The mass cheered as my last day had almost come to an end; I didn’t think it was going to come this soon. My death. The rope was put round my neck whilst I stared into the eyes of the swarm. This was it, my friends and relatives gave me a secret wave goodbye as I closed my eyes. My thoughts stumbled back to the very beginning…
We lived in a wooden cruck framed house and food was very scarce. Sweating sickness had taken over my relations. I was the only healthy being to make money and more importantly make a difference to all of my ill family and children. They were on the edge of dying. Something needed to occur, and rapid. My only option was robbery.
Waiting outside the heaving tavern for a figure to emerge I melted into the shadows for a disguise, waiting to pounce.
As the looming figure appeared, it seemed to be an age before he stumbled into the shadowy alleyway alongside me. What was he doing? Why was he coming out of the fun filled tavern? I didn’t know but I didn’t get caught up in thinking about it. This was my chance! I pounced onto my target grasping onto the knife with my clenched fists. Blood poured out of the wound as I stabbed his shoulder with all of my power. Had I killed him? No! This shouldn’t have happened!
As I cut the rope the coins jingled. The stream of blood trickled to my feet. This was terrible.
Once I was back in the cover of the shadows I thought about the treacherous events that had just happened, next time I would be more careful.
As the memories of death got farther and farther, the time had come to plan my next pilfering. We had money to buy more food, so I wasn’t as hungry anymore. These were the worst days of my life, but I know now, that these days were about to get better... And then a whole lot worse.
Human heads and body parts pinned to the city gates. I hated it. It was supposed to put people off a life of crime or treason, but it didn’t. London was horrible!
Slyly walking by the Thames I saw a wealthy looking woman, she looked like she needed to be somewhere soon because she kept looking at her pocket sun dial. That would be worth a bit, I thought. Stealthily I made my way towards her and with my slight of hand I took it, and I ran. “Lifter!” She shrieked behind me, suddenly there was a mob all giving chase. Running through crowded London was a challenge and I managed to knock several people from their feet before I eventually found sanctuary in a quiet alleyway. Breathing heavily I thought about the events. I was starting to like this thieving business!
Over the next few weeks, I got more bloodthirsty. And I wanted to kill and thieve even more. I started robbing almost every day because I loved it so much. I was starting to become well known in London. The parish were trying to track me down. But I was too good at what I did until one snowy evening; I was lurking in an alleyway waiting for my victims to appear. When I saw two men approaching at both ends of the alleyway. What was going on? Was this a coincidence? No it wasn’t. These were parish members trying to track me down.
The gallows. Where my life would end. I waved a secret wave goodbye to my family members, and as the pulled the lever, and I felt the gravity drag me down.
By Sam Heppener