The Plague Doctor [RATED R] ✓

THE MAID

4TH HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE: DEATH

ADELINE RUSHES INSIDE A cabinet to hide, covering her mouth so no one would be able to hear her. She sits there quietly, hiding behind a coat and hoping it will be enough to keep her hidden. But as the room outside falls silent, the cabinet suddenly opens, and then a hand grabs her and pulls her out of it.

     The poor girl shouts in despair, kicking and screaming so that they can let her go.

     "Adeline!" A man's voice shouts.

     "N-No! Please let go! I don't want to go to the bedroom! I don't want to!" Adeline continued to shout, scratching the man's face until it got bruised. But the man didn't let her go. He didn't want to let her go.

     "Adeline, calm down! It's me, Marcelino," the man, who was apparently Marcelino, says as he tightly grabs hold of Adeline's shoulders, her body still shaking from a dream she thought was real.

     "That's right, it's me," Marcelino says as Adeline finally adjusts her eyes to look at him.

     "L-Lino?" Adeline weakly asks, and Lino smiles and nods his head before giving Adeline a tight hug. 

     "Oh baby girl, that's right, it's me. Everything's okay now. No one's going to hurt you," Marcelino says, hugging Adeline before giving her a gentle kiss on her head. 

     Adeline doesn't say anything, but she slowly wraps her arm around Lino and finally starts sobbing in his chest. Her body was still trembling, but after a while, she slowly started to calm down after feeling the warm embrace of a man who had treated her like family more than anyone else.

     "I'm here...and I'll always be here. I promise."

     It's been two years since the incident that happened at Capo di Monte. The plague that haunted the town had been on every headline across the country. People talked about it, but none of them were mentioned as Giovanni promised. But despite the events of the plague, what was more talked about was the photos that were released of a crime that happened 30 years ago.

     The mayor of the town, Camillio Winchester, alongside the former chief of police Alfredo Ricci and hospital director William Romano, were instantly arrested for the crimes they had committed during that year. Unfortunately, just a week after the court trial, Camillio passed away due to the effects of the poisonous gas, and then Alfredo followed and passed away just a couple of days after.

     Needless to say, no one attended their funerals.

     "Alright, class dismissed," the art teacher says before packing his things and heading out of the room.

     The rest of the students left the room as well, leaving Adeline alone in her seat, staring at the canvas on the easel with a blank expression. She doesn't say anything as she continues to brush different strokes, creating an image that pours out all the emotions she can't seem to express in words.

     "That's such a powerful-looking piece. You must have poured your heart and soul into that," someone suddenly says, making Adeline stop moving her hand.

     A girl approaches her from behind. Aurora was her name. She was in the same art class as Adeline, but the two of them never really spoke. In fact, Adeline never spoke to anyone at all, making the other students tease her, calling her mute as if such insults would hurt her.

     Aurora was different from the other girls in their class. Like Adeline, no one really liked talking to her. She wore clothes that were different from others, and she painted pieces inspired by war, which was something she was constantly scolded for. But that didn't really stop her.