Dante
I’m not angry or offended by my brother’s reaction, I understand it.
Sometimes fear scrambles our brains like a vortex and makes us think things that aren't real. Ashamed, he apologized to me and made me admire him even more; not everyone admits making a mistake.
The man had risked his life and Sarah’s to rescue me from this place. How could I not forgive him?
“Alright, you’re up, Dante. Tell me how we can get the fuck out of this shithole.”
I sit on the floor for a few minutes, trying to get my head together. Many years ago I had tried to escape through all the possible exits, none of them had worked, but there has to be something. We have to get out of this place alive, because if we don't make it…I don’t want to think about it.
I can take a punishment, but Amira...she's fragile, this is going to kill her.
My eyes look at her; she has the child in her arms, and she cuddles him trying to stop the never-ending tears.
My willpower grows by looking at her. I will not let them put their hands on her, never again.
Bruno sits down next to me and lets a lot of air out of his lungs.
“There has to be a weak spot, something, anything,” he begs.
The freezing quiet night surrounds us. Everyone is looking at me, waiting for an answer.
“They designed this place like a prison, meaning it’s meant to keep people in, it even has more security than a prison.”
Sarah gets up and looks out the window.
“How did we get here?” she asks as she monitors the field. “I can barely see the mansions from here.”
“You fainted. Dante brought us to this place.” My brother answers.
She makes an affirmative gesture, understanding what had happened, but she seems disappointed in herself.
“Do you think they think we're dead?”
I think about it for only a second.
“Only if the cameras melted before we got out, there's no way to know for sure.”
“My father knows what we did.” Amira whispers in fear. “My mother warned me he was looking for me and that he was angry.”
“Sarah, what happened?” asks Bruno.
She sighs and tells him what happened before with little detail. It makes me wonder if she wants to protect the child from hearing horrible words or is it to protect Bruno from going crazy.
Amira hears about the atrocities her brother did and the consequences of kidnapping a woman who was ready to kill. She sheds tears again, but this time I know it’s out of empathy.
She’s suffering for what Sarah had to go through, not Wasim’s death.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, I...I know what my brothers are capable of,” she tries to hide her face in the boy's hair, she feels ashamed.
Sarah looks at her with affection, which makes me feel calm. Women can be more empathetic and warmer than men.
“It's not your responsibility, and I collected your brother’s debt, so don't worry about that.”
Amira nods and says, “My father and my brother, Kaled were in a rage.”
“I won't let him find you, they will have to go through me first.” I confirm something I already know.
