Reunion

"Are you sure about Italiano?" The fair man sitting on the chair asked.

 

"Yes, boss, quite sure. He will not fail me," said the lady in a French accent.

 

"And you better not fail me this time," the boss rebuked in a hushed tone and waved her out.

 

After the sound of the lady's footsteps had subsided, the boss opened a drawer and took out a small portrait of a woman enjoying the scene of the forest from the window. She had long dark brown hair reaching her elbows and dark green eyes. Her long lashes would make anyone feel warm and loved but her eyes said nothing about her. The hue of her eye was the element of mystery and hidden never-ending sadness.

 

"Your daughter is so going to suffer because of you, Maryann." The man threw the portrait back and closed the drawer.

 

 

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"Are we safe here, mommy?" The little girl huddled in her mother's lap. The two were hiding in the basement of the farmhouse. Nobody else would know about their hiding place. "We’re safe, Saren. Now you need to stop being scared. You need to be the bravest. You have a long battle to fight." Her mother whispered. They could hear footsteps above them. Saren could see the fear in her mother's eyes.

 

A few never-ending minutes and there was no sound heard except for the hushed voices of the trees. But neither of the two dared to go out of the room. The little girl fell asleep and her mother watched the night sky. Every night, they would hide in the basement hoping Italiano wouldn't find them. Until one day. Maryann could not hide anymore.

 

It was 6 in the morning. Maryann took her daughter to the forest. "Do you know why I brought you here?" Maryann asked.

 

"To tell me a secret?" guessed Saren.

 

"Yes."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Look into my eyes and concentrate. Try to control my mind. And order me to go back home."

 

"What? Mama, how can I control your mind?"

 

"You can, Saren. Trust me on this. You just need to practice."

 

Saren did as she was told. Looking deep into her mother's eyes, she said, "Go back home."

 

Nothing. She tried several times but without success. "Okay, that's it for today. We'll continue tomorrow." Maryann said. For several days, she tried to teach her daughter to control someone's mind. "Concentrate. Believe that you know everything about the person you are controlling. Look confident." She would say to her six-year-old daughter. But she secretly despaired. Maybe Saren is too young to do this.

 

"Common, Saren. We need to practice," one day Maryann said.

 

"Mama, I don't want to practice."

 

"You have to. Let’s go now."

 

Saren looked into her mother's eyes and said with a grave tone, "You are not taking me to practice that scary thing."

 

Maryann looked straight into her eyes, her face devoid of expression. Saren realized how strikingly similar their eyes were. Green in color, long lashes, and a deep hidden darkness. "I won't take you to practice," Maryann said suddenly. Saren shook her mother and tried to bring her back. "What happened?" The mother said after a moment though she knew exactly what happened. Her little girl had just controlled her mind.

 

"Maryann, get out," someone shouted outside their house. Fear bolted through her. Italiano. He had found them. She grabbed her daughter's arm and went to their secret hiding place in the basement. "Don't come out until I tell you to. No matter what you hear, you have to stay hidden." Maryann whispered.

 

 

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Hours passed by. The only thing she had heard was a stifled scream and the retreating footsteps of Italiano. Yet, she waited for her mother in that dark chamber. Their secret hideout. Now, she couldn't wait anymore. She got up and opened the door. The light outside blinded her for a moment. She stood still, her eyes adjusting to the blaring light. She took some small steps towards the kitchen. There was blood everywhere. She went further inside. There laid a body of a woman she knew too well. And beside her was a knife covered in blood.

 

No scream, no cry escaped her mouth. She just stood there staring at her mother lying motionless. Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder from the behind. Her eyes widened with horror as she slowly turned around to see who it was. Daddy, she thought. Italiano stood half bent and his hands on his daughter's shoulder. "Saren, come with Daddy. You'll be safe," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He held out a hand to Saren beckoning her to take it. The offer was quite tempting. Saren had never got a chance to spend time with her father. And going to a safe place with daddy was beyond her imagination. She took his hand without another thought. They went to the car and sat in the backseat. Italiano held her in his embrace and said, "I'm sorry for what you saw at home. I promised I would protect you, but I failed. I'm sorry."

 

She said nothing. She just reached for her father's face to wipe the tears that had escaped his eyes. His eyes were brown, unlike her green ones. They sat silently for a long time till the car came to a stop and the door opened. Saren noticed they had stopped in front of a white bungalow backed by a courtyard. They got out of the car after a while, holding hands.