look out over this world, this perfect, uptight world.

I wonder, would I trade my life for this? Give up my freedom and adventures to be traded for tight dresses? Though I would have a guaranteed meal everyday, and I wouldn't freeze in the cold. I would have long skirts and a cloak, instead of a waistcoat and a scarf. I wouldn't get the rush of running over rooftops, the exhilaration that comes with danger, and the loneliness.

"I've got you now!"

I turn to see the red faced constable hobbeling towards me puffing and weezing. Panic rises within me, I lost all my time thinking about stupid fantasies! Now I have nowhere to go, more constables gather creeping closer and closer. A grin creeps across my face, the red faced constable looks at me with bewilderment.

"Happy holidays," I say with a curstsie, then I spread my arms wide and let myself fall of the rooftop.

I see the astounded faces of the constables looking over the edge of the rooftop, many of the crying out.

I reach out grabbing onto the red hangings, one side tears and I start swinging across the square, people look up gasping, some scream, one old lady even faints! I laugh, landing on top of a carriage that is truddling down the cobblestone street. I lay face down on top and leaning over and looking through the window. In the carriage is an elderly woman, she looks very prim and uptight. Across from her is a girl dressed in a fine dress of light blue silk. She looks surprised but almost delighted at the surprise.

"Oh! How rude!" the elderly lady exclaims.

I make a face and the girl giggles.

"What are you laughing at young lady?" She asks.

The girls suddenly sobers up and looks guilty.

"Nothing Grandmother" She squeaks.

"Well if that's all done with, I would like to borrow your carriage,"

"You most certainly may not!" The woman declares, looking incredulous at such a proposition.

I grin and pull myself up. I crawl to the front of the carriage, and plop down next to the driver, he looks at me eyes popping.

"Sorry 'bout this," I mutter pushing him off the seat, grabbing the reins from his hands.

I turn back to see the constables chasing me. I pull hard on the reins the horses veer left, I hear a scream from the woman in the carriage. I ignore her, whipping the reins, urging the horses to go faster. I look back, the constables are gaining on me! I turn back to see a cart full of coal barrelling straight towards us. Yelling, I pull hard on the reigns, trying to avoid a collision. It's too much for the carriage and it tips and falls on its side. I leap off the driver's seat at just the right moment, a second later and I would've been crushed by the metal bench. I stand, people start to gather and the police start to make a circle around me. The girl and the woman start to emerge from the wreckage of their transport.

"Well that was fun!" I exclaim looking around fort the crowd around me. Many of the glare at me, some look scandalized. "Okay, not fans I get it, but you should really consider broadening your minds a little. Crashing carriages is quite fun!"

I am almost completely surrounded, I rush towards the girl and grab her, pulling out my dagger and holding it to her neck. She gasps and struggles, I tighten my grip, pushing the knife a bit harder into her neck. The light blue fabric of her dress ruffles and makes a lot of noise. The constables pull out their pistols and aim them at us.

"You shoot, she goes down too!" I yell keeping her in front of me with the knife pressed to her neck. Really men and their guns! Whatever happened to good old fashioned swords? All dignity out the window, I ask you!

The old woman is hysterical, screaming, refusing to be comforted.

"My grandaughter! Don't hurt her!" she yells, "Do you know who I am?" she says glaring at the constables.

The lady keeps screeching at me and the constables, I can't stand it! Squawking and blubbering like a large annoying bird.

"Will you please shut up!" I demand.

She looks at me, her eyes looking like they're about to pop out of her head.

I start to slowly back away, keeping the girl hostage. She doesn't struggle anymore, she lets out a small squeak. The constables start to advance, I glare at them.

"Don't move, or she gets it," I hiss.

I keep backing away, once we are out of sight of the constables. Her dress is so puffy that it barely fits through the ally way. I start to run, the girl is slowing me down, but I keep my hold on her, she is my only chance of escape. We rush to the end of the ally. Emerging from the other side we rush people, pushing them aside. Many of them let out oohs and gasps at the scene. I grit my teeth and ignore them, we come out the other side of a large cluster of people. We keep moving, I see it, the edge, the ships are waiting. I start to move faster, a few more steps and I can float away from here.

To be free from this terrible place, I could go and forget all about this. I lose my focus and my top hat starts to slip off my head. I release the girl pushing her away, I start to run, securing my hat with one hand. I turn a second too late, I crash into a lamp post.

Everything fades out. I start to open my eyes. The world fades in and out of focus. I hear footsteps the police are picking me up and cuffing me. They mutter to each other. One pulls me up by my hair making I make eye contact with his gruff face.

"You gave us a good run girlie, but we got you now."

His breath stinks and he has a giant wart on his scrunched up nose. He looks like a pug I think, those dogs that look like they've been hit in the face with a frying pan. I spit in his ugly face, he growls at me. Now he really resembles a dog!

"You little brat!" He screams, spit flecks dot my face.

He slaps me hard across the face, I turn back glaring at him, I knee him in the groin. Two constables rush at me, one pins me to the ground, the other punches me in the stomach, again in the face. I spit blood out onto the ground, I pant breathing heavily.

Everything is blurry and garbled. I see the lady clutching her granddaughter. The girl makes eye contact with me, there's an odd expression on her face, is it concern? Why would she be concerned for me I held her hostage. The constables start to drag me away. The ruff ground scraping at my back, all I can think to do is clutch at my hat.

"Will she be okay? What's is going to happen to her?" I hear the girl's soft voice ask.

Why would this girl care about me? I just held her hostage! She is rich and doesn't have to work for anything in her life, after this she can go home and continue with her life of luxury, where as I'll be stuck in a damp prison.

"Nothing that concerns you dear, she's a criminal, she'll get what she deserves." Her grandmother answers in a stern voice.

Her words fade out and I try to keep the world in focus, all I see are a blue blob and and green one, everything darkness is black.

<gdiv></gdiv>