Eight photos from the past which history is darker than the night

Chapter 1

Pierre still has in front of his eyes eight photos from Max's cupboard. Eight developed photos, which he accidentally found in Max's drawer. He still can't get rid of them from his head. It's over midnight and he's still thinking about them.

On the first photo is a little boy in arms of well-known to him and the whole world guy. Of Kimi Raikkonen, currently Ferrari driver. Photo dated March 15, 2001. The boy is of course Max Verstappen, just 3 years old. He embraces Finn's neck by his arm, the other one raised up. He has a Red Bull cap on his head and he's clearly happy. Kimi too. Finn is smiling and fondly looking at the boy. He's only 21 on this photo, it seems almost impossibly.

On the second photo are two boys. They're sitting in the little, identical karts, wearing identical red race suits, helmets laying next to them. Both of them have bright blonde hair and identical haircut. They're smiling at the camera and showing thumbs up. Photo is probably taken in the summer, on some kart track. There is no precisely date, just the year, 2003. It's easy to guess who is on the photo: Max, 5 years old and Mick, 4 years old. Max Verstappen and Mick Schumacher. On the back of the photo is short inscription, probably wrote in Dutch, quite vaguely. All Pierre manages to conclude is Kerpen 2003. So the track in Germany's Kerpen...

On the third photo is Michael Schumacher, holding in his arms two boys in Ferrari's T-shirts. Of course, it's Max and Mick. Pierre knows exactly when the photo was taken. After Schumacher's 7th title in 2004. The fourth photo shows Schumacher again, this time four kids with him. They're sitting at the table and eating ice-creams. They're happy. It's Gina, Mick's sister, Mick, Max, and Max's sister- Victoria. Which year? On the back of the photo is inscription in English. Free days with Uncle Michael and Auntie Corinna (photographer :) ) in Spain, 2007. They're looking like a family. Happy family.

Next is the fifth photo. Two kids: a boy and a girl. Max and Victoria. At the airport. They're wearing hoodies and having backpacks. They're sadly looking at the camera, looking like they were crying. There's no date, but it's probably 2007 or 2008. Max is 10 years old...

And, finally, the photo number six. THAT photo. So well-known for Pierre boy stands ahead of a grey wall. He doesn't have T-shirt, just blue shorts. His whole body is terribly damaged, covered by bruises and little wounds. He has a destroyed eyebrow, blood going down his face. And tears in his eyes. That photo is terrible, even more because Pierre knows who the boy is. It's Max Verstappen. THAT Max Verstappen. On the back is inscription in English. Thank you daddy, 2007. The mere mention of that photo makes Pierre shudder. It's definitely one of the worst things he ever seen in his life.

And at the end the two photos during movement. They have very bad quality, but it's possible to guess who is on them and what is doing. It's Max who's trying to defend himself. It's Max's father who's... beating him. It's his mom on one of them, looking like she's screaming. Those photos are... bad.

Those eight photos totally destroyed Pierre's psyche. And Max's story, which he wanted himself, only made things worse.