Hearts of Stone

Prologue

It had been a year since Vito moved out of his ancestral home, and took to living the life of a vagabond.

The series of events that led to his decision to do so, was surprisingly latent and unknown to him too. He had always felt empty and shackled, by the numerous ties he shared with his social companions. It was apparent even to his parents, that he was heading down a path which would be dangerous for him. They always took care when dealing with him, afraid that their beloved son would drift away from them.

And soon came the day, when Vito no longer valued his family or even his companions. He stayed awake as the moon slowly emerged from among the branches of the pine trees, slowly made its way through the canopy and into the starry night.

He felt a sudden rush in his heart as he got out of his bed and found his way into the dark woods. He did not feel fear, nor did he look back at his ancestral home. He walked bare feet into the wild night, feeling content and at peace. This was the happiest moment of his life.
He did not give much thought to his escape, nor did he know where he was headed towards. The only thing he knew was that he had never felt so happy.
Finally, he was free.