INFINITO E OLTRE

Chapter 27

I can not finish.

Alessandro's hand moves upward, his thumb pressing against the corner of my eye, ready to wipe if I cry and giving me the strength that I need to continue.

"It was Ami." I breathe out with much difficulty and a tear slips from my eye and rolls down Alessandro's thumb.

"It was Ami they took with them. I did not know what they were doing with her alone. Maybe anyone could understand that by then but I was just fourteen and have been sheltered my whole life. I did not have the slightest idea about anything. But they showed me in the worst way."

My voice cracks and Alessandro's grip tightens on my cheek as though he knows what I will say now.

"Her clothes were dirty and torn in places. But her eyes were closed. Maybe the drug had not worn off. I was calling her, begging the men let me go to her but they did not listen. They just waited for her to gain her consciousness and as soon as she did, all the people surrounded her, making sure to leave room for me to see between them."

By now tears are flowing down my cheeks and Alessandro is trying his best to wipe them off my face while keeping his eyes on mine, listening to everything silently, patiently.

"They jumped on her like hungry wolves, ripped off her remaining clothes and took turns destroying her. Scratching, biting and sucking her flesh like bloody vampires." I grit my teeth though crying while I speak.

"Her loud wails of agony still ring in my ears along with my cries of helplessness. I was thrashing so hard in my chair that the chains were cutting into my flesh, my arms and legs were bleeding just like her."

Instinctively Alessandro's one hand goes to my wrist and another to my ankle, caressing them as if he can soothe that pain.

"By the time it was the tenth man, Ami just stopped protesting. There was no movement from her. It looked like she had accepted her fate which was so unlike her. She was the strongest among us. She never gave up. No matter the problem and seeing her just lying there like a living corpse...it-it shattered me, literally." A sob breaks out of me at this, making Alessandro coo at me.

"The only thing proving that she was still alive were the rising and falling of her chest and her wide open eyes. Her big beautiful eyes that resembled mine. Her eyes were stuck on the ceiling as tears kept sliding down her cheeks without a sound. Seeing her like this broke me and I closed my eyes, praying to God that he would help us somehow, begging that the next time I open my eyes again it will all just be a dream. A bad bad dream."

My voice shakes as I say, "Except it was not. It was a fucking nightmare which we were yet to see the worst part of."

Alessandro's eyes harden and he shakes his head, "You do not have to."

I whimper, "No. I want to."

He sighs, gesturing me to continue and I do after glistening my lips with my tongue.

"A loud noise broke my prayers. Someone entered the room but I still did not open my eyes. I had to pray for my sister." I smile sadly at him.

"The footsteps grew louder indicating the person was coming in my direction." Alessandro's grip on my cheek turned bruising at that but I did not stop.

"My body stiffened when I felt hot breaths fanning over my face and then came the voice that I still dread. He said, "Open your eyes babygirl." I shivered hearing his words." Cold sweat breaks out on my forehead thinking about his voice.

"There was a distinct smell coming from his mouth that I could not recognize then. When I did not listen to him he grabbed my face forcefully and made me open my eyes. I cried out from the pain and saw a large tall man standing in front of me. The place where I was sitting was dark and a faint light was coming from behind him, casting a shadow on his face. So I could not quite see how he looked like. But judging by his height, strength and hard voice he was most likely a powerful man and was the leader of them. There was a cigar held in his free hand as he hovered over me. The smell was coming from that. He ordered one of his men to keep my eyes open as he walked up to Ami and my heart thudded against my chest, fearing his next action."