Brutal Hunger

year

uel fear and overwhelming sadness enfolded me, streaming down my eyes. My chest heaved with every breath, my stomach re

yes on me again. The man who was out for my blood. He'd haunted me for years. I'd been on a run since th

ill Maximo in exchange for my foster family's life. Then I was only twelve. I couldn't kill a breathing hu

eeply in love for the terror standing before

background orchestra, the tension swelling. He drew in a long smoke from his large cigar, hi

ing about the way he delivered the action, together with his black long

Little Cruella be pointing a Beretta

k. Guilt spread through me. My hands uncoupled from her dress as I reflexively

is just like he

ogether, but the further I tried the unfathomable and impossible it got. I became the one to throw a questio

up back in the church when the Cosa Nostra family came to hold a memorial service for their late boss. I wa

orrow engulfed me, winding up as unconstrained sobs. What coul

daughter as a tool for my vengeance

ion rose.

s less unbearable.” He held out

elled by the fear he instilled, willed me to take his hand. But knowing tha

mo. I never would've returned home tonight if I hadn't thoug

nowing Maximo's biggest prey was Lord and telling him the secret would save

t because he wanted to use me as a tool for his vengeance f

k spread across his face, revealing the cigar that hung bet

abetta and me. A panicking Elisabetta wrested my h

hing about this. Laura shot at you, I know, but someone had made her do it. Tell h

t but I couldn't let them out. Maximo wouldn't believe me. He

t feels like to lose someone you vowed to protect with your life? Giuli

sister for daughter. My last hope faded into the abode o

I should've stopped him, but I swear to God I didn't know wha

me. I was a murderer

ds, I loathe apology, and I kill people who apologize to me.” He tur

panicked. Tension and silence grew and stretched to what felt like count

ez’s eyes, came down to me, his sta

g. I gripped Elisabetta’s hand tightly, bursting out in devastated tears. So this was how my f

ng you,” Elisabetta stuttered tearfully, h

ould see the surprise

ir

s order. S

e second Elisabetta’s hand holding mine went flaccid, and then she was quivering. I looked up. The question hit me. Was I hallu

choked ou

mptiness. The look in her eyes was one I wasn't prepared to see. Regret, pain, more like a good

other. Now my biological mother was gone the first day I knew her, the first day I called her mother. I wailed, cried my heart ou

ed more life ahead for us to live like mother and daughter. I never would'

ained motionless, sobbing. The second I looked up, reflexes hit me and I scrambled backward, rushing to

d the phone, he didn't try to stop me, even motioned for his men not to shoot. I took that as a chance to run into

ng as fast as I could, tears running down my face as the emotions clung to my heart. The

lay with me. I brought the

across the woods. I whipped my head in the direction of the car, realizing it was two meters away

ody rolled along the cold, hard road. The last thing I processed was a metallic smell. Blood. Drops of blood rapidly streamed down my face from my bleeding h