“Freeze!” a young spiky haired boy, standing on the landing of the stairwell dressed in his pj’s, yelled bravely.

The room was almost dark but their eyes found each other. The minimum light that came from the outside lighting of the house shining through the window making it a little easier to lock eyes.

Blue met green, frightened met shocked.

The thief’s breathing quickened. Hitched breaths and tiny gasps filled the air and it was the only thing the boy heard as he stared deeply into the eyes of the caught thief.

They were both standing completely still, as if frozen in time.

The thief’s stiff posture; shoulders drawn up, his muscles tight, fists clenched as he clutched the bag tightly in his right hand and the other boy; his gun directed at the burglar he’d caught, holding the gun steadily with two hands, his right index finger ready to pull the trigger and his legs slightly spread for balance.

It seemed like forever as they stared at each other and for a little while the world seemed to stand still.

Sirens calling in the distance suddenly forced the world back in.

The thief looked around wildly before looking back to the boy with the gun, pleading with his eyes. Their eyes sending dozens of messages back and forth in those short few seconds as they carried sympathetic and miserable glances. The boy’s posture faltered. The firmness and confidence abated as he let his arms drop; lowering the gun slowly.

Sirens were getting closer and with the gun now lowered the thief saw his chance. A last quick unspoken message was send through his eyes before he sprung into action; he quickly turned and ran off as fast as he could going out the backdoor and through the fence which had been his way in, just moments earlier.

The young man with the gun blinked but let him go. What he’d seen in the boy’s eyes cut right through him, making the quick decision to let him go and to not mention him in the presence of the officers when they swarmed the place moments later. He didn’t really notice all the commotion around him; his eyes were locked on the opening in the fence that the young man he’d just held under shot had used as an escape route.