Bambina

50

Luca tried to get away from him. Her whole body was acting on its own, telling her that everybody is bad, that they'll hurt her. Kill her.  Matteo is one of them. He'll try to kill her too. He'll hurt her too. Matteo kept his hold on her though, making her shake her head and let out a pained whimper. Luca looks at him pleadingly and immediately saw the hurt in Matteo's eyes.

He kept his hold on her.

"M-Matty... " She pleaded weakly at him. "Matty, please. Please..."

She doesn't want to hurt Matteo just because she's scared. Papa told her to be brave and she's already being mean to her only friend because of what? Because she's scared?

But she's lost and confused in a room that smells like the blood of Mr. Pierre. The dried blood, the tainted floor, the people, the strangled screams, the joyous laughter that echoes in the room. It reminded Luca of the cold room, the heavy weapon, it reminded her of the ringing in her ears when she fired it, it reminded her of the desperation, the fear, the helplessness, of Mr. Pierre so close to death.

People would've told us to hang in there...

But what if there's nothing left to hang to hang to, Luca?

They don't understand this

It hurts, doesn't it?

Pierre's words whispered in her ear, making her remember. Remember the things that was supposed to disappear. It was supposed to disappear. He was supposed to  disappear.

But even here, why does the nightmare follow her around?

It hurts, doesn't it?

It burns.

I'm scared and I'm lost.

It burns and it hurts.

It hurts so much.

Luca closed her eyes tightly and she didn't even know that she was hyperventilating until Matteo softly ordered her to breathe with him. His soft touches. His voice. His scent. His warmth. The familiarity. It calms her somehow, even though she shouldn't trust anyone here.

Even Matty...

Her dummy...

"There you go... " Matteo ran his fingers through the little girl's hair, unable to keep his expression in check. He's so worried. This is the first time that he saw her this scared and so frightened to the point of hyperventilating. "It's going to be okay... It's okay, Lu-Lu. You're okay. I got you."

"What is this place, Matty?" She whispered, putting her forehead on his shoulder, feeling drained and tired. Her voice was lacking the usual, cheerful chirp.

Still, that didn't stop Matteo's surprise. Most people, normal people maybe, would've screamed at the horrendous sight before them, they would've probably fainted too or maybe ran at the scene, called the police. Luca didn't cry though. She just whined and whimpered, keeping her tears inside. She may hyperventilated but she didn't scream or asked for help. She just asked to be held.

Even though it wasn't the right time, he felt awe and disbelief and amazed at Luca.

He expected her to be someone weak. Someone who'd puke at the smell of blood, someone who won't even hold a weapon, someone who would cry easily.

But she wasn't.

And that's what amazed him.

"It's an organization." Matteo found himself saying. He just couldn't lie to her. He just couldn't. She deserves to know or else she'll get eaten alive here. People are already looking at her like she's some kind of peculiar display. He pulled Luca into the farthest corner of the room where there's a leather couch for them to sit on. Luca just let herself be dragged off as she waits for him continue.