The Robbery

 

The heat from the sun burned Richmond’s skin as he walked. Sweat rolled down his face like drops of water. He wore a backpack and held on to his suitcase with his left hand while he held his phone in his right hand. He had traveled two cities away to visit his older sister, Nicole, who was four years older than him. Their younger brother was at home with their parents.

Nicole had given him clear directions to find her when he arrived. She said she would still be at work at the restaurant in the centre of town.

The heat that day was worse than usual. It was 39 degrees. Some people went to the swimming pool to cool off, while others hid inside their cars or at home with the air conditioner on.

Richmond dragged his feet, wishing he were under a cool shade instead of the burning sun. After asking a few people for directions, he finally reached the restaurant. The sign said Coffee and More. He went inside and asked for Nicole.

She came out of the kitchen, excited to see him. She hugged him and asked about his trip.

“It was fine… but hot,” he answered.

“Aww, sorry. Want a drink or something to eat?” she said, pointing him to a table so that he could settle down.

“I’m okay. Ate on the bus. I just need to pee.”

“Sure. Let me show you.” She led him to the washroom and waited so they could go home together.

She had already told her co-workers her brother was coming into town, so she closed early that day. They all said he was handsome and asked how his journey was.

The next morning, before she left for work, Nicole gave him one of her work cheques to cash at the bank so that he could take himself out and have some fun. After breakfast and taking a bath, he dressed in loose clothes since the weather was still warm, then he found his way to the bank.

He arrived at 11:10 a.m. and joined the cheque withdrawal line. Only two people were ahead of him, so he played Candy Crush to pass time. He was excited about the places Nicole suggested he could visit. He even wondered if he should have brought their younger brother along.

When the person directly before him reached the counter, Richmond heard loud gunshots and three masked men rushed in.

“Everybody get down!” they shouted, pointing their guns around the room.

Richmond froze. He was shocked, confused and scared. He hoped it was a movie scene, and someone would shout “cut!” any moment. The men were averagely about 5 feet 8inches in height. One was muscular and clearly the leader from his mannerisms. Another had a deep voice. The third looked slower, had a slight potbelly and almost like it was his first day as a robber.

They demanded to see the manager. They wanted the key to a safety deposit box belonging to the mayor’s son. They claimed he had made a special deposit the day before and they wanted what was in it.

The manager was shaking when they found him. The other workers pointed him out as they feared for their lives. He told them the box needed the physical key plus the owner’s fingerprint or voice recognition to open however they insisted that he took them to where the box was.

Richmond thought he would faint. He had only seen such things in movies. The leader of the gang had left with the manager while the other two locked the bank doors, shot at the CCTV cameras and destroyed them, and started collecting everyone’s phones. Richmond felt his heart sink. They held a gun close to his head and took his new iPhone 13. He had previously used an IPhone X till he recently got this new brand. He bit down on his teeth in anger and fear. At least the cheque was still hidden in his pocket.

When the muscular robber came back from the deposit room looking angry, Richmond guessed they were having trouble accessing the box. He whispered to the one who was second in command and they left just the third robber around in the banking hall

As Richmond looked around, he noticed the bag of phones was on the floor and only one robber was now in the room. Slowly and carefully, he timed himself so he could get closer to it. Whenever the robber turned his back, Richmond moved a little. The time seemed to have stood still. The minutes felt like centuries. Finally, without being noticed, he slipped close enough to snatch back his phone.

Then they heard a loud bang.

Everyone panicked. Was someone shot? Was the manager dead? Richmond thought he might be next. Even though he wasn’t very spiritual, he started praying quietly. If this was his last day, he needed to pray.

The third robber ran toward the sound. More shots followed. Unknown to the thieves, someone had triggered the emergency alarm earlier. The police had arrived and entered through a secret side entrance. Even though the robbers destroyed the main hall cameras, there were hidden ones near the safety deposit rooms.

The hostages were filled with fear as things escalated. Their hands shook, throats were tight while their hearts beat violently in their chests.  There were screams, more gunshots and everyone run. Some hid under chairs, cash counters, near the bins, behind doors. Richmond found himself near some potted plants.

The police had saved the day. The robbers tried to run when they realized they were outnumbered and injured. One was shot in the stomach and the others were also bleeding. They were whisked away by the police in handcuffs. Probably for medical treatment first, then later, to face justice in court

As soon as the police ensured everyone was safe, Richmond ran out. He didn’t wait to give a statement or talk to anyone. He just needed to breathe.

When Nicole heard what happened, she broke down in tears. She hugged him tightly, and whispered, “I’m glad you’re okay.”