Chapter 6 He's Alive

Carlo is so eager to be my friend, but I always ignored him, he's just doing it for my dad. Every Sunday I went home and it was not just mom that is waiting for me but also Carlo.

Dad's people are training him to become strong. His training is normal like a person that is just essentially in training. But I, I am trained like an animal...

Carlo doesn't know about it...

2 months have passed, I still don't talk to him. But he just talked and nagged on things that I don't care about.

One Monday, we got just got back from the Parker's Mansion. I was ordered to fetch water from the well with two buckets to fill up two drums.

It's been easy for me, it is so light that I walked normally, not getting tired.

When I'm done, I went towards the door. Suddenly, uncle Dos tried to throw a right lower cut on my face but I felt it right away so I jumped back before it landed. Then he tried the left uppercut but I dodged it by sitting in the air fast and blowing a punch on his stomach, he stumbled back.

He got more aggressive to catch me with his arms but I docked and run fast away from him. Once he held me, there's no way to get out. So I just have to get away.

I went inside my room. Suddenly, I heard a shuffling inside my cabinet...

I opened it and was so shocked to see Carlo, he looked at me fake smiling. "Wow! Yo-" I shut his mouth using my hand or uncle Dos might hear him.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"I followed you, I told you I'm your knight." He said whispering with a smile wiggling his eyebrow.

He told me what he saw when I fetched water until I fought with Uncle like he was storytelling about a superhero through whispers.

Ugh! He's a headache! When uncle Dos called me, I shut the closet "Stay here, or you'll face consequences." and I run downstairs.

He made me sit in the air with 3 books in my arms for 2 hours.

During dinner... I am still in the process of practicing the power of smell. So, I still can't reach the smell of the substance. But, I'm hungry! So, I don't care anymore about the result.

I went upstairs feeling weak. Now, I know that he put a substance on my food. I tried gathering myself and lay on my bed. "Whatever happens don't come out. Just let things happen." I know he is listening, and darkness took over my essence.

I woke up from the shuffling. I looked up to see Carlo trying to take off the chains on my hand.

Uncle Dos put so many padlocks so it will be hard for Carlo to take it out. If Uncle Dos see him, he will also be tortured and that is possible.

"Carlo, go. now!" I told him with my stern voice.

"No! It's my job to protect you," he said trying to unlock the chains.

But then... I heard footsteps, I know Uncle Dos is coming. I tried to get him away from me but he won't budge, my hands can't move to make it more difficult. "Please, go away, just go!" I whisper-yelled at him.

"I won't! Just stay still, I'll get you out of here!" I looked at him shocked...

Tears are flowing down his cheeks doing his best to unlock the chain using a pin. His eyes are telling me that he knows what that old man will do, from all the weapons around this basement...

Like the bat with dry blood. Wait... The bat? Uncle Dos is taking the bat! Oh no!

"Carlo run!!" I shouted but he's busy unlocking the chains when he turned his head.

A bat hit him "No!" I shouted with all my voice, I can't do anything but just watched Carlo falling down on the floor... lying unconscious.

The old man picked his body "What will you do to him? Please don't hurt him, he'd done nothing!" I told him begging. He kicked me hard while carrying the unconscious Carlo.

He looked at my eyes "Don't you ever beg for others. People just come and leave after they get their favors. In the end, no one will stay for you." His voice was hard then he turned his back at me and walked.

I was left speechless but before he got away. "He's working for my father," I said through my cold voice but he continued walking until his silhouette disappeared.

That day, the old man disappeared but after hours he came back and tortured me. I don't care anymore, there are so many things that do not matter to me anymore.

Why should I care? My life is trash, a hell... and death is a precious gift that I'll gladly accept with wide arms. I'm already a living dead.

But my mom is waiting for me, she's waiting for her child, her love for me is what keeps me going and this necklace that keeps my strength at bay, I don't want to disappoint her.

I tried killing that old man, I'm making stupid revenge every time I got the chance. But he is too clever. I tried many times to put his life in peace and many times I messed up, which means many times I was tortured to near death.

I can't imagine I'm still alive in 4 years with him. I can't imagine I died every day in 4 years in this mansion. No, scratch that, I'm already dead, this kid is not me anymore, it's someone else whom I can't recognize.

My mom is also tortured by her consciousness every day and every time we see each other, tears and guilt is all I can sense from her.

She's doing her best to change it by making me happy but she can't make herself happy. Instead of being angry I rather felt pity for her...

Days have passed, I'm still thinking about what happened to Carlo, I hope he's alive...

Today is Sunday and I'm going home, I looked at myself in the mirror and all I can see is a tough kid...

Happiness... I have lost that feeling.

Every Sunday, I might be feeling the excitement but not happiness and I don't know if I ever felt it, because I don't know how, anymore.

I walked out of the van and looked in the big white mansion, the mansion of Tarre.

When I got near the door it opened and it revealed mom who immediately hugged me tightly.

I hugged her back she loosened her hug and looked at me, I can see the love in her eyes and guilt that never leaves.

I looked behind her and see a young boy... Carlo. Tears are threatening to fall on him. Mom step aside as Carlo run and hugged me tightly.

Thank God he's alive, he is the second person that ever held concern for me, the second person that ever cared for me like this. I hugged him back.

"Oh my princess, I'm sorry I didn't get to help you out there. I'm so sorry." He mumbled in my ear, "I'll make myself stronger than anyone else and I will get you out of there." He added in a whisper, he breathed as he looked at me and continued. "Little princess, I'm not so strong enough but I'll do what I can to protect you. I'll do my best to help you, please be my bestfriend." He stared at me sincerely begging.

I looked at him. I know my outlook seems to tell nothing but there is something inside me I can't explain, it seems like... it's getting softer for him...

I forced a half-smile and nodded. Then, I saw his eyes glistening and he smiled so wide. He hugged me once again "Thank you! Thank you so much, I will be your best friend that no one ever had." He said softly in my ears.

Carlo knows what has been happening to me but he can't do anything against it, he told me that dad threatened him, if he tried to help me like that once again, he will kill him and he will never get a chance to protect me.

So, he had no other choice but to accept it "however, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask me, I'll give you anything you need and anything you want. I'll do everything I can for you!" He cheered up raising his hand in a fist.