Sofia

Ch-10

Rose loves the smell of antiseptic. There is something she finds to be so soothing about the way it cleans and heals almost everything. If there were antiseptic bottles made to clean infected souls, then the young girl would probably have bought a gallon of it.

Rose's eyes flutter open, the warm sunlight lacing her hair making it seem almost fiery. The stillness of the hospital room she was in was almost eerie, if it wasn't for the distinct voices which were disagreeing on something.

She gets up even though her body screams "lay down!". The voices come closer, and she musters up all the energy in her to try not to flinch when they enter the room. It was Theo and Archie. Theo looks pissed but at this point Rose almost believes that's how his face always looks. Archie comes closer to her, "Hey good you're awake! So, the doctors say you're good to go but do you have...someplace to go to?" he asks not giving Rose time to even breathe.

"I...I don't know." Rose says finding herself pathetic for even saying it. She had no single clue as to who she was. Was her name even Rose...? Or was it just a name her captor called her? She felt her whole body repulse at the mere thought.

"What do you mean you don't know? Who are you exactly? I mean...we see that you're definitely going through something but also um...Who are you?" Theo asks.

"Believe it or not I really don't know...I don't know how to say this." The girl says, picking at her fingernails. "I um...I was uh...kidnapped as a child and after almost ten years... I managed to escape, and yea you guys found me."

She looks up at the boys and well... Their mouths were hanging open and probably one or two houseflies flew in as well. After a few seconds Theo snaps out of his shock and with almost a comically plain face he asks, "Wait is this your idea of humor? Because as much as I enjoy twisted minds...That was absolutely horrific."

"Dude! Does she look like she's joking!?" Archie says.

"What the fuck am I supposed to know? You and I both have had our fair share of crazy stories but hers is actually demented! How do we know she isn't lying or something?!"

"I'm not lying! I wish I was...I really do but I'm not." Rose's voice cuts through their bickering. " I don't remember who I am... Just bits and pieces and even that... is really hazy. I remember he took me while I was at the park and... my mum was in a grocery shop...I was seven, I think. And then... a few years later he kidnapped a one-year-old girl. She's going to turn six this month." Rose says, stumbling on a few words.

"Wait so you're not kidding...Jesus! Okay... Dude what are we gonna do?" Theo asks, turning towards Archie.

"We probably need to tell the police first so that they can catch him! God what the fuck! I don't know. Where's the child now?! Is she the kid you wanted us to help find?"

"I nod...yes but we don't need to anymore...I think she's fine." Rose says trying to find it in herself to believe her own words. Sofia will be safe right? She is with her parents...She is as fine as she can be.

"And what about the guy who took you?"

"That.. um I don't know...he just left one day... and we found our way out." Rose says, crossing her fingers hoping they wouldn't see through her lies. She couldn't really tell a stranger that she killed, or at least cremated, her kidnapper.

"Okay...but what about you? Where's your family? You said you had your mom? Do you remember where you lived or anything?" Archie bombards her with questions.

"I...I don't know...I think I had my mom, but I don't remember much about where we live...yet. Hell, I don't even remember my last name..." Rose says, wiping away a frustrated tear which escaped her eye.

Archie turns to Theo with a look on his face and there was a long pause.

"What! No Arch we discussed this!"

"Well, do you have a better Idea? I mean we can't just-" Archie trails off.

Theo looks at me and turns back to Archie and they both have what seemed to be a staring contest and Theo finally breaks, throwing his hands up, his voice grumbling "Agh ok fine! I guess we could let her... join."

Archie turns to the red-haired girl with a smile, "Okay then Rose-no last name, you are officially invited to join us!".

Rose stares at the boys, her eyebrow cocked slightly. "Join what exactly...?"

"Well umm you'll know exactly later but...yea Theo and I just work some odd jobs, and we get paid well. If you join us, we'd split money equally...well at least almost equally and yea..."

"Odd jobs...?" Rose asks, her curiosity piqued.

"We'll tell you everything later, but it really looks like you have no other option than us until you remember your past." Theo says getting slightly annoyed.

Rose's face showed no sign of change in emotion whereas on the inside of her head her thoughts were going a mile per hour. She had always been a practical person but sometimes, emotions and fatigue clouded her judgment, and today she swore to herself she wouldn't let that happen anymore. Her heart said run...run as far away as possible, you do not want to owe any guy anything. But... her mind said you have no option. They seem like nice guys...they won't hurt you...

So that's what she did. She listened to her head and nodded when Archie asked her again.

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Back in the DeLuca house every single person was running around trying to make sure Sofia was comfortable. Even the maids and security guards. She had everything before she could even ask for it...not that she would actually ask. Sofia never asked for anything because asking meant punishment. But now she needed something really bad, and her mouth would not allow her to ask for it. She needed Rose.

Isabella knew something was bothering her sister and so did almost everyone in the family. But something bothered her as well. Something her sister said... That she killed the guy. She didn't know if she actually did or not and of course she couldn't ask the five-year-old again. So, she kept it to herself and didn't tell a single soul. She would eventually. When she finds out if it actually is true. But right now, wasn't a good time.

Sofia was barely eating or sleeping. She never even touched toys. All she did was sometimes speak to herself in different voices. Isa guessed that was how she kept herself entertained and that made her blood boil.

Her sister was supposed to be the most spoiled girl in the world. She was supposed to grow up pampered and protected but fate played its game, and she grew up away from everyone who actually cared for her. She grew up abused and tortured and now she thinks that's how life should be. She thinks it's normal to be awake the whole night, scared that her own parents or siblings would strangle her in her sleep and that was killing Isabella. She couldn't help her sister, and all of this was her fault.

If only she had been stronger four years ago...She could have saved her sister. But Isa herself was only fourteen and she couldn't really do much when a six feet tall guy shoved her against the colorful cupboard in the nursery and took Sofie. She couldn't do anything except yell and scream and that day...that day changed everything.

She worked like a log during training and her dad thought it was probably vengeance, maybe hurt that drove her. But she knew deep down it was the helplessness she felt that day which drove her. She never wanted to feel that way ever again.

Isa knew it was not some sick pleasure which drove the kidnapper to take her sister. She knew that someone stronger was controlling the guy and if they ever tried anything ever again... She was ready. Let the games begin...

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