Page 2 of Mila: The Godfather

An hour passes before I have had enough, and I leave my spot at the back entrance of the mansion and walk until I’m all the way to the gardens. It’s All Hollows Eve. There’s a full moon tonight and the weather is chilly in Detroit.

I grab a cigarette from my back pocket and light it before blowing a smoke ring up at the sky. “Those will kill you, you know.” A small, childlike voice says from the other side of the garden. Squinting in the dark, I try to make up who the fuck interrupted my moment of peace and quiet. None of the guests are allowed back here. That’s why I chose this place out of the entire mansion, to be alone and not deal with self-entitled brats. Having to deal with the dipshits not only grates on my nerves, but it’s getting harder and harder to pretend I am beneath them all. “Smoking can boost the risk for at least thirteen types of cancers. The earlier you quit, the better. Did you know that, sir?” The melodic voice sounds closer now.

And sir?

So polite.

Leaving my spot near the gazebo, I walk toward where the soft voice is coming from.

That’s when I hear it.

The sound of humming.

As if my feet have a mind of their own, I follow the humming, and there she is.

An angel amongst demons on this unholy night.

The girl is hidden by the shadows of the night, but the colorful lights decorating the gazebo cast a low glow and allow me to see her profile better. The first thing I notice is that she is small and thin. Long and curly hair—resembling golden silk, runs down her back, almost reaching the back of her thighs.

I find myself transfixed, staring at her because something about the girl feels familiar.

The small girl is dressed as a blue butterfly, from what I can tell. Silver and blue wings decorate her back, and tiny butterflies form a crown at the top of her head.

Butterflies.

How lovely.

The strange girl almost looks unreal. Like some of those stunning and ethereal creatures you see in movies or read about in fantasy books, but not in real life. Not in my world. Maybe I’m drunk, and I’ve made her up. “Who the fuck are you?” I ask, feeling like shit when I notice her tremble. I scared her.

Shit.

“You’re being rude,” she whispers softly. “You should always say thank you when someone shares lifesaving facts with you. Also, it’s just the two of us. You don’t need to shout.” There’s no attitude in her tone which surprises me.

I’ve gotten so used to the spoiled little shits of the three families and the assholes they surround themselves with that I forgot polite people still exist, and this is the first time I’ve come across one that doesn’t make me want to pull the trigger.

This is new.

I am not used to dealing with fragile girls who look like her.

Innocent.

Sweet.

After staring at the girl for a long moment, I speak up. I should turn and leave this kid the fuck alone, but I don’t. I can’t turn away. It’s those damn butterflies. “Something will kill me eventually, won’t it?” I blow smoke rings her way, hoping she turns away and leaves since I can’t find it in me to do so. I’m acting like an asshole, I know, but something about this girl has me on edge. It could be that she looks so small and defenseless inside this den of vipers.

Where did she come from? I wonder.

“Yes, that is true.” For a moment, I think she decided to leave by the silence that follows but then she opens her mouth again and surprises the fuck out of me. “You can die at any given moment. For example, did you know the odds of dying in a car crash are one in one hundred? Or that it is unlikely that you could die in your sleep unless you suffer from heart problems or sleep apnea?”

This girl…

Something I haven’t done in a while happens. I smile. “Huh.”

“Huh?” From the tone of her voice, I can tell she’s displeased with my answer. “I am sorry. I don’t understand what that means.”

The way she speaks.

She sounds young, but something about her feels timeless.

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