INAMORATA: Before Our Heaven Turns To Hell

Chapter Twenty Eight - Daniele's Point Of View

It was supposed to be just like any other day but instead I chose not to show up in front of my teacher who was waiting for me in our makeshift classroom in some part of the mansion. Being homeschooled was boring, I thought. I had nobody to play with. Other than that, my brother was also gone most of the time. I kind of envied him because he gets to attend school outside. He has friends, I bet, and that made me even more jealous because I don't have any.

I sighed as I continued to roam around the halls of my so-called home. I've lived here my whole life and yet there were still parts of the house that I wasn't familiar with. It was really too big for us—too big for me who was always left alone with just the maids.

I really wanted to change my father's mind about school, so I decided to search for him. I immediately went to his office but to my dismay he was nowhere to be found. He must be out again because of work, I thought. Regardless, I still went in anyway and sat in his favorite leather armchair that was positioned at the far right of his study among the high bookshelves.

My teacher must be looking for me right now. What was her name again? I really can't remember. She must be irritated right now. Anyway, she can't get mad at me unless of course if she told father, then he'll be the one to scold me. I guest I should just go back and talk to him once he's back.

I was about to leave when all of a sudden I heard a blood-curdling scream. It was faint but loud enough to cause the hair on my arms to stand. It sounded like it came from somewhere within the study or more like under the room. Despite the gnawing fear at the back of my mind, I decided to search for the source of that sound. Being young, I was also curious about the source of that sound. I looked and looked but it only left me utterly confused because there was nothing in the room that could have caused that sound.

Was that a ghost? That thought almost sent me running out of the room if I didn't notice that one of the bookshelves that was attached to the wall was slightly ajar just like a door.

I narrowed my eyes. Was I seeing things? I walked towards the shelf and what greeted me in closer view surprised me. There was something behind it. I pushed the bookshelf and slowly a dimly lit downwards staircase greeted me.

I gulped. It reminded me of a scene that I watched from a mystery movie. Something told me to go back but the feeling of wanting to know overpowered me, so I went down as gingerly as I could not knowing that what laid ahead would change me forever.

Soon, I reached the last step and a short passage came into view. There was only one door at the end of the hall and so I treaded towards it.

What could be behind this? I thought as I laid my hand on the knob, ready to twist it and push the door open. But before I could do so, I felt the knob twisting beneath my small hand as someone from the other side opened it. I was terrified and the guilty feeling of being caught made me unable to move as the door fully opened to reveal a familiar face.

It was uncle Mattia, a friend of my father's. A sigh of relief escaped my lips but what was he doing here?

"What is it Mattia?" The sound of father's voice came from inside. So father was also here.

Uncle Mattia gave me a worried look before answering. "It's your son."

Silence. After a while, only then did my father reply. "Let him in."

I gave uncle a confused look because somehow it felt like he didn't want me to be there but why? What could be in this room? I thought as he let me in.

When I finally got in, it felt as though the air escaped my lungs. My eyes widened at the sight and it had left me speechless. There, in front of me, was my father wearing a white long sleeved shirt that was splattered with blood. His face, his knuckles, all of it was covered with blood.