Street Rat

Chapter 2

I hope you enjoy!

Now Aladdin wasn't like every other street rat out there. He was somewhat unusual, and I'm not talking about the monkey that liked to hang off his shoulder. He was strangely generous, considering he would willingly give away any food he stole if it meant a child would not go hungry. Most in that situation wouldn't bother. After all food was scarce and survival was fast becoming a desperate struggle. People couldn't afford to be kind and generous, not with how taxes had yet again been raised. Admittedly not by much, but the shopkeepers weren't about to admit that.

The point is Aladdin was a good man, well he was a thief but still he was a nice thief. He only stole what he needed to survive; bread and fruits mostly with the occasional nuts or scraps of meat. Of course he would steal coins when he felt he could get away with it, after all it was better to stay on the shopkeepers' good sides. Paying in coin, no matter how it had been obtained, was always the better option. But Aladdin knew better than many. There were rules to follow, namely that you should never reveal you have more than a few coins on your person.

Given the number of guards and thieves in the city, fights broke out daily between the two. The people of the slums were traditionally poor; if they were lucky they had a coin or two to their name. But it made it that much easier for guards to spot thieves, especially the stupid ones. They were the ones bragging about their money, coins jingling in their hands. They were the ones dressed in shabby clothes yet carrying large amounts of coins on them. It was easy to spot them, even in a crowd, and it was even easier to execute them. They brought it on themselves after all.

Aladdin was smart; he had to be to survive the way he did. He knew which rules he had to follow. He knew he needed to hide all but a few coins he'd stolen, using those to pay for fruits or bread, lest he want the guards to take notice of him. Most importantly he knew how to escape should trouble arise.

Now the guards that roamed the streets were mean, cruel and vindictive men. The life of a guard ensured protection from the streets, they were well fed and well paid, after all they were the ones catching the criminals. They were all fit, strong and most were heavily muscled from all the chasing and fighting they endured every day. Needless to say they were physically impressive. Many were built like mountains and featured heavily in many children's nightmares. Particularly those who'd experienced their wrath. However despite their impressive build, a good number of the guards were noticeably less impressive down below. In fact, many had initially joined the guards believing the better food and stricter regimes would help them gain some much needed girth. And I don't mean the kind around their bellies, although for most this was the only place where any girth was gained. Of course when they came to realise that they were, well screwed for lack of a better word, these men became noticeably more frustrated. And what do frustrated young men in a position of power do? They take it out on those weaker than them, most notably the thieves and beggars that littered the city.

Now Aladdin grew up learning the tricks of the trade, and the best ways to avoid detection by the guards. He also learned the importance of keeping them entertained, using entirely innocent methods of course. Of course it helped that he'd gotten Abu in on the game. Watching small animals perform tricks to a crowd was a guaranteed way of getting even the cruellest of guards to crack a smile. Maybe it made them feel superior, Aladdin wasn't sure, but he was sure that it worked. Of course it only worked so long as the guards didn't catch them stealing. His face was young and uncommonly pretty, so he was too easily recognisable by the crowds of market goers. Should he be caught, it would be all too easy for the guards to catch him another day. While they weren't particularly intelligent as a unit, preferring brawn over brains, that captain of theirs was, and it wouldn't take him long to track down the young thief. It was why Aladdin was constantly found in some sort of disguise. Whether it be a simple cloak or a silk garment borrowed from one of the brothel's lovely ladies, he was sure to hide his face when attempting a heist.