When people have everything and more, it's hard to adapt when they lose all they ever knew.
Just like Casper Riggins did.
Hardly remembering anything about that night, he stumbles through the streets of New York like the lost boy he is. Oblivious...
" I don't like hope very much. In fact, I hate it. It's the crystal meth of emotions. It hooks you fast and kills you hard. It's bad news. The worst. It's sharp sticks and cherry bombs. When hope shows up, it's only a matter of time until someone gets hurt." -Jennifer Donnelly
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
CHAPTER ONE - Laughing Bear
The crowded streets of New York were buzzing, the weather was nothing more but a grey mass that hung in the sky, almost reflecting the people. People, who were stuck in their virtual worlds, tweeting and sending the snaps of their current location or perhaps a pair of new shoes.
No one bothered to gaze around, to notice a hooded male figure and a black German shepherd walking beside him. A criminal and his faithful friend, blending in the shadows.
They'd been wandering the whole morning, just being on move, circling the same area. Or was it the same? He couldn't tell for sure.
It had been only a week since he ran away. But where, he still didn't know for sure. He just existed, alert and watchful. Nothing was the same.
In fact, everything had changed. He had never been that dirty and stinky in his entire life, he had never needed to wear clothes as cheap and old, and he never ever in his life, would have thought he'd learn so quickly how to snatch money from loose pockets and eat behind a dumpster.
And what for? He knew bits and pieces, but he just couldn't remember properly. He hated himself for it, because he had been there, it had been all his fault. He was guilty, he was the bad guy, the villain. How ironic and cliché. A golden boy who had the rich father, was the president of student body, captain of basketball team was now, a week later a criminal whose face was up in the news all the time. With bold, dark letters, wanted.
He sighed as he felt his stomach growl at him, begging for piece of bread. Windy weather forced him to pull the dark and teared hoodie closer to his dehydrated body.
He stopped near the pub named Laughing Bear. The dark Scottish styled hut filed with the smell of beer, smoke and apple pie. Maybe it wasn't the smartest place to go pickpocketing, but a young homeless-looking lad like himself would fit in alright, besides, it was dogs-allowed place. He didn't dare to leave Goblin alone in a sea of strangers and other strays.
He slipped in, the tall red headed and bearded bartender eyed him lazily, before going back to polishing a large beer mug. But by the looks of it, the beer mug was impossible to get see-through again.
Casper strolled up to the booth, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets, feeling the last couple of coins he'd snatched from someone's dip this morning. Technically, he didn't steal. He just took one companies money to give it to another, almost like forming a partnership. He leaned over the booth taking off his fingerless cloves and stuffing them in his pocket. "black coffee please" Casper said lowly, handing the coins over to the man who stared emotionlessly.
"Want any milk too?" he said gruffly, turning around to the coffee machine. "Well, that wouldn't be s-" noticing the snickering business man with a shot of vodka before him, Casper shut up realising the bartender was just making fun of him over his choice of drink.
Already he was regretting choosing this place. Eyes narrowed, he snatched the cup of hot coffee from the man's grasp and went over to sit in a small booth, Goblin following close behind.
It took around thirty minutes until the small bell over the door rang, notifying everyone of someone's presence. At first, Casper saw the long, lean and tanned legs of a young girl. She had a blood red handbag that suited her little black dress. Her dark hair fell down her back in waves. Confidently, the girl marched to the bartender, not looking anywhere but the red headed man who smugly leaned closer to her.
"What's yer wish, darlin'?" Casper scoffed, what a perverted man. "Coffee." the woman with voice of a velvet said, peeking over her shoulder for a brief second "Black please, black coffee."
"Will bring right up doll face." Casper rolled his eyes, not offering milk this time, is he? "and please three macaroni pies as well, thanks." all Casper wanted to do was to punch that stupid smirk off the man's face as he offered the woman her drink and food.
Blending in the shadows perfectly, Casper was well hidden as his dark eyes followed the woman dressed in black. He watched her like a hawk, after all, she looked rather rich. Most rich people aren't really that careful with couple of pounds.
The woman sat down a couple of booths away near a window, facing Casper. He stroked Goblin slowly as the dog placed his paw on Caspers knee, asking for some attention.
The woman seemed to just sit and think, glancing down at her phone couple of times. Casper noticed she wasn't eating, only nibbling at one of the macaroni pies, was she waiting for someone? A girlfriend? Or a boyfriend perhaps?
She turned his way, startling Casper. She wasn't looking away, in fact, it seemed like she kept the eye contact on purpose. Only a week ago, Casper would have gone up to her, to talk, to flirt and to have fun. A week ago, he wouldn't of had stared at her like a creep, a rat waiting to find something to snatch.
His face was empty of any emotions as he stared back at her. She looked away, leaving her wallet and phone on the table, she glanced up to the sign that showed which way the bathrooms were.
The moment the woman's long and lean legs disappeared behind the corner, Casper was up. Taking the last sip of his cold coffee, he scrunched his nose at the taste, he wasn't a fan of cold coffee. "come on boy, time to go." he said quietly, the dog got up, ears perked up and ready to go.
His eyes slipped over the people in the room, no one was paying any attention. The bartender was busy with a short woman who was scolding him for something. Family drama.
Casper slipped in the same booth the woman had sat only mere seconds ago. He opened her wallet, snatching some cash that he stuffed in his own pocket. He took one macaroni pie, giving it to Goblet as he took the other one for himself. He eyed the black phone, no pink silicon case with bunny ears. He grabbed it and speed walked out of the pub, Goblet following close behind. He didn't even feel bad for stealing from this woman, she looked rich, and he knew how rich people were.
He pulled the fingerless cloves back on and walked further away, heading to the old warehouse that few homeless people used as shelter from wind and rain, a good place to sleep.
Little did he know, the woman never went back to the booth. She walked out of the hut, her eyes staring at the male figure getting further and further down the street. She took out her phone with dark red case and dialed a number.
