RETURNED

Sleeping Child

Third Person POV

8 years back

"Bubba, pi-a-no."

Marcello looked down, to see his baby sister, who was poking her small finger, at his legs. He chuckled at her actions. He picked her up and took her to the music room. He placed her on the piano seat, then sitting beside her. She immediately snuggled towards him. He picked her and placed her on his lap, and Violet again cuddled in his arms.

He started playing Sleeping Child on the piano, her favourite song. Violet smiled, which could melt anyone's heart. It was like a routine, as soon as Marcel started playing this song, Violet would get sleepy. By the time the song came to an end ,she snuggled more in his chest, almost asleep. Marcel looked down and smiled a little.

"I wuv it." Violet mumbled sleepily.

"I know, dove.", he smiled at her.

"You p-ro-tell me?", she asked.

"Huh?" Not sure what she was trying to say.

"You pwince, save me."

"Of course love. I will always save you."

"Pwomise." She held her pinky finger.

"Promise dove." He kissed her forehead and placed her in her bed

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Few weeks later

Marcello came back home exhausted. High school can be pretty exhausting. He entered his home to be greeted with silence, which was surprising.

He took a glance at his watch. It wasn't Violet's nap time. He walked towards her room, but what he saw made his blood run cold.

Violet's room completely thrashed, his mom lying unconscious on the floor with a huge gash on her head.

Seeing his mum's state, he immediately called the ambulance and his dad.

He picked his mum and placed her on the couch, trying to wake her up. He looked around the room, hoping to find his baby sister but she wasn't in the room.

"Violet, love where are you?"

She didn't answer.

"Violet, bubba doesn't want to play hide and seek. Come out we will have a tea party, Carlos will be here any minute." But still no answer. By now tears were streaming down his face.

He tried to look around the whole house, called her name out. But he still couldn't find her.

His dad rushed home as soon as he can, ambulance arriving soon after him.

The paramedics placed his wife on the stretcher, Alexander's eyes not leaving his wife even for a second. He told he will meet them at the hospital. He looked around the house hoping to find Violet, only to be met with his elder son, his face in his hands sniffling.

Upon noticing his father's presence, Marcello looked up, tears streaming down his face, .

"Violet is not here, someone took her", he spoke, his voice breaking.

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Ever since hearing about the news, Marcello couldn't sleep.