Chapter 2 - The Splintered Truth Uncovered
The heavy iron tool,
bit deep into the wood,
sending splinters flying,
across the elegant room,
Daniel ignored the pain,
as a sharp piece of oak,
cut his bare hand,
leaving a trail of red,
he did not care,
because his mind was focused,
only on the pale finger,
visible in the gap,
Mariana was on her knees,
tearing at the wood,
with her own bare fingers,
her fingernails breaking,
bleeding onto the polished surface,
as she called out to Leo,
promising him that mommy was here,
that he was safe now,
Patricia backed away slowly,
her face a mask of horror,
she reached for her phone,
her fingers trembling so hard,
she dropped it twice,
onto the cold floor,
Daniel noticed her movement,
and pointed a warning finger,
don't you dare move,
he growled in a voice,
that did not sound human,
it was the voice of a father,
who had been pushed too far,
he threw his entire weight,
onto the pry bar again,
and another large board,
ripped away from the joists,
with a terrifying screech,
the opening was now wide enough,
for a adult to see through,
Daniel turned on his phone light,
shining the bright beam,
into the deep crawlspace,
the light cut through dust,
revealing a horrible sight,
there was a small mattress,
stained and thin,
lying on the damp dirt,
and curled upon it,
was a tiny figure,
wearing the same blue shirt,
from ten months ago,
the boy covered his eyes,
blinking blindly at the light,
his skin was ghostly white,
his body was skeletal,
and he was shivering violently,
just as Ines had said,
Leo,
Mariana shrieked with joy,
tears streaming down her face,
she reached her arms down,
into the dark hole,
trying to grab her baby,
but the space was deep,
and the boy was too weak,
to lift himself up,
he looked up at them,
his eyes hollow and large,
daddy,
he whispered hoarsely,
is the bad man gone,
those words struck Daniel,
like a physical blow,
confirming a deeper horror,
this was no accident,
his son had been kept here,
imprisoned like an animal,
right beneath his sister's feet,
while they searched the country,
while they cried themselves to sleep,
he looked back at Patricia,
his eyes burning with hatred,
what did you do,
he demanded,
stepping toward her,
what did you do to my son,
Patricia fell to the floor,
covering her face with her hands,
sobbing hysterically,
claiming she had no choice,
that they forced her to do it,
but Daniel was not listening,
he turned back to the hole,
May you like
ready to pull his son,
into the light of day.
