"Allora?" Vinchenzo hissed into the phone, "Basta! Basta!" He screamed before he slammed the phone against the wall, muttering a loud string of curses in Italian.
[Well?] [Enough! Enough!]
"Get to work!" He yelled before he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me into the dark room, filled with cobwebs and red stains.
A horrible stench filled the room, once again, there were no windows in order to allow fresh air into the room. I looked at the bucket and the cleaning detergents before I sighed and got to work. I scrubbed the red stains off the wall, the water in the bucket turned blood red.
The door opened and a fair-haired man entered the room, gun in hand, his blue eyes sharp. I ignored his presence and continued to scrub the floor hating the fact that I had to be subservient to a mafia leader that I was planning to take down.
You'll be out of here soon, very soon. I told myself as a form of encouragement. It eventually became my only thought and a mantra I repeated. I continued scrubbing the red trail that was on the floor however it wouldn't budge.
"Dovresti provarti questo!" The man said throwing me a metallic cloth that smelt of iron.
[You should try this one!]
"I don't understand Italian. What did you say?" I asked him clutching the cloth in my hand as I looked at him.
"Use it. It's good for scrubbing floors." He shrugged as he sat back.
"You're supposed to say grazie dolcezza!" He insisted.
[Thanks honey]
"Um, Grazie Dolcezza?" I repeated hesitantly, unaware of what I was saying.
He grinned, "My name is Tristiaan." He told me.
"Stephanie," I replied almost casually. My fake name rolling off my tongue with absolute ease.
"Lovely name for a lovely girl," Tristiaan said.
"Thank you," I blushed lightly and continued to scrub the floor.
"Why are you here?" Tristiaan asked me suddenly and I looked up at him.
"I guess I got caught in crossfire." I shrugged as if the whole ordeal didn't bother me in the slightest.
"How so?" He asked me.
I shrugged, "My ex was threatening to kill me so I ran."
"What a stupid place to run to." He said and leaned back in his chair, the light from the bulb in the centre of the room reflecting off the handle of his clean gun.
"I didn't know where I was running to anyways," I said innocently.
"I'm sure. Well, I'm sorry you had to get caught here. You really do not deserve this. You seem to be a good person." Tristiaan said.
"What is this room?" I asked, "And why is there red paint on the walls and floor?" I asked as I rubbed my wet hands on my knees.
"Do you want me to answer that?" He asked me.
I nodded, "Of course."
"Well, this is a torture room. The walls are most likely the blood from when the bullet went through the skull and blew out a few brains." He said with a sinister smile making my whole body shiver.
"Why am I touching a deceased man's brain!" I yelled dropping the wiry cloth.
Tristiaan laughed, "I'm not joking, but I guess it's your job, after all, Stephanie. You brought it upon yourself, to be honest."
"What in the world do you mean?" I questioned him, hands on my hips, lips pulled into a pout.
"This is a torture room and knowing Vinchenzo when he employs someone he doesn't let them leave unless they're twenty feet under." He said as he brushed his thumb pad over the shiny black steel of his gun tucked into his pants, "He's very serious and quite strategic. I'm afraid you getting caught in the crossfire was a huge misfortune for you, you'll never leave this damned place 'till you die."
Wait 'till I get the FBI on you. I thought to myself as I pushed against the tiled floor hoping to rid the floor of the horrid smelling hematic stain.
"Omèrta," I whispered.
"Omèrta indeed. Vinchenzo requires all of us to be imprinted with the Vitali crest. We die but never reveal this family. I quite enjoyed my initiation." He said with a sly grin.
"Ah, what happens at these things?" I asked trying to collect information.
"You'll see Stephanie when you get pulled into the family," Tristiaan said before he left me alone in the torture room fussing over every word he'd spoken.
I continued scrubbing the floor the red stains slowly coming off, allowing me some peace of mind. I stared at my hands that were both red, small marks caused by the cloth were engraved into my skin.
I sighed as I looked at the metal bucket filled with red water and finding it a huge contrast to the chartreuse coloured walls that surrounded me, suffocating me with their arms. I felt them closing in on me, moving in a calculated manner to snatch my last breath away.
For some reason, claustrophobia swept in as my mind whirred busily trying to create images of what could have possibly happened in this room, in this very spot I sat in. The walls kept their suffocating hold while the ceiling took on the job of a fan as I imagined helpless women, all beaten, screaming for help with no one to aid them.
Working as an agent I had seen images that were brought in. Images of the dismantled bodies, or bodies that had been disgustingly hacked, or eyes that were gouged out or some that were even killed by asphyxiation. I'd seen images of women and men that had swollen faces, cut lips and bruised bodies with broken bones indicating constant physical harassment. These images often made my heart feel extremely heavy.
The door banged open, I snapped my head up and found Vinchenzo inspecting the room and then his eyes turned towards me, viewing my appearance that probably didn't look too appealing.
My red hair was most likely dishevelled, my forehead coated with a layer of sweat. My face and neck were probably red and my hands were wrinkly and gross like a prune.
"You've done a good job here, Stephanie." He gritted as he pulled out a cigar and quickly lit it before he took a long drag.
"You're supposed to say grazie!" Dantè hissed his gun pointed at me.
[Thank you]
"Grazie," I said shyly, hating the fact that I couldn't properly pronounce the Italian word.
[Thank you]
"Good girl," Dantè said, his expression was scary, his snake eyes were glaring at me and his gun was still drawn as he monitored and watched every small insignificant move I made.
"I need you downstairs." Vinchenzo said puffing out a chest full of smoke, "You'll work alongside Nora and Sienna." He informed me, his eyes still had a malicious glint in them.
I nodded, "Of course."
"Dantè here will take you. Be good to him or he won't hesitate to make your death a slow and painful one." Vinchenzo threatened before he spun on his heel and walked out into the dark passageway.
"Come along," Dantè grunted as he walked in the direction opposite Vinchenzo, "Your new job awaits."
I silently followed Dantè whose hand was resting on the handle of his gun. I sighed as I walked into a room that was splashed with the cerulean colour. The tables and chairs however were all black. There were massive chandeliers that hung from the ceiling and dimly lit the whole room. Girls were dressed in a tight cerulean leather outfit and were carrying golden trays around serving the customers.
"Your domain will be here," Dantè gruffly said as he glanced around his light brown eyes looking at a certain blonde-haired girl who was seated on the lap of another suit-wearing man. I noticed his jaw clench, "Sienna will show you the ropes and give you the uniform."
I nodded, remaining mute.
Dantè walked forward and headed to the counter where the tall and blonde-haired woman now stood, she was no longer seated on the man's lap. Her features were glorified with the make-up she wore, her blue eyes were more vivid and obviously a reflection of the cerulean suit she was dressed in. Her lips were painted in a hematic lipstick, her cheekbones emphasized with highlighter. Her golden hair was woven into an intricate braid that created a natural garland across her head. That then was pulled up into a bun that had loose strands flying out and framing her face.
"This here is Sienna. She'll be your big sister for a while," Dantè said practically throwing me into her arms, "Show her what she needs to do and get her dressed and make her look more appealing to the eye!" He ordered before he marched off.
"Hello dear, my name's Sienna and you are?" She asked me.
"Stephanie," I said without missing a beat.
"My!" She gasped, "That's an absolutely beautiful name!" She said happily.
"Thank you," I said as red flushed my cheeks under her intimidating gaze.
"Come along, I'll tell you the rules as we make our way to the wardrobe." She said and began walking out the Cerulean room as I timidly followed after her long strides.
"The first and probably the most important rule is you are not allowed to go into a colour scheme wearing the incorrect colour." She said.
"Color scheme?" I asked her.
Sienna nodded her head vigorously, "Yes. Each room has a colour scheme. Like mauve, cerulean and there's even one that is red. Each room is specific to something and thus when entering the room you allow yourself to be subjected to whatever goes on in the room." She explained.
I nodded, "What's the Cerulean room for?" I asked her.
"It's for business. All of the Vitali men come down here and do work. We are mute and just serve. We don't speak unless we're spoken to." She said.
"The mauve and the red?" I asked her.
Sienna laughed and shook her head, "That's a story for another day. Here's the wardrobe," She said walking into a gigantic room that held many colours.
Sienna handed me a cerulean leather suit and urged me to get dressed. I was a bit hesitant but when I saw two other women change and walk around in their birthday suits - I realized that Sienna was more than likely expecting me to change right here.
I sighed before I slipped off my dirty and blood-stained clothes before I slipped into the suit as quickly as I possibly could. Sienna was fixing her golden tendrils in the mirror when I was done. She looked at me through the mirror and I saw her smile as she walked to me and released my dirty hair from the bun it was in.
"This is in desperate need of washing," She said and fingered my red strands, an awestruck expression on her face, "I've never seen or met anyone with red hair before!" She added, almost excited, "It's exquisite!"
"Thank you," I told her sincerely.
She nodded and gestured for me to follow her. I sighed and followed her trying to keep up with her long strides. We entered another massive room, decorated in a cream coloured scheme. Sienna made me sit on a chair and forced me to lean back into the sink as she turned the water on.
She added some shampoo and began to gently lather it in my hair. Sienna massaged my scalp, her fingernails gently scratching my skin as the smell of strawberries wafted into the air.
"So what's your story, Stephanie?" She asked me as she continued to scrub my red hair.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"All of us girls here have a story, a bad past of some sorts. I was wondering what yours was?" She said happily.
"My ex-boyfriend tried to murder me," I said sticking to my original story.
"We have the same story then," Sienna responded, "Although mine gave me this ugly scar on my back." She said solemnly happiness leaving her voice.
"He was violent?" I asked her.
She nodded, "He was. He was also a hired assassin. I got Vinchenzo to take him out for me and in return for his kindness towards my cause I decided to work here." She admitted as she rinsed the soap out of my hair.
I smiled, "Do you enjoy working here?" I asked her trying to look at her.
"Yeah," She said, "I feel like a glorified woman. The men here are very nice and kind, they're a blast to be with. Besides, Vinchenzo has given me a really high position here." She informed me.
I nodded, "What's your position?" I asked her.
"I'm the manager of the Cerulean room. I make sure everything runs smoothly and that everyone is doing what they are supposed to do. I make sure that there are enough drinks and food to go around and settle disputes between the ladies." She said.
"Oh, that sounds quite a hectic job to do," I admitted.
"I thrive off of responsibility." She said, "C'mon Stephanie don't want you to be late for your very first day."
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