Present
The bloodied girl, the dead man and the blood pooling at my feet. All these gruesome scenes in front of my eyes, but that's not what has me petrified.
I can feel a chilling presence behind my back, someone walking towards me, there is someone or something behind me, but I am too scared to turn, to see. I refuse to even look up, and I am not the only one all others have also stilled in place and action.
The bloodied girl is too scared to even whimper, all the bystanders are also frozen in their places, all the noises have died down, there is dead silence.
"What is this child doing here?" I hear a husky powerful voice snarls.
Earlier in the Day
Left with no option I quietly follow my father inside the mansion, and the sick feeling that I had earlier is back again.
We enter through a side door into a long dark corridor, the mansion is as opulent & excessive on the inside as it is outside. At the end of dark mahogany panelled corridor, we reach a set of black double doors.
My father opens the door to lead us to a room that is like a waiting area outside the office. I have never even been to a family get together or anything related to the mafia, and here I am today outside Don Luciano's office, everything about this is wrong.
As we enter a man in an expensive looking brown suit is stepping out of the main office. As he is getting out, he turns and pops his head into the main office "Also when are we announcing about the students who have been selected to got to Sicily for the exchange program". I can't exactly hear the reply from within the room.
"I will head over to the club after the announcement, we have a new set coming in today" the man announces before he turns on his heel to leave. As he is leaving, he greets my father, and then gives me a very uncomfortable look over from top to bottom.
Feeling uneasy I quicken my pace, bumping into my father's back. My father turns and glares at me, and I quietly put my head down.
Having never met the don before, I don't even know how to address him, I keep on thinking what to say, how to greet him.
My father knocks at the door and waits for a response before he enters. Once permitted we step into a spacious office that houses a large desk right opposite the entrance door, the desk is flanked by two set of seating areas along with bookshelves and ample amount of vacant space in between the desk and the door. The office is also as lavish as the rest of the house.
"Don Luciano, this is Omerta!!" my father says pointing towards me, and Don Luciano bends forward on his seat like he was expecting me.
"H-hello don Luciano" I almost mumble.
Despite being seated behind the desk, you can tell that Don Luciano is a tall man and well-built just like the newcomers me and nana were talking about, so are the other two men in the room, whose names I don't know.
As my father is addressing the other two men, Don Luciano gestures for us to sit down.
"Omerta! I have seen your academic record, you are doing very well at your school, aren't you?"
I smile & nod. Why has he seen my academic record?
"That's an interesting name that you have there, tell me do you also live up to the meaning of your name. Can we expect loyalty and honour from you, just like your name"?
I am not sure what to say, but I still nod like in haze. Not very satisfied with my answer he looks at my father who shakes his head as a response to a question that I haven't heard.
As he is about to speak again, a man barges into the room without knocking.
Everyone looks at the man stunned, but before he catches his breath to speak again. Don Luciano states "He is here!!". And I see blood drain out from Don Luciano's face, seconds ago the confident stance & aura that he possessed looks visibly shaken and he quickly gets up from his seat heading for the door but not before dismissing us with his last sentence "I will call upon you later Lucio, be ready."
Me and my father are back at the clearing, at our table. Of course, my father has not given me any explanation about the meeting & neither do I have the guts to ask. Even nana is not here anymore.
Thinking back to the events in the office and what the man in the brown suit said before we entered the office, I conclude that probably I have been selected for the exchange program. What else could it be, they have seen my academic records, and they wanted me to keep up the honour of the family when I go there. Yes, that must be it.
Probably that's why father is talking to me, I have made him proud. It all adds up, except I never applied for the program, but I am a straight A student, they would have considered me as is. I decide this is it, that's what it is about. Making up my mind I decide to get back to my party.
The emcee has already taken over the dance floor, or now the makeshift stage. He has been going on about the mafioso family and welcoming various guests.
As I look around, I realize that many of the people are missing, it's mostly the newcomers (for me), the Luciano family blood relatives that have gone missing. That's strange, I thought the party was going well.
"Lets go" my father says, pulling me out of my thoughts. Now where to? Are we going back to Don Luciano? At the same time the emcee starts announcing about the Sicily exchange program, does he might want me to go to the stage or something when the announcement happens. I hope not.
"It's an extremely important program for us, it is not just an opportunity for you to experience Sicily, but also represent us at the home of Cosa Nostra, and therefore we only want our cream to represent us. And experience our rich heritage at Cosa Nostra"
As the emcee continues to talk about the program, we have already crossed the stage and are now at the back side of mansion, the one that shares its edge with the forest. There is no view of the party and the clearing from here, and we can barely hear the emcee. However, a lot of the people from the party are standing here, almost all of them are from the Luciano family, the newcomers, all in a super alert mode like they are in competition or something.
One of the men from Don Luciano's office leads us to the two black cars, that are standing right next to the trees.
"Go sit inside the car" my father barks with a stern expression, I look at him blankly. This doesn't feel right, the sickly feeling in my stomach is back, I know this is wrong, my head screams danger.
"I said SIT INSIDE THE CAR" my father repeats himself slowly clearly angry, what is going on?
I am unable to obey or answer back. When I don't move the man, who accompanied us turns to my father & says "What is this Lucio haven't you told her?" when my father does answer he takes me by my arm, holding me so tightly that I know it will bruise, and pushes me towards the door of the car
"Listen girl, you are being given away, sent to Cosa Nostra as a tribute from Don Luciano. Now you will be a good and obedient girl and do as you are told. Make sure they are happy with you. Do whatever they want, or I will kill you and your entire family"
My mind refuses to think, and I just want to get back home, this is not happening, for sure not happening. I try to run back to my father, but he catches me before that
"Father pls, no, pls help me, pls take me back" I cry
"Take you back" that man laughs "he is the one who suggested your name, he can't stop to get rid of you, like the whore of your mother" he screams.
Despite my struggle & screams, the man starts shoving me inside the car. All my fight, yelling and fighting is all wane against his large body. Suddenly he stops in his track and turns, I see everyone is now surrounding us, or rather a very tall muscular man.
"What do we have here?" I think the tall man says
I do not see his face but all I hear is a very strong voice that screams authority, and as he steps forward everyone puts their eyes down with deference and fear. Even Don Luciano looks weak and afraid next to him. I too move inside the car to put a little distance between him and myself, for reasons unknown to me.
"A little gift, a little Omerta from us. She is an innocent; I am sure your brother would definitely enjoy her. Pls give her along with my regards to Don A-a Agosti" Don Luciano says trying to sound confident and boastful of his gift
Hearing the last word all the fight leaves my body, I am being sent away, given as a gift to those who must not be named, Don Agosti, the tyrant whose stories, legends and lore only scream of a devil. And this man is the tyrant's brother, one of the Agosti brother
I put my head down and try to stifle my sobs. I am doomed, and no amount of will or fight can help me now.
"Wow!! Don Luciano seems like the old lore doesn't seem to bother you anymore. You do dare to call upon my brother by his name. Confident are we, that my brother will like your tribute so much" the tall man says with a sickly smile on his face.
Don Luciano smiles nervously at that
"Maybe I will recommend that my brother sends you a little something in return, for this loyalty tribute that your sending here" the tall man says slyly before closing my door and going to sit in front of the car.
"You are the most graceful, Don Set" Don Luciano said bending on one knee along with everyone else, signalling their respect for him.
As the car starts moving, I can barely control my sobs anymore. Just then the Agosti brother looks at me through the mirror & tries to say kindly "Buckle up little girl, we have a long ride ahead"