AS YOU MELT THIS HEART OF STONE

BELLA CIAO

It was dark.

The pungent smell of bullets, smoke and blood hung heavy on the air.

I was standing at the juncture of narrow, dark alleys, amidst fallen bodies and broken glasses. I was vaguely aware of some people around me, fighting.

I couldn't focus properly, only the uncharacteristic feeling of fear and loss gripped my lungs with their cold, creeping hands, making it hard to breathe.

Then, I sensed a presence of someone beside me.

I turned to look at the person.

An instant feeling of warmth spread over my cold heart and lungs, making me breath again.

It was her.

But as my eyes fully took into her state, the comforting warmth inside me didn't last. It was replaced by a burning rage.

Her clothes were torn in several places, her hair dishevelled, her body covered with mud and blood. There was a bullet wound on her right shoulder. Her steps were wobbling. But it was the look on her face, that made my heart clench in pain. Her tear stained face reflected pure helplessness.

She stretched her hand towards me, parted her lips and said, "Mr Ellington... Save me, p-please..."

And at that exact moment, my eyes caught a movement behind her, a body, someone coming out of hiding from the dark alley and he moved his hand to point a gun at her.

I opened my mouth to warn her, to scream, but no sound came out. I tried to move my right hand, to move her away from the gunpoint. But my right hand didn't move; neither did my left hand, which had a loaded gun in it. And my legs stood frozen on the ground, instead of jumping in to shield her.

I stood there like a stone statue, helpless, lost. And in front of my eyes, I experienced the scene as if it was happening in slow motion.

The man fired.

BANG!

It hit her directly on her back. Blood splayed all around her. Her body shuddered forward, her eyes widened, her lips parted in silent scream.

BANG!

It hit her again. Her eyes clashed with mine, which mirrored pure disbelief and betrayal.

And again, BANG!

Her body toppled in front and landed on me, lifeless.

And as her warm blood soaked through my clothes, my body came out of the freezing spell.

And I cried out,

"Nooooo.... Charlotte!!!!"
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It was dark around me, but not full of fear and suspense. The air was heavy with the smell of some sweet flowers that Mrs Brooks put on my bedside table on a vase. And my clothes were soaked with my own perspiration, not with the blood from her lifeless body.

Blinking few times to adjust myself with the surroundings, I took up my phone from the bedside table. It was just past four in the morning.

I remember being awake till half past one - tossing and turning on my bed, unable to sleep, although my whole body was aching with fatigue.

I now felt a headache forming. It was a bad idea to come home. I should have been in the hospital, with her.

Yes, she, that is Charlotte Mia Thorne, my 'not just private secretary' (!) was still alive, but in an unconscious state.