THE STOLEN PIECE

CHAPTER 28 - GIVING UP

GABRIEL

I did as Eva told me, but I was fired on the first day for screaming at a human that pushed me. Then the next week I was hired and then fired the same day.  This time it was the bookstore that was close to the hospital, apparently, when stopping a girl from stealing a book I need to be careful to not hurt her... and from the restaurant that was next to it for my not-so-well-mannered speech to a customer. Maria kept going to the hospital and she enjoyed working there. Eva also started working at the mall and even the twins were looking for jobs. Lucas just kept wandering between them making sure they were safe and behaving accordingly. I kept applying to different jobs near the hospital, but it was hard for me. I was not used to interacting with so many humans and apparently they were really sensitive to my words. I saw Lucas leaving the apartment.

    -Are you leaving now?

    -Yes.

    -When are you coming back?

    -I am not sure, the twins said they found a job, so I’m going to see how they are doing.

    -What the twins found a job? The twins? Our twins?

    -Yes…

He looked at me.

    -But that doesn't mean that they would keep it, so don’t stress out Gabe.

Then he took the car keys and left, and now I was all alone in the department. I tried to see movies and TV stuff to understand more because I had zero good experiences by interacting with the humans, but it was so irritating1 I didn’t understand their attitude and it was all so boring, they care about dumb details and the important things are ignored! I turned the TV off and went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Nothing. I opened the pantry and nothing. Now with everyone out there was never food on the fridge or in any part of this department. I grabbed my keys and my wallet and left. I was tired of living on fast food from the store. I mean it was good at first, the chips, the instant soups, the sandwiches but I was way tired of it. I decided to grab just a pretzel and I went back on the street, I kept walking, sniffing around looking for a hint of werewolf scent.  Then at a corner, I smelled something delicious. It was an alley so it was strange, usually, the alleys smell like trash and stuff but This one didn’t and it looked really clean. I decided to follow the scent.  The alley looked normal, just clean and without trash around. In the end, there was a small cafe place. It had three tables out and the main door opened, the vanilla scent was coming from the store. I entered and a guy greeted me. I went and saw some pastry, inside the scent of coffee mixed with the vanilla one, it smelled delicious!

    -I will have a cup of coffee and some of the pastry.

    -We just took these desserts out of the oven.

    -Yes that one will be fine.

    -To go or are you eating here?

I looked around and the place seemed fine.

    -Here.

I paid for it and while I waited he looked at me.

-You can take a seat and we will bring your order to you.

-Thanks.

I decided to stay inside, the scent was just delicious. The guy prepared the coffee and the scent intensified. When he arrived at the table with the coffee and the pastry I was drooling literally, drooling.  I took a bite and then took a sip of the coffee and it was way better than the one from the store. The pastry was so good, not that sweet and it was still warm! Then a woman came from the kitchen, looked at the pastries, and then looked at me as if she was about to kill me. I almost choked with my coffee. Then she looked at the guy.

    -You served the pastry without the sauce! I spent all morning making it!

Then she grabbed something and came to my table. She had some flour… everywhere, in her hair, the apron was also covered on it.

    -Hi could I add some raspberry sauce to your pastry?

I already saw how she looked at me and how she looked at the guy, but now she was smiling at me… How can she change her attitude so fast? Before I could say something she was pouring some red sauce on my plate.

    -Thanks hope you enjoy it. It's a new addition to our menu.

She smiled and then left. When she went back to the kitchen the guy came to my table.

    -I’m sorry I forgot that that pastry is served with sauce.

    -Is she always like that?

    -I don’t know, this is my second day here.

    -Don’t worry, I think I liked it more without the sauce, but this is also good.

He smiled at me and then another person entered the store. He left and went back to the register. I ate the pastry and finished my coffee. I stood up and ordered another coffee. When the guy served me the new cup, he told me there were some books on the back that I could read. So I went and looked at them. I had read many books, to be exact at least two hundred books, but I had never seen them. I took one that had a nice cover and started reading it. It was a good book. Then a new smell came to me. I looked and saw two girls carrying some plates with food? I went to the register.

    -What did they order?

    -Chicken with cream and some spaghetti.

    -You also sell food?

    -Yes in the morning we also have some breakfasts and in the afternoon we offer some lunches, and…

    -I want two plates of that.

    -Two?

    -Yes.

I paid and went back to my place. The food was just delicious! Even better than Eva’s!  When I  finish eating I continue reading. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

    -Sorry we are about to close now.

The guy had a broom and I saw the tables were all inside, the place looked heaped. I stood up and walked to the exit, but then I felt the guy stopping me.

    -You can’t take the book.

I looked at the book in my hand.

    -Why?

    -The books are meant to be read in the cafe not outside sorry.

I left the book on the table.

    -You can come back tomorrow and continue reading it.

I nodded and left the store. The sun was setting and the streets were full of people. I walked with the crowd, smelling everything around me. Then I noticed a hint of wolf scent! I started following it, but then it vanished. Trying to track the scent with all the other human scents mixing was just impossible. The humans used strong scents over their own, and the artificial scents were just too strong. I wanted to ask Zeus… but we were not on speaking terms. Then In between the mix, I found something. I tried to follow it, but it was impossible, it was like trying to see through a black glass. I couldn’t identify the scent or follow it, but if I perceived it meant that not only one but multiple werewolves had passed through there. I went back home. There was no one there. I sat and turned on the TV. I heard the door and stood up.

    -Eva! welcome home!

She looked at me as if I was crazy.

    -Why are you acting like that?

She then walked to the fridge and opened it.

    -Gabe I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but I did make food for you and left it in the fridge, you should be starving, I will heat it right away…

    -No I did ate.

She looked at the full plate and then looked at me.

    -No, you didn’t.

    -Yes I did, I ate outside at a cafe and…

    -You entered a restaurant, spent the money that we are trying to save when you could have just eaten here?

    -It wasn’t much and…

    -Gabe, we are working to support ourselves, we can't relax with the money anymore, what if we…

    -You are not listening to me, Eva! I found a werewolf scent today!

    -You did! What did you find? How many werewolves? Do you know their location? Did you see Sam?

    -What?... No, but I did find some werewolf scent and…

    -Where did it take you to what part of the city? Did you see the wolves?

    -No, I just detected it, I couldn't track it down and I’m not sure how many scents there were but I assume there were at least…

    -So you aren’t sure, and you don’t know how many.

    -I’m trying to.

Eva lay on the couch. 

    -The twins have also said they have found mysterious scents but that they can’t track them. This is no progress at all.

    -The twins have also sensed them?

    -Yes…

    -Why didn’t I know about it?

    -Because there was nothing to tell, they weren’t sure, and they couldn’t even track it. We need to be sure to at least call it a hint… I have smelled many scents even as humans. In here the scents are so strong even with a human nose you can smell it, I just can imagine how hard it would be for you and the twins. Maybe it was just the mixtures of scents that made it look like a werewolf scent and maybe we aren't in the right place…

    -The catnip that…

    -They can keep it here and still hide in a different area.

    -I think that…

    -Gabe, I know that you are really smart, but if it’s just thought I can or can’t be real. We need to know rather than just guess…

    -But…

    -And please stop wasting money…

    -What do I do than just wander the city? or should I stay here all day?

She looked at me and sighed.

    -You can have a coffee or some treat, but try to keep it low. We are spending a lot on food and…

    -I know.

I said as I left for my room. I was just… hopeless? I wasn’t even able to control 4 people, I thought I was ready to take the kingdom, but I was so wrong. I had the wrong impression of myself and hitting reality was just too much to handle. I tried to sleep but I just kept thinking of Eva's words. We have been here for almost a month and she was right. All we have done until now were assumptions, but we haven't encountered a wolf yet. When the light hit my eyes I saw that Lucas didn't come back to sleep. I sent him a message. I left the room and saw on the board that everyone left for work. I prepared a quick breakfast, sprayed some sweet scent with a small amount of wolfsbane on it, and left. I started to wander around the city. My phone rang and saw that Lucas sent me a message. I’m fine, I stayed near the hospital, Maria took the night turn and I was just checking everything. When I was fired, he offered to take the job so someone could protect my sister. I wasn’t sure Lucas could fight a werewolf, but he was better than nothing. I went to new places, but I could find anything. In the end, I turned and saw the coffee shop. Eva did say I could have a coffee. I entered and took a book and ordered a coffee. I stayed there the rest of the day, many people came in, and they talked while they waited. If I was right, many wolves pass through here, so if I stay in this area sooner or later some of them should come and buy something.  So I made that my routine, I wandered around and then went by to the cafe. Weeks passed and we still didn't have any clues.