{ELEMENTISTS OF WILLOW FOREST BOOK I} The Path of Fire

How to Steal a Flappy Bird...

1: How to Steal a Flappy Bird...

Sasha didn't want to steal the phone.

But she had to live. And this was the only way.

The phone was the latest model of iPhone, with a magnetic clip leather case, and, above all, it had Flappy Bird on it. If she cracked the passcode and went to the right place, she could get a few thousand for it.

She watched the girl who currently owned it. She was around the same age as Sasha, with crazy, curly brown hair that belonged to a mad scientist. She was sitting on a wooden bench on the side of the street and playing Flappy Bird now. And most importantly, she was alone. Wow! She was sure good at Flappy Bird.  Sasha watched her fly through all the pipes. Nine hundred and ninety seven, nine hundred and ninety eight, nine hundred and ninety nine... then she switched off her phone and put it down beside her on the bench.

Hah! Beginners' mistake.

Sasha knew all the tricks of the game. You couldn't be a London street child and not. She was wearing jeans and a designer top (never paid for) which complimented her red-brown skin and suited her purposes perfectly.

Sasha made a big thing of watching the girl from a few metres away. If you stared at a person for long enough, they would notice you.

"Umm... Hi" Sasha mumbled.

The girl looked up. As she turned her head, her hair bounced.

"You okay?" She asked.

Sasha blushed. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm new around here. I'm looking for a friend's house. It's on St Mary Street, but I can't find it on the map. Do you know where it is?"

The girl smiled. "Nah. I'm new around here to. But I can still map read. Do you have the map?"

Sasha sat down on the bench so that the iPhone was between her and the girl. She took out the tourist map and put it on the girl's lap. They scanned the numerous streets, but Sasha knew it was in vain. She had deliberately chosen St Mary Street for her imaginary friend because it wasn't on that side of London, and certainly not on the map. Any Londoner would have known that, but the girl's walking boots, Barber coat and her putting the phone on the bench suggested that she lived outside the city. And, as always, Sasha had been right.

"I don't think St Mary Street is on there." The girl realised out loud. "Maybe you should call your friend. I think you've got the wrong address."

"Oh." Sasha tried to look embarrassed. "Sorry to waste your time then. Bye."

"Bye." The girl put her head down and got a book out of her bag, completely unaware that her expensive new phone was in another girl's bag, and that the thief was already two blocks away.