PSLE: Stealing Mangoes

The sun was casting its intense heat everywhere.  My brother, Joshua, and I were helping to move into our new house. We decided to take a breather in the courtyard.  Feeling parched and famished, we were badly in need of food and water but there was none.  Just then, a breeze rustled the tree and we caught sight of garguantuan ripe mangoes, hanging from a mango tree.  There were hundreds of them and they seemed to be beckoning us to eat them.  We were enticed and tempted by the succulent fruits. 

“Let’s get some nice mangoes to quench our thirst!”  Joshua suggested.

“But… they belong to our neighbour!” I replied hesitantly, shaking my head.

“Don’t worry.  It’s vacant.  Who knows where the neighbours are?  Let’s go!”  Joshua replied with a mischevious wink, his glossy hair glinting in the sun.

Effortlessly, we leapt over the fence by using a ladder.   Then, as quiet as a church mouse, we found ourselves under the tree.  Then, darting his beady eyes from side to side, the nimble Joshua clambered up the tree as fast as lightning and swiftly nicked some golden mangoes.  He threw down some for me and I began savouring the delicious fruit while Brother stayed up to gather more.

Suddenly, we heard footsteps and caught sight of some movement.  Our new neighbour, a burly man with disheveled hair,  appeared out of blue and stomped towards us.  Joshua panicked and took a vicious tumble down the tree and ended in a pathetic heap.  There were unfinished mangoes all over the ground.  We were caught red-handed!

Our neighbour saw red and glowered at us menacingly, “You rascals!  How dare you steal my precious mangoes!”

We were quivering in fear and were about to break into a run when the man grabbed us by our collars.  With his fists clenched, he gave us a hard thrashing, ramming punches into our stomachs.  Excruciating pain shot through our bodies and we pleaded for mercy repeatedly.  How could he do that to us?  We were only kids!  He must be mad! 

Finally, the uncouth man had given us enough beating.  “Get out of my property!”  he bellowed, “and don’t you dare come again.”

We took off as fast as cheetahs and entered into the safety of our house.  After that, we never told my parents about the incident.  The neighbour never came over to say hello.  My parents used to wonder why the neighbour was so unfriendly but we kept quiet and never revealed our secret.  Needless to say, we never steal again.