Bambina

The End

Luca went downstairs, shivering as she tried to erase the bad nightmare that her mind has fed to her.

It was when she was seven years old, when that man kidnapped her and Pierre. Before, she didn't know why that man enjoyed touching her, didn't know why he's so obsessed with her. He didn't want money or fame, he wanted to cause pain to her family. He wanted her.

He desired her.

She remembered Pierre, bloody and tattered, looking so old as he sat tiredly in his chair, unable to do anything but feel helplessness and desperation. His tears would run down his cheeks and that will forever burn in her memory.

His touches. His touches makes her remember the burning feeling of fear. The burning feeling of anger, of emotions that she couldn't even decipher. His lingering kisses, the way his hands caressed her thighs, the way he whispers in her ear.

Fear made her cry, fear made her weak. Fear made her see a whole new different world.  Desperation made her hopeless, desperation made her wish for help despite knowing that the pain and suffering will continue. Wishing for hope made her pathetic. It made her stupid to think that there will be hope in that situation.

Her tears before burned with bitterness and fear.

That room, that cold, wet room, where there were no windows, one door and time just seemed to stop there. Time felt nonexistent, like it wasn't there and the only thing that existed was that man, his touches and Pierre.

She was blindfolded, unable to see what was happening, unable to see Pierre. Her senses were much more heightened, his touches were heightened and she hated the feeling. She hated him.

Luca hated herself.

She remembered hating the grunts and whines of Pierre. She hated how he's slowly losing a battle of strength, making him vulnerable. He didn't want her to hear his screams so he held it down.

For her own sake, he held it down.

And she blames herself for his pain.

He had been supportive, he was always there for her and she hates being saved by Pierre. She hates being saved by her family.

They never deserved being her shield and they'll keep doing it despite her desperate protests against it.

She sometimes hated her younger self for taking advantage of their protection. If she were different, they would've  taught her a way to escape, she would've been more reliable, she would've been able to stop the tears from falling, she would've saved Pierre.

"Luca?" Achilles called in confusion.

He thought that Enzo had tucked her in. Why was she out of bed?

He was about to ask her again but he noticed her paleness, her eyes were filled with tears while she hugged herself, Luca was shaking, as if she's denying something.

Everyone's head turned to look at the said lady and their concerns were immediately shown.

Achilles stood up and walked towards her with slow and hesitant steps.

"Bambina... "  Achilles softly called out, knowing not to startle his little girl when she's like this.

Luca looked at her father slowly. He saw so many emotions run through his little girl's eyes before she huffed a sigh and leaned against her father's chest.

She felt tired. She felt drained, her nightmares were consuming her whole and it was making her make a noise of pain.

She started picturing her family leaving her. Luca started to seeing people killing her, wanting to torture her, wanting to touch her like he did. And there would be no-one to save her because her family left her, they would see her drown in loneliness and in pain.