Runaway with Faye

Chapter 1

Faye's eyes swept through the crowded streets, landing on a man with an outline of a wallet showing through his pants' pocket. And the man had a confused, yet urgent, expression on his face. Like he was in unfamiliar territory, but needed to get somewhere fast. Easy target, Faye thought, and she followed the man. 

It wasn't difficult to remain out of his sight. The man paid more attention to shop signs than his surroundings. As she approached him from behind, she pressed her entire body into him, in a way that made it looked like she had tripped. She slipped his wallet under her tattered cloak. "Sorry, sir."

The man glanced at her, then jumped. Either at her different colored eyes, or at the lumps under her grimy shirt that hid her bound wings. Most likely both. "It's okay," he mumbled, taking a few steps back with averted eyes. "Is there a potion shop around here?"

"No," Faye said quickly, then hurried away. She strode down the streets, past the pub, and turned down an alleyway leading behind an inn. Once certain she was alone, she checked the wallet's contents, and gasped.

There were bills, large bills. Enough to feed her for two months, and then some. Who carried this much money around? Guilt overcame her, but she needed the money more than the man. And she'd never be so careless with it. She pulled out half of it, and divided the bills into each pocket. And in both shoes, for good measure. She buried the wallet and its remaining bills in her knapsack.

After rewarding herself with ice cream, Faye sat down at her usual pan-handling spot out of habit. Fingering a hole in her pants, she thought about how she could use a new set of clothes. And a new cloak. Winter was approaching, after all. Yes, clothes shopping was exactly what she'd do. 

She stood up, brushing dirt off her pants, and headed towards the second-hand clothes shop.

"Hey, you!" a voice shouted.

Faye turned around and saw the man from earlier. She swallowed, then forced a smile. "Hi."

The man glowered down at her, his lip curled. "You stole my wallet."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did." He held his palm out. "Give it back."

"No."

"Let me make myself clear." The man whipped a knife out, pointing it towards her neck. "Give it to me."

Faye whipped out her trusty pocket knife, and flipped it open right back at him. "Make me."

The man let out a laugh. "Cute." He made a move to snatch the knife from her, but she countered and swiped his instead.

Faye pointed both knives towards the man, jaw clenched. "Don't underestimate me."

Eyebrows raised, he held his hands up in a surrendering position. "Can I please have my wallet back?" The man's voice trembled. 

It was easy to tell that the man had no experience handling knives. It was pathetic, really. "Fine." Faye slipped both knives in her pockets.  She made a show of digging through her knapsack, and pulled out the wallet.  The second the man took it, she bolted. 

But the man chased her down, and grabbed her shirt collar. "Where's the rest of it?"

Faye turned her head away, wincing. "Spent it."

Teeth bared, the man yanked her closer. "You managed to spend 1,000 loti in a half hour?"

Faye held her hands up. "I'm a big spender."

The man reached for her pockets but she whipped out her knife again, and he jumped back. "Please," he whimpered, clasping his hands together. "I need the money."