Page 2 of The Devil's Den

We both walk back out into the living room. As soon as Ms. Greco sits and I plop on the floor to join my doll, the front door flies open, my dad, my uncles, and other men I’ve never seen before come rushing in, carrying someone.

Ms. Greco jumps to a stand. “What the…” Her eyes look like they’re going to explode. “Who is that?”

“Shut up!” my father barks at her, and she instantly sits back down. A man with glasses walks in, carrying a long bed type thing. I don’t know what it’s called, but he puts it on the floor.

My uncle Sal is holding someone in his arms, but all I see are the person’s feet from the floor.

Small feet. White sneakers.

I’m afraid to look, but I get up anyway. I want to see who it is.

Slowly, I tiptoe, scared my father will see me. Once my uncle drops the person on the bed, I gasp.

It’s a boy.He’s little like me. Why are his eyes closed?

I go to get a better look, hoping my footsteps don’t make any noise. My heart is beating so fast, but I want to see what’s wrong with him. I hope he isn’t hurt or…dead.

I go even closer as the man with the glasses takes out a black bag with a bunch of doctor stuff, like a stethoscope, which he throws on the floor.

Is that who he is? A doctor? Oh, good. He’s going to help the boy.

He puts his hand on the boy’s neck. “He’s still alive, but barely,” the doctor man says, removing a blanket from on top of him.

“Oh no!” I yelp when I notice the blood on his shirt around his belly. I instantly cover my mouth because, in that instant, my dad’s angry eyes are on me.

He caught me.

“Get the fuck out of here, Aida.” He pushes my chest and I stumble, my eyes burning, my bottom lip trembling as I start to cry.

Why does he have to be so mean?

“Who is that, Daddy?” I whimper it so low, hoping he doesn’t hurt me again. But I want to know. I want to help that boy. He shouldn’t be here. Not in this evil house. Not with my dad.

“Are you deaf?” he yells. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?”

“Come on, Aida,” Ms. Greco faintly says, her hand reaching for me as she rises from the couch.

I glance at her once my dad stops focusing on me, shaking my head as I move back a step, huddling behind the sofa.

I can’t leave the boy. He needs me. He needs someone who’s worried about him to stay. I’m sure my daddy doesn’t care. He doesn’t like anyone.

“You better bring that kid back to life, doc,” my uncle Faro warns, and the man looks terrified. He should be. Uncle Faro is mean like Daddy.

“I’m going to do what I can.”

“No.” He presses his teeth together and grabs a fistful of the man’s shirt, pushing his face into him. “You’ll do what I asked. If he dies, you die. And so will that pretty wife of yours, after I test drive her out for myself.”

The man nods quickly, and it’s like at any moment he’ll burst into tears. “Whatever you say, Faro. Just don’t hurt her.”

“That’ll be up to you. Now work.” Uncle Faro drops his hand away. At least my uncle is trying to help this little boy, then maybe he can go home to his family.

The scared man fumbles with his stuff while he takes out some sharp metal things and something in a bottle. He pours the water out into a bowl. I think he’s cleaning everything.

The doctor uses scissors to cut open the boy’s shirt and throws it on the floor as he puts one of the pointy tools to the boy’s stomach. I can’t see what he’s doing exactly, but he looks like he knows what to do, even with all the people around him.

I stop paying attention to them, staring at the boy’s face. From here, I can see him clearly. He has such long eyelashes, even longer than mine, and his hair is brown.

Please be okay. I’m sure your mom and dad want you to be okay. Why aren’t they with you?

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