Ash Shopp

Grade: 10

Rocky River High School

Instructor: Erin Voight

The Roses Royals

Short Story

The Roses Royals

There are two rules that come with living in the Rose. Number one: be invisible. No one can see you, and if they do, run. Number two and the most important rule: stay alive. Sure the Rose is a paradise from the outside, but if you look a little closer, it's full of thieves, scammers, pick pockets, criminals and I'm not just talking about myself. Let me introduce myself my names Cunning , Alex Cunning but around here everyone knows me as King of Thieves.

At first I hated the name because it made it seem like those who said it were mocking me till I heard a guard use it and now it's practically my calling card. In the Rose, you find your gang or crew and you stick with them because here it's protection. It's just me and the gang here and the stupid bird that Trixi insists we keep.

But let me introduce you to the others first, my second in command Mel. Mel is like a shadow you don't see or hear her til she's right behind you with a gun to your head. She's the eyes and ears of the gang. She gets the information I need, no questions asked. Don't even get me started on her shot. She could shoot a man who's running from just about a 100 feet away and she has. Now me, I'm more into knives. There's just something about the beautiful edge of a blade and knowing all the pain it's caused.

Then there's Trixi, the comic relief. Her choice of weapons is her puns. In her words, "I think my puns are PUNishment enough don't ya think?" Besides her incredibly stupid puns, she's our bomb specialist and pretty good with a bow and arrow as well. Now the damn bird: a few years ago on a job, Trixi spotted a baby crow that fell out of the nest and she has been taking care of it sense. She says we can train it to be a spy and every time I remind her that's what we have Mel for Second, crows can't talk. But she still keeps him and even gave him a name. I think it's King or something. She chose King because she thinks that one day the damn bird can be the "'king" of the Rose and we can in her words "Rule side by side" Well that's the gang. The gang rules the Rose and I rule the gang.

(Mel) God, Alex is crazy. Doesn't he know it's three A.M? He said it was important, so I'll deal with it. As soon as I get to where Alex said to meet, I don't see anyone else there.He chose this weird abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town but I don't see why we didn't meet up where we normally do. Normally we meet up in a club that Trixis dad owns. We go there alot its kinda like our headquarters, you could say.

I start to look around because something just doesn't feel right when suddenly the doors behind me shut and I see a man about 6 feet tall with dark skin. As he walks closer to me with a grin on his face. I can see a band on his arm and suddenly I know I'm in trouble. It's the Stakers. The Stakers are one of the rival gangs in the Rose. You can tell because each gang has a specialty mark or tattoo that all members get. Alex's gang has rose with a crown all of us have one, even King. Trixy insisted King gets marked as well because he's "part of the gang".

"Well, well, well look what we got here it's Cunning's little pet." the man said as he spat in my face.
"Say it, don't spray it." I said with a half grin on my face watching his face get red.
"Shut up, we have business!" He yelled at me and by this point his face was as red as a rose.
"Where's Alex and Trixi?" I asked, concerningly
"Oh, they won't be joining us. You see, I sent that message knowing you'd come if it was from Cunning. You really are his little pet."
"I'M NOT HIS PET!" I said really pissed off now. I hate when people say that, everyone just sees us as Alex and his pet. I'm not his pet. I'm his partner in crime if anything King is the pet.
"Anyway, that's not why I called you here, I have a message for Cunning."
"Then why don't you just talk to him yourself? Leave me out of this."
"Cunning's harder to get to, so I figured capture his pet, then you'll give him the message for me."
"And what makes you think I'll do it."
"Cause if you don't, I'll put a bullet in your brain with your own gun."
"What's the message?" I asked, shakingly. I'm normally not like this. Normally people knowing I'm part of Alex's gang is enough protection for everyone to leave me alone.
"Tell Cunning that we want the scientist, the one with the brain controlling chemical. He gets the scientist for us, well spare him and his little gang. He fails, well let's just say he better not."
"Fine, but what do you want with the scientist?"
"That's for us to know and you to find out. Now get outta here and tell Cunning or else."
I got out of there as fast as I could because I have to find Alex.