Post by aska on Feb 27, 2011 19:07:40 GMT -5
There were, Tashi concluded, pulling herself up to standing position on the window ledge, some useful qualities of religion after all.
Church, for one. It was Sunday -- this time of morning, just about every good little colonist in Boston, Patriot and Loyalist alike, was sitting obediently in a church pew somewhere, completely oblivious to Tashi's exploits. Sure, she admitted to herself grudgingly, there were still going to be plenty of soldiers, nonbelievers, and busy workers, but she could handle those -- if she timed everything just right. She could do this.
Getting an elbow up on the roof, Tashi took the opportunity to scan the docks visually. It was a pretty sight, she had to admit. Sunlight danced on the sea stretched out before her, gulls cried out as they swooped and flapped among tall ship masts... even the shabby old brick warehouses looked golden in the early morning glow.
Tashi could only hope that the soldiers down there were more interested in gazing out at that fancy seaside view than they were in scanning the rooftops, otherwise they'd see a suspicious-looking Native American kid scampering across them right about now. It was risky, Tashi knew, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Any other time during the day the docks would be swarmed with sailors hanging around, looking for work, colonists on trips to the fish market, and merchants, so many merchants. At night, the place was crawling with guards -- after all, night was the predictable time for thievery.
Tashi, was anything but predictable. Whether this was a good quality or a bad one, however, remained to be seen.
Still, committing crimes in broad daylight was not exactly a common hobby of hers -- even she had better sense than that. Tashi knew the saying about desperate times, however, and times had been pretty desperate lately. What with the stupid war and all, the entire city was filled with soldiers, night and day. It was getting to the point where even so much as filching a bite to eat from a dingy tavern was an epic struggle between Tashi and the hordes of soldiers she swore lived for nothing more than to make her life miserable. Now, tired and hungry and sick of being threatened by drunken men in uniforms, Tashi was at the end of her rope. She needed money, and she needed it now.
Reaching the end of the line of roofs, she dropped down out of sight of any patrolling guards, behind the warehouses. Skirting around piles of crates and barrels and taking care to keep herself (hopefully) well-hidden, she finally found it -- the warehouse she was searching for. According to a tip she'd gotten, there'd been a recent shipment of silver, jewelry, and other valuables and, if she was lucky, it should all be stored in the building right in front of her.
Already, Tashi could feel her heart pounding with anticipation as she crouched in the shadow of the crates. The soldier guarding her target didn't seem to have noticed her; he was still pacing back and forth in front of the doorway mindlessly. As soon as he turned his back again, all she had to do was race to the back of the warehouse, slip in through a window, grab her loot, and go.
The only problem was, as soon as she left the cover of her crate pile, Tashi would be completely exposed. If there was anyone else around to see, she was about to be in huge trouble.
Just then, the soldier turned away.
There was no time to waste.
Now or never.
Tashi took a deep breath, set her sights on her target, and prayed that there was no one around to see.
She ran.
Church, for one. It was Sunday -- this time of morning, just about every good little colonist in Boston, Patriot and Loyalist alike, was sitting obediently in a church pew somewhere, completely oblivious to Tashi's exploits. Sure, she admitted to herself grudgingly, there were still going to be plenty of soldiers, nonbelievers, and busy workers, but she could handle those -- if she timed everything just right. She could do this.
Getting an elbow up on the roof, Tashi took the opportunity to scan the docks visually. It was a pretty sight, she had to admit. Sunlight danced on the sea stretched out before her, gulls cried out as they swooped and flapped among tall ship masts... even the shabby old brick warehouses looked golden in the early morning glow.
Tashi could only hope that the soldiers down there were more interested in gazing out at that fancy seaside view than they were in scanning the rooftops, otherwise they'd see a suspicious-looking Native American kid scampering across them right about now. It was risky, Tashi knew, but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Any other time during the day the docks would be swarmed with sailors hanging around, looking for work, colonists on trips to the fish market, and merchants, so many merchants. At night, the place was crawling with guards -- after all, night was the predictable time for thievery.
Tashi, was anything but predictable. Whether this was a good quality or a bad one, however, remained to be seen.
Still, committing crimes in broad daylight was not exactly a common hobby of hers -- even she had better sense than that. Tashi knew the saying about desperate times, however, and times had been pretty desperate lately. What with the stupid war and all, the entire city was filled with soldiers, night and day. It was getting to the point where even so much as filching a bite to eat from a dingy tavern was an epic struggle between Tashi and the hordes of soldiers she swore lived for nothing more than to make her life miserable. Now, tired and hungry and sick of being threatened by drunken men in uniforms, Tashi was at the end of her rope. She needed money, and she needed it now.
Reaching the end of the line of roofs, she dropped down out of sight of any patrolling guards, behind the warehouses. Skirting around piles of crates and barrels and taking care to keep herself (hopefully) well-hidden, she finally found it -- the warehouse she was searching for. According to a tip she'd gotten, there'd been a recent shipment of silver, jewelry, and other valuables and, if she was lucky, it should all be stored in the building right in front of her.
Already, Tashi could feel her heart pounding with anticipation as she crouched in the shadow of the crates. The soldier guarding her target didn't seem to have noticed her; he was still pacing back and forth in front of the doorway mindlessly. As soon as he turned his back again, all she had to do was race to the back of the warehouse, slip in through a window, grab her loot, and go.
The only problem was, as soon as she left the cover of her crate pile, Tashi would be completely exposed. If there was anyone else around to see, she was about to be in huge trouble.
Just then, the soldier turned away.
There was no time to waste.
Now or never.
Tashi took a deep breath, set her sights on her target, and prayed that there was no one around to see.
She ran.
