Between sun and storm

chapter 8

It’s a sunny morning in the bustling city. Dante sits at the breakfast table, smiling at the familiar sight of screen display his favorite charlie Chaplin. His mother is bustling about the kitchen, serving freshly made pancakes. His father sits at the head of the table, watching the show, occasionally commenting on it and laugh out loud. Dante’s brother jack is joking around about the show, trying to make everyone laugh, while his sister-in-law Rose, like always, laughs the loudest and teases Dante for not eating enough.

They are a close-knit family, full of love and laughter. Dante's sister-in-law treats him like her own brother, and he cares for her the same way. This family has seen its struggles due to his father's line of work they are the one of the strongest mafia but with there family he is a family man happy and full of life his brother is same they always supported each other through thick and thin. Even though his father is constantly in conflict with a dangerous mafia boss, they try to live their lives as normally as possible.

Later on the worst day of his life which he once consider the wonderful and full of happiness, as Dante packs his bags for a trip with his friends he get permission after being persistent and crying out loud to his father he get the permission but on one reason that his brother will go with him for his own protection, his sister-in-law seems uneasy. She gently grabs his arm, her voice a little shaky as she urges him to stay home for the day. “Dante, are you sure you should go? I have this strange feeling today,” she says, her eyes searching his face for reassurance.

He laughs it off, playfully brushing her concerns aside. “You worry too much. I’ll be fine! Besides, it’s just a weekend trip. You know you’ll miss me,” he jokes, flashing his usual grin.

His sister-in-law gives him a tight, worried smile but doesn’t press any further. She doesn’t know why, but something inside her tells her to keep Dante and jake close today. She hugs him a little longer than usual before he leaves.

Dante is with his friends, enjoying the freedom of the trip in Spain both brothes have common friend and they are as well treat each other as friend more then brothers. The music is loud, and the wind blows through the open windows. He feels carefree, surrounded by friends who laugh and chat about nothing in particular. He checks his phone now and then but doesn't notice anything unusual—until the phone rings an unknown number he pick it up and connect it to his ear once he heard the voice he immediately recognize him.

It’s Bilzar.

Dante frowns, wondering why Bilzar, his father’s enemy, would call him directly. His confusion turning to dread as soon as he hears a familiar scream his mother’s voice, full of terror. "Do you hear that, Dante?" Bilzar’s voice is calm, cold, and mocking. "That’s the sound of your family… they’re all here with me."

Dante’s heart stops. He can barely breathe as Bilzar lets the phone stay on, forcing Dante to listen to the screams of his father,  his mother she call for help plead but they didn't listen to them his father is a proud man and died with his proud with out a single plead they are brutally murdered one by one.

And then, the final blow: his sister-in-law. He hears her voice, weak and broken from torture, calling out his name in agony, begging for mercy that will never come. She’s calling out for him and jake who could have saved her if he hadn’t left. The guilt hits Dante like a punch to the gut. Jake listen to his wife voice on speaker and started to shout " leave her you bastard tell me I'll give you what ever you what just leave them please" he plead to leave her and his family.

"I thought you'd like to hear them suffer," Bilzar says, his tone icy. "It’s a shame you couldn’t stay home. Your wife fought the hardest, but she begged for you until the very end."

Jake grips the phone, his knuckles white, his face drained of color. His friends pull the car over, alarmed by his expression. But Dante can’t speak. He can only listen as the phone call goes silent, leaving him with the echoes of his family’s last moments.

Jake drops the phone, his mind spiraling into a dark void of grief and rage. They rushes home, but it’s too late. The sight that greets them is one of unimaginable horror—there home, once filled with love and warmth, now soaked in blood and devastation. There family is gone, brutally murdered, and all they has left are the haunting memories of their final screams.

Bilzar has taken everything from him. And then the most horrifying thing of his life take place.

A drop of tear escape from his eyes while watching the same show now and remembering his initial suffering but he wipe it off as if nothing happened but Lila notice it and place a hand on his hand tapped it twice trying to assure him that it's alright.