Give Me a Reason to Believe

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was 10:30 PM. That meant that everyone was already was asleep. Mrs. Smith had a strict rule that everyone had to be in bed by 9:30, after checking on everyone she went to bed around 10. I made a quick stop at her room and peaked in. She was tucked under the covers sound asleep.
Satisfied with what I saw I went back to my room. I already had my backpack ready and pillows stuffed under my covers. I had done this so many times it was a routine. I'd lay under the covers until after Mrs. Smith checked on us and the little ones we all asleep. Afterwards I'd fill my covers with pillows and ensure Mrs.Smith was in fact asleep. When that was all done, then came the fun part...going out the window. There was a big oak tree with a thick branch hovering right under the window. I quietly opened the window and hoped on the branch closing the window behind me. On the off chance Mrs.Smith checked on us again an open window would be a dead giveaway. I skillfully climbed down the tree and headed off towards my destination.
For as long as I could remember there was always one house on the block that mesmerized me. There was nothing really special about it the house itself, it was just like any other in the richer part of the neighborhood. It's just, after 10 years I had never seen anyone exit or enter. I know people loved there because you could always hear music coming from the garage, but no one ever came out. Wondering what was inside always drove me crazy. Now I was about to find out.
When I reached the house I stood outside for a moment. It was pitch black outside. The lamps on the block were broken so I wasn't to worried about being seen. Besides if I was no one would be able to identify me. I was wearing all black. The only skin visible was my face and there wasn't nothing really exceptional about that. I quickly ran across the lawn and made my way to the side of the house. Surely at least one window would be open. I tried them all. They were all locked.
Disappointed I went to the back yard. Their was a window wide open just calling to me. I crawled in and softly jumped onto the floor. Careful to make no noise I pulled out my little flashlight. It was one of those little ones that usually went on a keychain. It was small but came in handy.
I'm in the dining room, I thought.
I must admit it was beautiful. Way more attractive than that of the orphanage. It was about the size of 3 rooms put together. I examined every inch of the room carefully before moving onto the next one. It was the living room. I swear to god I could live in it. Atop the fire place in the corner were tons of pictures. A man, woman and child. Their daughter perhaps? She looked no older than 5. Next to the fire place were tons of paint brushes and paint. So either the man or women liked art. There were so many I figure the owners wouldn't notice a few missing. I pulled my backpack off and stuffed about 4 brushes in my bag before going to the next room.
My mind was racing. The inside of the house was so much better than I pictured it. It wasn't like the other houses I'd been in. Those houses were full of people who likes to show off their money with meaningless objects. No, this one was different. Yeh you could tell the owners had money but the each object seemed to have a meaning. Like it wasn't bought for show but rather for a purpose. Each object, no matter how small made the house feel warm and special.
As I made my way through all the rooms I grabbed things that could go unnoticed. The paint brushes, a few books that looked like good reads and a couple candles. When I was satisfied with my collection I made my way back to the window. Carefully I dropped my bag through the window and made my out the window. After I had successfully exited the house I heard the sirens. There was no way I'd be able to make it out safely through the front yard and there was no where to exit through the back.
I looked around frantically for anywhere to hide. There was a shit load of bushes that would probably hide me but for how long was the question. As the sirens got closer I quickly but carefully hid my bag in the bushes on one side of the yard than ran to the other. I ran down the steps and climbed into the fern trees and bushes and began praying. Actually praying, the last time I had prayed was the night I got to the orphanage.
Finally the approaching sirens arrived. I pulled my legs up to my chest and silently began to cry as I heard voices from inside the house.
"You reported a break in at this residence?"One voice asked a cop by the sounds of it.
"Yes."A man answered. Probably the one in the picture."we heard noises coming from downstairs. My wife and I assumed it was our daughter until she came to our room."
Came to their room? I'm pretty damn positive I didn't see anyone.
"She said someone was downstairs so we called you."a woman continued.
"I see, mind if we look around a bit?"
"No not at all."
From my hiding spot I could here people talking and moving about the house. Cops were talking in their walkie talkies and the man and woman were talking with each other.
"Whoever it was seems to have entered from an open window in the dining room."the cop states suddenly.
Well no shit Sherlock, I thought, the window was fucking open. It didn't take a scientist to figure that out.
"We're gonna look out back."
Out back? Shit. Fuck. No.
I began to panic and sweat. There was no way in hell I was going to get out of her undetected. It was either I give myself up or wait till the found me. There was a little glimmer of hope that said they might not find me so I stayed hidden.
"Do these look familiar?" The cop asked. I could heard the man and woman approach him. He had clearly found my backpack. If I got out alive I'd have to find myself a new one.
"Yes, these are ours, but why take this stuff?" The woman asked puzzled."you could buy these anywhere."
Yeh, because you have money. Not all of us are that lucky, I thought sourly.
"Whoever it was couldn't have gone far. They obviously left in a hurry. Probably heard the sirens and tried to make a run for it."
Yup. That sounds about right.
"Is there anyway out through here?"the was a moment of silence before the cop spoke again."ok. So they must still be here."
My heart raced as I heard footsteps coming down the steps. A saw a quick glimpse of a flashlight and held my breathe. I didn't breathe until I heard the steps fade away. The moment I let out my breath I was suddenly yanked out of the bushes my my hood. Before I could process what was happening I was surrounded by 5 cops, each with their gun drawn.
I was in deep shit.

Notes