A Little Girl's Broken Tales

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THREE YEARS LATER

The rays of sunlight slanting through the window woke me up. I jumped up and rushed to the small staff bathroom that Luigi allowed me to use. Once I was done, I walked back to where I slept in the shed on the cold, hard wooden floor to tidy it up and clean it somewhat.

All those years ago, I wandered up two towns away from my manor. For almost six months I stayed in dark, dirty and putrid smelling alleyways with only, stray and hungry cats as my company. I know that I had my money from my parents, but I didn’t want to use it to sleep in a hotel. Besides, who would let a six year old sleep in a motel unsupervised? And I couldn’t let the police find me. How could I avenge my parents if I was going to be passed around in different foster homes?

With little choices, I walked the streets in search of a job, but who even let a six year old girl open her mouth? Everyone just thought I was a beggar, looking for handouts.

One chilly summer morning, Luigi found me. “Please sir,” I said stopping him and getting him to look at me. “I am terribly sorry for bothering you, but would you allow me to sweep your floors? Or clean your bathrooms? Or maybe even allow me to clean your dumpster? Please sir?” I begged.

He smiled at me kindly and put his hand on my shoulder, leading me to his five-star restaurant, a block over. I marveled at the sight of the food that floated out of the kitchen doors on silver platters, then the stunning, dark and romantic cream and beige walls that were lit with small lights.  The entire atmosphere had that authentic Italian feel to it. Maybe it was the way the waiters were dressed, or maybe it was the Italian wine stacked neatly, or the way the food gave off exotic aromas. Every table had a complimentary pizza smothered in mozzarella cheese.

My mouth watered and I think Luigi noticed. “Come little one, tell me your name,” he said and pulled me into the kitchen.

“Olivia” I whispered shyly. I knew the power of giving your last name. Daddy always said that your last name was power.

He chuckled. “Well, dear Olivia, how about I let you eat something today?”

I nodded eagerly.

“Well then, my name is Luigi Santos, owner of Luigi’s!”

“Thank you so much sir. I am grateful, but please let me know how I can pay you because I don’t have money on me. I can do anything you would like me to!” I said eagerly.

He chuckled again, it was a heartwarming sound. “Don’t you worry about that, sweet. You just tell me what you would like to eat now?”

I smiled weakly. “Anything, sir.”

From that day forward, I stayed with Luigi. He fed me the day’s leftover food and clothed me in his daughter’s small clothing. Often he pleaded for me to stay with his family, in their huge and beautiful home, but I declined. I didn’t want a replacement family -I would get comfortable and forget my vow- I just wanted a job and a place to stay until I could find my feet.

Luigi found out about my past and he knew my mission, and this spurred him on to help me. Despite him being a vampire himself, he gave me a place to stay, a job and he offered to teach me the basics of recognizing a vampire. He was a true Godsend, as he even taught me to mask my fear and not let them know I knew what they were. He said that four things identified a vampire easily: grace, speed, eloquence and extreme beauty.

“Livvy, never, ever, let them know that you know what they are. They will snap your pretty, little neck in half without a shred of remorse,” he always warned me.

I nodded and whenever a vampire came into the restaurant, I always somehow managed to be their server and with blessings, they never ever suspected that I knew they were damned creatures.

I shook my head and brought myself back to the present as I heard Luigi’s strong voice. “Livvy! Livvy!”  He was in the front of the shop. I got  up and ran to him. He sounded stressed and worried. I saw that he had a small red bag with him, and as soon as he saw me, he gave a weak smile. I returned it as I noticed his dark, windswept hair. “Sorry I am late today,” I apologized sheepishly.

He waved a hand, but I caught the frantic note of fear in his tone as he spoke. “Don’t worry about that. I have bad news to tell you. I am really sorry to do this to you. We’ve been found out,” he whispered.

Found out?

My forehead creased, but I motioned for him to carry on.

“We have to pack up and leave. I would take you with me, but unfortunately life would not be as you know it. And I cannot damn you to darkness. Your soul is too pure for that. Anyway, baby, I am sorry that I have to throw you out to the wolves. Here is some clothes and money, I hope it can last you the winter.” He kissed my forehead and thrust the bag in my hands. “I love you like my daughter Livvy, and I hope you can forgive me one day. I just have to do this to keep my family safe,” he pleaded.

Tears ran down my face, but I understood. I nodded and pushed him out of the door. “Go, Luigi and thank your family for me. I understand and I forgive you,” I whispered. Just then a strong wind blew and my teeth started chattering. I bit down on my lip trying to prevent it as Luigi bent down to kiss my cheek before he disappeared in the cold. I wrapped my arms tightly around the red bag as I ran to the outdoor shed that I usually slept in, unless it was winter. After a difficult battle against the cold and wind, I reached the little red building and threw open the door so I could step in. I looked down and smiled. This was my home for two and a half years, but apart from my duffel bag and the frame of my family on the floor next to the worn and tattered mattress there was nothing else to indicate I lived here. I grabbed my duffel bag and changed into the thickest of clothing I owned and threw on more coats for protection, then I grabbed my photo frame and shoved it in the duffel bag along with Luigi’s red bag before I left his premises with a silent prayer for him and his kind family.

I walked and walked until I was tired. At most I only stopped to sleep before I walked again. It was nearly two days later when I made an emergency stop for food and water. I bought me a few sandwiches and bottles of water so that by the time I reached the next town, I could just find a place to sleep and not worry about food. After getting what I needed, I walked as fast as I could so that I could find the town and make it me new home. Or just let it be a place of refuge for a few months.

It was way past midnight, but long before dawn and I was frozen stiff with the cold. I walked until I found an alleyway with a bit of a covering so that I could have a place to sleep for the night. Finding a suitable alleyway, I crouched down and leaned against the wall so that hardly any wind got me. My duffel bag fell and I leaned against it as it warded off some of the terrible cold. But sadly, it wasn’t much a great help as a great wing blasted right through all my layers of clothing and coats I wore. There was no way to keep warm in this frigid weather.

Blast Christmas! I thought bitterly.

“Christmas,” I sighed sadly. I learned that a way to ward of the cold was to think warm things, and what could be warmer than Christmas?

Despite my bitter thoughts, I found myself thinking of my parents. “Mummy and daddy, I am so sorry that those monsters didn’t kill me with you. I wish I were with you now, instead off suffering this way!” I cried in the cold. My breaths huffed out and I could see it, and then I was glad that there was no one else with me as the silent tears leaked out on my dirty face. The falling tears made me fall asleep.

At one point during my sleep, I was almost certain I was flying and feeling like a princess, but I shrugged it off and continued to sleep. Because where else could such feeling arise from?