Finding Bruno

Hate at First Sight

  Creak!

What was that? Bruno started to creep to his door, where he peeked through one of the many holes. Who the hell is that? Did they find me? He started to panic, but decided he needed  to take action first. He pushed the door open quietly and shoved the stranger to the ground. He looked at the face of the intruder, making sure to give them the sharpest stare he could. He was met with a face of a young woman, soft and beautiful. He was taken aback and hesitated. She then stood up and backed up quickly. She was clearly confused with the encounter.

   "I...I...I" she stammered, "I didn't mean to intrude um...sir. I was just...I...I'm so sorry. Please just let me go!" The girls eyes filled with tears, pleading with Bruno to release her. He almost started to comply, before realizing he hadn't questioned her.

  "Not just yet. Who are you and why are you here?" Liliana looked at the man, and noticed he wasn't as scary as she had thought. He just looked lonely. "I should ask the same. Why is a strange man hiding in the walls of the Madrigal house?" Liliana made a good point, but that didn't matter to Bruno. He just wanted her out. She distracted him though, she kept staring at him intensely. She then gasped and her eyes grew wide.

  "You're...you're...you are Bruno Madrigal. I saw you on that door. On your door. I can't believe this...why are you here? All alone?" She began getting lost in her thoughts as Bruno started to freak out.

  How could she know who I am? This is awful, how am I going to fix this? She can't go, she'll tell everyone!

  Bruno looked at her and collected his thoughts. "That is none of your concern. What is however is the fact you poked your nose where you shouldn't have. Now I can't trust you to not alert anyone, so you can't leave. At least not yet." Liliana looked at him, and realized he was being serious. "Wha...but I'm watching the children. I can't leave them alone, they'll be scared. You must let me go, you must!" Bruno felt a twinge of guilt but it was overshadowed by his fear of being found. "They'll be fine, you're staying and that's final."

  Liliana knew he wouldn't change his mind, so she knew she must escape. Over my dead body will I stay with this freak. "Alright, but at least let me go to that corner, I don't want to be near you." Bruno reluctantly agreed and watched as she slunk over to the corner. He turned for a second and to grab something to tie her up, but she threw the door open and ran as fast as she could.

  Bruno turned and saw her running and immediately started to chase her. No way she's leaving! She can't escape, they'll all find out. I must catch her! Bruno was small and nimble, which gave him the upper hand. He also knew the layout well as he built the passage ways. He ran after her and quickly cut her off. He jumped on top of her and pushed her down.

"Let me go!" she screamed. At this point tears were streaming down her face. She wished she would've never opened the painting up. She wished to be anywhere but there. Bruno felt horrible but knew he could not let her leave. He felt the need to comfort her though, as he hated hurting others. "I'm so sorry for this. I really am. I will let you go as soon as I can. You must at the very least stay with me tonight so I may know whether you are trustworthy. Can you do that?" Liliana nodded, knowing it was the only way out.

~A few hours later~

Liliana woke in a cold sweat, overwhelmed with her surroundings. She looked around in the darkness until her eyes adjusted. She realized where she was and that it hadn't all been a nightmare. Damn it...This is what I get for snooping. Could this situation get any worse?

With a tug of her hand she realized that it could. As she tried to pull her hands, she felt them being restricted by ropes, which sent her into immediate panic. "Wha...what is going on. Hey...HEY...untie me. Bru...Bruno...untie me...". She started to break down at this point. Her sobs started to get progressively louder, to the point they woke Bruno up.

*Yawn* "wha...what is going on?" Bruno murmured as he was starting to wake up. Pretty quickly the effects of sleep wore off when he recognized the sounds of the girls sobs. He jetted out of his bed, but caught his foot in the jumbled sheets. He fell to the floor and landed on his side, but quickly picked himself up and untangled his foot. He went over to his lantern and lit it up, only to cringe at the sight before him.

The girl he had captured was tied up, pretty tightly, in a jumbled mess. She couldn't move either of her arms and her legs were stuck in an uncomfortable way. He didn't realize when he tied her up how restricted she would be. She looked up to him and pleaded with her eyes for help. He moved close to her, which caused her to shake with fear. He felt awful for what he did and wanted ease her pain as fast as he could. "It's alright, It'll be alright. I promise I'm not gonna do anything other than help with those ropes. Is that alright?" Liliana nodded with approval, but still didn't lose the fear in her eyes. He took notice of that and proceeded carefully. He loosened the ropes so that she could move a bit as well as sit up right.

  "Could you...could you let me go? It'll be morning soon, or maybe is morning. I don't know, but what I do know is that if I'm not there when they wake up something bad will happen. They'll freak out and come looking for me. Then your mother and siblings will. Then my family. Eventually they'll find me, trust me on that. I will force my way out because there is no way I'm not-" Bruno put his hand up, causing her to stop mid-rant. "You may go soon. It'll be better for me and you if you leave before the kids get up. But there are some questions I must ask before you are to go."

  Liliana nodded and began to wipe her drying tears. She had collected herself and was relieved with the news that she would soon be released from her capture. "First of all, how'd you find this place?" Bruno questioned. Liliana swallowed and explained about how she saw rats coming into the painting. He turned to look at all of his rat companions and grunted in disapproval. I give them a space and they betray my hiding space. Well...my fault for trusting the rats.

  "Alrighty...then why'd you come in? I mean you could've just ignored it." Liliana laughed which surprised Bruno. To him it was almost kind of cute. In a she's like a kid cute of course. Liliana smiled and explained, "You've been in here for too long Señor Bruno. Most people get curious when they see a bunch of rats run into a painting and push it open like a door. That may just be me, but I would think not." Fair I guess.
 
   Bruno just shrugged and looked towards the door. "When I let you go, you must promise to never tell anyone, ever. I can't explain why I am here, but it's for something bigger than myself. It's better for me and my family if I'm here. I miss them, but it's selfish of me. That's besides the point though, can you promise to keep quiet about these things?" He looked at Liliana pleadingly, she knew that even if she said no he would have to let her go. She had no reason yet to tell though, and he looked so earnest. She even felt bad for him a bit. That went away when she remembered he tied her up though.

  "I guess I will. As long as you promise to never touch me again. Or tie me up you crazy freak. Now let me go...please." She looked up as she said these things, realizing she might've hurt his feelings by calling him a freak. He hid it well, but no good enough. He coughed and said yes while starting to untie her completely. She shook free of the ropes and stood ready to run if she had to. He walked to the door and opened it, offering her the lamp.

  "Could you maybe walk me back to the painting? I can't remember exactly how to get back." He looked surprised but nodded and started out the door to guide her back. They walked for a few minutes before they got back to the painting. He pushed the painting open just a bit so that she may get out. He held a hand out to help her, to which she reluctantly accepted. His hands are surprisingly warm...and soft.

  She stepped back into the hallway of Casita and smiled, almost free of the current nightmare she just faced. Bruno cleared his throat, bringing her back into reality. "Remember to keep silent. I really can't handle this getting out, alright?" Liliana nodded and turned to walk away. Bruno started to shut the painting until he felt a hand stop it. He let it go too watch Liliana reopen it. "Umm...I'm sorry about earlier. I mean I'm still mad you tied me up, but at the same time I don't know enough about you to call you a freak. Anyway, goodnight or morning or whatever. Just...sorry and bye." Liliana blushed and slammed the painting shut. She started to walk off to her "bedroom" while fanning herself. Is it just me or has it suddenly gotten hotter?