MELTING A FROZEN HEART

Prologue - HIM

"Vince, open the door.", she called out.

No response.

"Vincey, son, open the door.", her voice quivered with worry.

The panic incited a subtle pain in her abdomen, but she was too worried to notice.

"Vince-", her voice gentle and concerned.

A moment of silence later, the clicking of the lock was heard and she didn't waste a minute to burst into his room.

"What happ-", she froze the moment her eyes fell on her son.

A loud gasp left her lips, her palms instinctively covering her mouth.

His body was rolled with bandages from chest to the end of abdomen, dried blood stains clearly visible on the white bandages and the cotton at places was drenched in red. Skin torn to shreds peeked through the gaps, the sight of opened flesh repulsive to the eyes.

She rushed to him and placed her palms on his cheeks, unable to hold him anywhere else.

"What ... Who..", she could only fumble with her words at the sight in front of her.

"It's a part of training, mumma.", her 12 year old son said calmly, his voice laced with evident pain, his eyes slightly squinting in an attempt to endure.

Her eyes brimmed with tears, anger and concern flooding her nerves.

"No, it's not.", she raised her voice slightly in worry.

"Sofia, get a doctor and bring me the first aid box.", she ordered loudly.

"Sit.", she let out, looking at her son, panic swirling within her.

Little Vince held his mother's hand and led her to the bed. He made her sit carefully and then dragged a chair to sit in front of her.

Holding his mother's cold palms in his little ones, he looked up at her teary gray eyes.

"I'm fine, mumma.", he said, trying to assure her.

A sob left her lips at his concern for her.

She caressed his cheek gently.

"You're not fine, son, this is not right. Why didn't you call me sooner?", she asked, gulping the lump in her throat.

"I'm weak, mumma, this is to make me strong.", he replied innocently.

Claire's eyes blazed in anger.

"Who said you're weak, Vince? And this is not a way to make someone strong. This is abuse.", Claire said as calmly as she could, not wanting her son to misunderstand whom she's angry at.

"But I'm not as strong as Elio-", Vince was cut off mid sentence.

"You are strong, son, stronger than all others, may it be Aurelio or anyone else, you are far stronger than them.", Claire said firmly, a gentle edge lacing her tone.

Sofia walked in with a first-aid box, interrupting their conversation.

"The doctor will be here in 10 minutes, mam.", she informed her.

Claire nodded and took the first aid box, placing it beside her on the bed.

"Turn around, hon.", she instructed her son.

Vince hesitated for a moment, but obeyed his mother nonetheless.

He didn't want her to get upset after seeing his wounds, but he could never disobey her.

Claire's palms grew cold in anxiety, but she forwarded her hand and started carefully unwrapping the bandages.

As the torn skin and the severe welts started coming to view, her hands trembled, heart raced and tears rolled down her cheeks at the pain her son had had to go through.