Chapter 3 - Out of the Deep Darkness
Daniel leaned down far,
stretching his arms completely,
into the dark earthy void,
ignoring the jagged edges,
of the broken floorboards,
that scraped against his chest,
he reached out until,
his fingers finally brushed,
against Leo's cold skin,
the boy was so light,
he felt like feathers,
as if he had hollow bones,
from months of starvation,
Daniel gripped him gently,
underneath his small arms,
and lifted him slowly,
mindful of the sharp wood,
Mariana reached down too,
cradling the boy's head,
supporting his fragile neck,
as they pulled him together,
out of the dark grave,
and into the bright living room,
the moment Leo emerged,
the smell of damp earth,
and old decay filled the air,
contrasting sharply with,
the expensive scent of the house,
Mariana pulled her son,
tight against her chest,
rocking him back and forth,
wailing with a mixture,
of pure happiness and grief,
my baby,
she repeated over and over,
you are alive,
you are safe now,
Leo did not speak,
he only clung to her,
his small dirty fingers,
clutching her sweater tightly,
as if he feared,
the darkness would pull him back,
Ines walked over slowly,
her face calm and serene,
she touched Leo's foot,
smiling a gentle smile,
I told you,
she said to her father,
I told you he was cold,
Daniel wrapped his large arms,
around his whole family,
tears finally spilling,
from his own burning eyes,
but his gaze remained,
fixed on his sister Patricia,
who was cowering in the corner,
shaking and muttering to herself,
the luxury of the room,
now felt like a prison,
built on top of a crime,
Daniel reached into his pocket,
pulling out his own phone,
dialing the emergency number,
with a steady deliberate finger,
we need an ambulance,
he said to the operator,
his voice dropping to a whisper,
and we need the police,
I found my missing son,
he is under the floor,
and my sister kept him there,
Patricia looked up sharply,
her eyes wide with panic,
Daniel,
please,
she begged through her tears,
you don't understand the danger,
May you like
if you call them,
we are all dead.
