HADES

Open Curtains

«Oh, the late Ryder? » Greta asked, turning around to look at a confused Grace.

"Late?" she asked, spitting out the word as if it was unheard of.

"Yeah, late. He was found dead not that long ago. Apparently, he was thrown into the forest, it is believed that he died brutally"

Suddenly, Grace remembered hearing about it briefly. Matters such as murders were always talked about in secret amongst the men. Grace, who was not a part of the family, did not know about this information from good sources.

"But Greta" Grace said, thinking out loud. "How" she started, but was unable to find an way to express her terror that was about to settle in her mind soon.

"The matter is highly secretive Grace. Sir Lorenzo believes that the prisoner killed Ryder and is pretending to be him in order to survive around town. I heard Bella talking to Sir. Lorenzo about reducing the weapons, but he was having not of it. Oh god, poor boy must have gone through a lot"

"poor boy?" Grace asked, leaning in closer with furrowed brows.

Greta wiped the counter and closed the door of the insanely huge kitchen. "Yes" she whispered. "The boy was the son of the previous mafia gang that ruled England. His father was a devil in human form, and believe me when I say that the little boy saw a lot of things that he should not have. He was brutally tortured, beaten and even sexually assaulted by his fathers friends" she told the young girl, her eyes welling up.

"Did the father know?" Grace whispered back, her voice trembling.

Greta shook her head, wiping away a tear. "He was the one ordering for it to happen. His mother was forced to listen to her boys cries and screams. No mother should ever have to go through that"

"Oh my god" Grace said, watching Greta through her teary eyes.

"When Valentino died, Hades escaped. It was Lorenzo that helped the Lees with killing him, but Hades did not deserve the pain of being taken by Lee. I should not say this, but I find it ironic how Lorenzo acted when Lee betrayed him and tried shooting him after getting the dirt job done. Lorenzo flipped two whole countries and sided with Bellas family to take Lee down. And now his dirty job has caught up to him. Hades is his karma, his mistakes catching up to him" Greta said with sadness lingering to her voice as she held a wanted poster of Hades, away from Graces sight. Now filled with more accusations of rape and murders. "I hope they don't find him. I hope they don't find my boy"

"Your boy?" Grace croaked out, shocked at the information she had gotten.

Greta smiled through her tears, as she caressed the crinkled wanted poster in her hand. She had snatched it from Celinas hand that day and secretly hidden it away. "Yes, Grace. Before coming here, I worked for Hades mom. She truly was an angel, and he was the purest boy I had seen"

"He raped children Gre-"

"Oh, cut me out from that bullshit" Greta spat out in disgusting. "The Morettis really need to come up with something better. Getting help by portraying a young boy as a child rapist is low"

Grace was stunned and nodded. It was the first time she had heard the woman talk like that and her heartache was evident in her voice, posture and look.

"I wonder how he looks today. Is his hair still long to his shoulders? He always wanted to have that. I wonder how he talks. He is older now, so his voice is probably deeper, right? I wonder if he still hides his giggles to appear more manly. I hope he doesn't. His giggles show his innocence and purity. I wonder how he walks. Does he rush to places or is he calm and takes long strides? I hope he doesn't rush too much. What if he trips and fall? Who will take care of him then if-"

Gretas voice suddenly cracked and allowed her tears to freely run down her chins. She sobbed loudly as the pain in her chest was finally freed. She had held on to it for too long. Her cries and sobs were those equal to a mothers. Even though Greta had underestimated her relationship with Hades for safety reasons, she knew herself that they were closer than that. She had sung him lullabies to make him sleep. She had dressed his bruised and naked body after he had been assaulted. She had kissed him goodbye when he had scored full points in the easiest exam. She had been there for everything and even then, she still cried for him. She cried after he finally slept. She cried when she had dressed him up. She cried when he passed his exams. And there she was again, crying for his life.

Grace hugged her as Greta fell to the floor, crying of hurt. "Why don't they let him live with the time he has left? Why?

Grace hugged her tighter and whispered reassuring words to the elderly woman. "He will come back to you. Don't worry Greta". Just then, her eyes landed on the wanted poster and she recognized the man immediately. There he was, the man her best friend had left with.

"He won't come back. He is sick, Grace. He is dying"