The Thief and the Pot of Gold

The Thief and the Pot of Gold - 4

'Survival of the fittest!" Theo read the message again. 'Oh, boy! I'm in trouble!'

The guard posted himself beside Theo. His eyes followed anywhere Theo moved.

Theo went to the cabin's bathroom. The guard did not follow inside when his eyes sharpened.

He looked at himself on the mirror. Nobody would suspect that he was an accomplished thief. His face was ordinary. He had a pair of eyes, a medium nose, a thin mouth, and large ears.

Well, his ears appeared big because he was bald.

He always shaved, morning and evening, because his beard and moustache grew unevenly.

Theo was hairless because he appeared unremarkable.

'How did they know my name?' he asked in confusion. He had IDs but they were all under fake names!

There was a light knock on the door.

"Fifteen minutes!" Theo said aloud.

'Dammit! This is not a vacation!' he thought while applying a liberal amount of shaving lotion on his face and all over his head.

"Five minutes!" the rough voice answered.

"I'm shaving!" he replied aloud.

There was no response after that.

Theo shaved in peace. The sound of the razor had a therapeutic effect on him. He was calmed considerably when his face was done. He took a shower when his head was smooth and shiny. He used the clean towel and robe.

When Theo came out, a small table had been at the center of the cabin. It boasted every food that rich people took for granted.

He was not impressed.

"Taste them first before I eat," Theo said without expression.

"In a moment," the guard answered calmly. "Give me your dirty clothes. They will be clean and dry after an hour!"

Theo took the working belt before he handed over the clothes.

The guard put them in the wire basket outside the door. He proceeded to taste every food on the table, using different spoons.

"Satisfied?"

Theo did not answer. He took a bottled water. He drank straight from its small mouth. The steak, the whole roasted chicken, and the whole steamed fish with vegetables were all appetizing but he resisted them.

"What's the matter?" the guard asked when Theo did not eat any of the food.

"Eat with me," Theo instructed.

"You want me to eat with you?"

"Yes. Is there a rule that says you cannot eat with me?"

The guard swallowed before he shook his big head. He was probably fifty something. "None." His attitude changed gradually. "Okay. I'll eat with you!"

Theo took a plate and offered it to the guard. They ate warily for the first few moments.

"The chef can cook!" the guard praised when he tasted the steak again.

"I should hope so," Theo nodded. He ate mostly the salad and the half of fish.

He wanted to ask questions but he knew he would receive wrong answers!

'I have to find the answers myself!' Theo decided while he speared the fish fillet with the blunt fork. He noted that all eating utensils had no sharp and pointed edges.

The guard burped after he drank the bottled water. "Thank you for the food!"

"You haven't eaten?"

"We take only this!" He showed a packet of tablets. "It rids off hunger and tiredness!"

'Hypocrite! The organizers are hypocrites! They killed people for bad deeds but they supply illegal substances to their employees!' Theo pushed his knuckles inside the pockets of the robe.

"I've been sick and tired of this job! I want to go home to my family!" the guard blubbered suddenly. His face crumpled like paper but real tears flowed down copiously.

"Why don't you leave the job?" Theo asked placidly. He refused to feel sympathy.

"They won't allow us! We are slaves! We are pawns!"

'Like us!' Theo realized.

Suddenly, the door of the cabin opened. Four men held the guard on his arms and dragged him.

"Hey! Where are you taking him?"

The fifth man entered when they hauled the weeping man.

"I am your new guard! You want to see where they are taking him? Come!"

Theo accompanied the men outside. The night was dark. The ocean was inky but he could hear the waves.

When his eyes were accustomed to the darkness, Theo could see the fins of the sharks in the water. They were swimming along with the yacht.

The crying man was told to jump over the bar.

"Mr. Vincent!"

"Yes?"

"Give this to my family... if ever you came out--!"

Theo's fingers had swiftly take what he was handed.

"Enough!" One of the men pushed the loser over the edge.

The sharks pounced on him. Theo could hear the swift babble of water.

'Just like that... A man's life has ended!'

The new guard ushered him to the cabin. Theo found his clothes on the bunk bed. The table filled with foods was also gone.

He picked up the clothes and went to the bathroom. He put the pants and the shirt on. He pulled out the deep pocket of the robe.

'Gio Giovanni.'

Gio had given Theo an atm card. Thankfully, the bank had an address at the back. He memorized it, along with the card's number.

He erased the numbers and the name by rubbing the card against the edge of the lavatory counter. He mutilated it and flushed it into the toilet bowl.

"Sleep at nine o'clock. Rise at six o'clock. Breakfast at seven. Lunch at one. Dinner at seven. Understand?" The guard, who also looked like a wrestler, had an ugly face. He was also younger. About twenty-something.

He nodded.

'You ain't seen nothin' yet,' Theo told the guard in his mind.

"Understand, Mr. Vincent?" the guard asked again. Louder this time.

"Yes, I understand," Theo replied calmly.

The guard squinted his eyes. Theo stared back at him.

A loud siren sounded.

"It is nine o'clock. Go to sleep!" The guard did not move until Theo went to the bunk bed.

Ignoring the guard, he switched off the overhead light. He closed his eyes.

'Tonight, I have witnessed horrific cruelty of man against man...'