Luca's head hung low in defeat.

She felt tired but she couldn't sleep. She just feels numb. The blindfold was still on her, keeping her other senses heightened.

Luca shivered as the room began to grow cold. It felt icy under her skin and she couldn't stop her teeth from chattering.

Was Mr. Pierre okay?

Kale left a while ago along with his goons. He said that he'll be having a break from playing with his 'toys.' Mr. Pierre made sure that they weren't his play thing.

But that earned him punch.

Now it's only her, Pierre and the freezing dark room.

But it feels like she's all alone. All alone in the dark. She couldn't hear Mr. Pierre or the sound of his chains clanging. It was scaring Luca, the little girl never imagined the silence as something scary. Silence was always peaceful, relaxing and never this scary but now it's filled with the unknown. The dark was also never this scary.

Luca wanted to cry but she believed that there were no more tears to shed.

The little girl sniffled. "M-Mr. Pierre?"

There was no reply. Silence was the only reply that she received. Luca grew desperate again. That was all they ever felt. Helplessness, desperation, fear. It seems like an endless supply of negativity and it's already trying to drown the little girl.

Slowly.

Painfully...

"Mr. Pierre?" She tried again, more urgent this time. She needed a confirmation that Mr. Pierre's still alive.

That Mr. Pierre isn't...

That Kale didn't...

"Mr. Pierre?" She tried again, her teeth chattering as her voice echoed in the darkness. Fear bubbled up again when silence enveloped her. "Mr. Pierre? Please. J-Just a grunt is fine. I-I don't need anything else. I won't ask for anything else but that, Mr. Pierre."

Luca was really desperate.

So many scenarios were playing inside her little head and she couldn't stop it. It was unstoppable. It's scary. This was scary. Everything was scary. She wants to go home with Mr. Pierre and think that this is all a dream.

She wished that it was a dream.

Nothing but a bad and miserable dream.

She heard a chuckle and her heart would've settled almost immediately if it weren't for what he said.

"People would've told us to just hang in there, Luca. They would've told us to hang in there, help is coming." He said, his voice weak and his tone filled with pain. "They're right, you know. We should. I should. But they don't just get this feeling. The feeling of helplessness? This desperation? You feel it too, don't you?"

Luca doesn't know how to answer. She was afraid to answer. She wanted to lie but she agrees with the guard. Luca feels it too that it's so terrifying. That feeling? It dwells inside of you, eats you alive and just slowly kill you like a predator.

Pierre wanted to chuckle. Luca doesn't deserve this. Luca's been brave all this time. All she ever did was cry but she never threatened the man. Kids whose got fortune and fame like her would've been arrogant or they would've cried a fountain but Luca cried for three things: Pierre, her family, and for what kale's been doing to her.

Those brats would've amused Kale. They would really be bratty about this situation or they would be the pessimist.

But not Luca.

Never Luca.

She appreciates each passing day with all her heart. Happy that she's alive. Losing her mother and being the only girl in the family was taxing for a little girl. She could've wanted some mother figure or some friends but she didn't because she enjoys the company of her family and she appreciates what she has.

Maybe she even knows the tainted hands that her family holds.

But she still loves them. Loves them so, so much, she never misses a day to say I love you to each of them. Surprisingly, to him as well.

The only thing keeping her sane was him. She wanted to be brave for him and doesn't want to appear weak.

He doesn't want Luca to feel his pain. The pain of being enslaved, to feel the hands of some stranger on you, to feel weak and useless. The feeling of having no one to save you, to hold your hand or to comfort you when things get rough.

And believe him, it was always rough.

Those dark days were spent dwelling on a corner, rocking yourself to sleep without food to fill your empty stomach. The sunlight never seemed to come. It was always cold and dark. The people there, damn it, the people there were unforgiving and inconsiderate bastards.

Greedy and shitty.

It always hurts, it always reminded him of the pain, the agony, the burning feeling deep inside of his stomach as he cry each and every night, rocking himself to sleep because damn, damn it, every damn time was rough and painful.

She can't go through that.

No. She won't go through that.

"P-People would've told us to hang in there but what if there's nothin' left to hang to, Luca? They don't understand this. Where do I even begin, Lu? Where do I fucking begin? It hurts, doesn't it? This feelin'... I hate it because I feel it every time! I don' want to hold on anymore. I-I'm tired..."

He couldn't stop himself. Maybe it was the loss of blood talking. Whatever it was, he wants his mouth shut. Luca wouldn't understand these things. It'll just traumatize her.

He knows that she's trying so damn hard to be brave and Pierre was also trying because Luca deserves it more than anyone in the world but Fuck.

Fuck the fucking world. Fuck the fucked up people, fuck them, fuck luck and fuck this situation and fuck Kale.

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK!

"Then don't..." Luca whispered and he looked at her with eyes wide, trying to comprehend what she just said. "Because I will always be with you when you fall. Always. You don't even have to stand 'c-cause I'll be there to carry you so don't worry, Pierre. I promise."

Pierre jerked forward, tears just came falling down as he tried to keep his screams down. But whatever she said just made him more emotional. God! What was with him today? Is he some edgy teenager? Jeez! It's embarrassing.

"A-Are you okay?" Luca frantically asked, struggling in her chains again. "D-Did I say something bad? I'm sorry, Mr. Pierre."

Pierre shook his head. "Thank you, bambina."

Luca was taken aback. She nodded slowly, still unsure. "Always, Mr. Pierre. Always."

And then their little moment was interrupted.

The door opened and Luca could hear Pierre shouting at Kale. Luca couldn't exactly see what's happening due to the blindfold but she could hear him struggling. The chains were clanging against each other as he did.

"Love!" Kale shouted sweetly and she could feel his hands on her shoulders, kneading her skin. "My sweetest treasure, I have a little surprise for you!"

Fear grappled her heart as she squirmed uncomfortably under his touch. His touches were fire. It was hellfire! And she couldn't escape him even if she wanted to.

Suddenly the blindfold was off and it didn't take too much time to adjust to the light.

In front of her was what surprised the little girl. Luca began trembling. Her eyes were filled with shock as the cold and unforgiving fear squeezed her heart when she saw Pierre in front of her.

Pierre was dripping with blood. His eyes and mouth were swollen, puffy and bruised. Blood was dripping down of his lips. His breath was shallow, he could barely breathe with how his chest rise and fall. His nose was crooked and he was just silently looking at her with tears in his eyes like he was ashamed to be in front of her.

And he was.

Luca suddenly couldn't breathe. Mr. Pierre was going to die. Will Kale kill him? She doesn't understand. What did she do to make Pierre deserve this? Was she a bad girl? Was this a punishment?

Why?

"Surprise!" Kale shouted but Luca couldn't hear him. Everything around her just froze. She could only hear her beating heart as she stared at Pierre in horror. "Do you like it?"

Luca struggled, she couldn't reach him. She couldn't save him and he couldn't save her. He was looking at her filled with guilt. He mirrored the same horror when he saw her looking at him.

"You monster!" Luca shouted, struggling like a rat. Maybe they were the rat all along. The fool. "Why—What did you—Mr. Pierre didn't deserve this! He didn't do anything! He didn't do anything to you! He's hurt! He's hurt, please!"

A guy unchained him, untied him, making him fall on the floor with a loud thud, blood pooling on the floor. Luca shouted in horror. It was really a sight to see and it was painful.

It was painful!

Nobody should go through it because it was something blood boiling. Suddenly, Luca felt dizzy. She was just so worried and fear was unable to make her think straight. She was so worried for Pierre but now she was afraid of Kale. Of his power to easily make them scream in horror or howl in pain.

He's a monster.

He's a monster!

What will they do to Mr. Pierre?

"Please!" Luca bawled, while trying to get her hands out, the shackles were loudly clanging as she struggled.

"You love my surprise, don't you?" Kale laughed, Luca glared at him with her blood-red eyes, filled with bloodlust. "You love it? You love it. I'm happy!"

"What will you do to him?" She asks with a threatening growl.

Kale blinked at her in surprise. He didn't really expect her to glare at him, much less make it look like she'll be the one slitting his throat off. It made him narrow his eyes. He hate disobedient mutts. Like Pierre, for example. Pierre wouldn't give in no matter what he ordered and that just made Kale more furious and impatient.

He hates disobedient bitches.

Kale laughed dangerously. The humor in his eyes began to fade and Luca knew that this was it.

This was final and Kale's done with playing around.

For once, Luca's world moved in slow motion, every sound seemed muffled as she looked back towards Pierre who was trying to get up but was kicked on the side of his stomach. She could hear him grunt, she could see the blood he's coughing and he could see his eyes staring back at her as if to say:

I'm sorry.

And suddenly, the sound of a gun firing reeled Luca back to reality. Everything just rushed towards her with full force.

And her eyes were filled with horror.

This was it.

And she shouted.

"PIERRE!"