Burdick short story
The Robber Who Took His Mask Off By: Philip Cepeda
Lisa walked in her house from school, she’s so exhausted and lays on the couch to watch the news. --
“Now on News 12, Anchorman Will is going to be bringing you breaking news on the update of the mysterious robber lurking around an Albuquerque neighborhood please stay tuned for more news.” She heard news reporter say.
Lisa immediately sat up straight and paid all her attention to the news.
…
The night was still young, while she still hear peoples cars arriving in their desired driveways. Such a nice windy day, can hear the wind whistle like a shell from the sea. Lisa’s window was wide open, a perfect entrance for a robber, it was inevitable for someone to break in. ( hours later) BADOOM! Lisa hears some sudden footsteps and is immediately awakened by the disturbance hoping it was just all a silly noise. The robber is quickly trying to steal things and be on his way, Lisa hears numerous of valuable items dropping ZING and POW. The robber turns around and realizes he is being watched by Lisa. Now there is an awkward silence and awkward stare to one another…
“Why aren’t you scared?”
“You’re not here to hurt me.”
The robber is immediately aghast by Lisa’s reaction, it was something unexpected and he was amused. “But, I’m a criminal, I’m on the run I’m on the news I’m wanted by the authorities.”
Lisa nods and agrees, “Yeah… but you haven’t murdered anyone, you’ve cause no harmed you can still be fixed.” the robber is overwhelmed.
“You think so.?”
“I’m positive, I can see regret and seeking forgiveness in your eyes,” Lisa said.
“I’ve sinned too plenty that anything I do won’t grant me forgiveness.” Robber said.
“The ones who truly seek forgiveness will get it, those who don’t will have no mercy.”
The robber realizes that Lisa is right, he still has a chance for his life back, and puts Lisa’s personal belongings back in their places and apologizes. Takes a look at a picture with Lisa’s name “Lisa, I am deeply sorry. I’m alone and in pain!” Robber takes his mask off and starts crying in Lisa’s arm.
The emotions were passed between Lisa and the Robber was un-explainable, the warmth and care of Lisa was stupendous. The Robber took his mask off and gave trust and honesty to a girl he just met. Lisa accepted him for who he was.
“It’s okay, everything will be okay. It’s going to be like it never happened, like an innocent child with a paper cut just waiting to heal.” said Lisa. “N n n.. no one has ever supported me like you have… I-I-I can’t,” he takes a moment to wipe his tears and inhales deeply, “put into words how thankful I-I-I am right now,”
Lisa started feeling love and care for the robber because he was so emotionally broken down and she wanted to pick him up and be there for his process to become a better person, she falls in-love with him. The feeling she gets for him are fondness.
The robber is still in tears and a million things are going around his head, he doesn't care about revealing his identity to a stranger, he didn't care that he got caught stealing, doesn’t care about no basketball game or what’s on TV, all he cares about is Lisa’s forgiveness, care and love. Afterwards Lisa’s emotions became a connection with the robber, he started feeling the same.
“We can start by confessing your sins.” said Lisa with some slight tears in her eyes.
“When I was a little boy both my parents were unemployed and I was forced into robbing so I can put food on the table. I was so little I didn’t even know the concept of providing for my family, I knew no difference between good or bad. As time passed I went from robbing foods to expensive goods, from groceries to department stores and to houses. When I arrived home with goods my parents would smile, thank me and be proud of me, so I thought it was the right thing to do because I’m helping my family.”
Lisa softly interrupts “wait…wait… Why were your parents unemployed?”
“They got fired from they’re job because they had to take care of me… I mean from what they told me that’s why” said the Robber, Lisa nods confusingly “Oh… Okay continue with your confession"
He continues “Okay, so I thought it was right to help your family like any other son, as long as my parents were happy so was I. A couple of years later I realized what I was doing was wrong, I explained it to my parents how I felt about stealing and that I refuse to do it again… I was whipped and beat for days as if I was peasant from a village who contradicted their ruler. I tasted the blood in my mouth, I could see the blood dripping from my eyelashes and I asked myself why? If all I’ve tried to do is to make my parents proud of me and I have all these years. After that I run away from home, I was scared and frightened that the only two that I cared for the most, that I would risk life for, have used me all my life. I was only fourteen years when I ran away. I ended renting a motel and had to live of the thing I hate the most, the thing that has taken my childhood away, the thing that has dismembered me, stealing. I tried all I can to never go back but nobody was hearing out a four-teen year old living in a motel. Nobody has ever supported me in life and I’ve been living like this for the past four years, in pain, in miserable, all confused on a different world, on a different planet.”
Showered in tears, in sadness Lisa replies “You are forgiven, I will always be here for you”
Lisa walked in her house from school, she’s so exhausted and lays on the couch to watch the news. --
“Now on News 12, Anchorman Will is going to be bringing you breaking news on the update of the mysterious robber lurking around an Albuquerque neighborhood please stay tuned for more news.” She heard news reporter say.
Lisa immediately sat up straight and paid all her attention to the news.
…
The night was still young, while she still hear peoples cars arriving in their desired driveways. Such a nice windy day, can hear the wind whistle like a shell from the sea. Lisa’s window was wide open, a perfect entrance for a robber, it was inevitable for someone to break in. ( hours later) BADOOM! Lisa hears some sudden footsteps and is immediately awakened by the disturbance hoping it was just all a silly noise. The robber is quickly trying to steal things and be on his way, Lisa hears numerous of valuable items dropping ZING and POW. The robber turns around and realizes he is being watched by Lisa. Now there is an awkward silence and awkward stare to one another…
“Why aren’t you scared?”
“You’re not here to hurt me.”
The robber is immediately aghast by Lisa’s reaction, it was something unexpected and he was amused. “But, I’m a criminal, I’m on the run I’m on the news I’m wanted by the authorities.”
Lisa nods and agrees, “Yeah… but you haven’t murdered anyone, you’ve cause no harmed you can still be fixed.” the robber is overwhelmed.
“You think so.?”
“I’m positive, I can see regret and seeking forgiveness in your eyes,” Lisa said.
“I’ve sinned too plenty that anything I do won’t grant me forgiveness.” Robber said.
“The ones who truly seek forgiveness will get it, those who don’t will have no mercy.”
The robber realizes that Lisa is right, he still has a chance for his life back, and puts Lisa’s personal belongings back in their places and apologizes. Takes a look at a picture with Lisa’s name “Lisa, I am deeply sorry. I’m alone and in pain!” Robber takes his mask off and starts crying in Lisa’s arm.
The emotions were passed between Lisa and the Robber was un-explainable, the warmth and care of Lisa was stupendous. The Robber took his mask off and gave trust and honesty to a girl he just met. Lisa accepted him for who he was.
“It’s okay, everything will be okay. It’s going to be like it never happened, like an innocent child with a paper cut just waiting to heal.” said Lisa. “N n n.. no one has ever supported me like you have… I-I-I can’t,” he takes a moment to wipe his tears and inhales deeply, “put into words how thankful I-I-I am right now,”
Lisa started feeling love and care for the robber because he was so emotionally broken down and she wanted to pick him up and be there for his process to become a better person, she falls in-love with him. The feeling she gets for him are fondness.
The robber is still in tears and a million things are going around his head, he doesn't care about revealing his identity to a stranger, he didn't care that he got caught stealing, doesn’t care about no basketball game or what’s on TV, all he cares about is Lisa’s forgiveness, care and love. Afterwards Lisa’s emotions became a connection with the robber, he started feeling the same.
“We can start by confessing your sins.” said Lisa with some slight tears in her eyes.
“When I was a little boy both my parents were unemployed and I was forced into robbing so I can put food on the table. I was so little I didn’t even know the concept of providing for my family, I knew no difference between good or bad. As time passed I went from robbing foods to expensive goods, from groceries to department stores and to houses. When I arrived home with goods my parents would smile, thank me and be proud of me, so I thought it was the right thing to do because I’m helping my family.”
Lisa softly interrupts “wait…wait… Why were your parents unemployed?”
“They got fired from they’re job because they had to take care of me… I mean from what they told me that’s why” said the Robber, Lisa nods confusingly “Oh… Okay continue with your confession"
He continues “Okay, so I thought it was right to help your family like any other son, as long as my parents were happy so was I. A couple of years later I realized what I was doing was wrong, I explained it to my parents how I felt about stealing and that I refuse to do it again… I was whipped and beat for days as if I was peasant from a village who contradicted their ruler. I tasted the blood in my mouth, I could see the blood dripping from my eyelashes and I asked myself why? If all I’ve tried to do is to make my parents proud of me and I have all these years. After that I run away from home, I was scared and frightened that the only two that I cared for the most, that I would risk life for, have used me all my life. I was only fourteen years when I ran away. I ended renting a motel and had to live of the thing I hate the most, the thing that has taken my childhood away, the thing that has dismembered me, stealing. I tried all I can to never go back but nobody was hearing out a four-teen year old living in a motel. Nobody has ever supported me in life and I’ve been living like this for the past four years, in pain, in miserable, all confused on a different world, on a different planet.”
Showered in tears, in sadness Lisa replies “You are forgiven, I will always be here for you”