Celeste lived a hard life.
She lived with an abusive mother who was so bad her father left. After her mom's overdose she was sent away into the foster care system, bouncing from one home to another. Things only got worst when she turned 18 and...
It was a dark and cold autumn night. The moon was shining down on the streets and the streetlights were glistening through the night. The breeze that passed by was chilly, but not freezing. Although, it was cold enough to cause the people outside to close their jackets and hold on to each other more. They walked through the streets smiling and laughing as they experienced the enjoyment of the night life. They observed the scenery around them while embracing each other's company. Everyone is happy and content with life.
Well all except for Celeste.
It had been four years since Celeste left the foster care. Not by choice of course. She was forced out like many others. She aged out. She was deemed too old to continue to live under the foster care system. In all fairness, she was already 21. It made sense that once she became an adult the people who took her from her home would abandon her, right? At least that was what she'd tell herself. She's lived a hard life in her youth, from an abusive mother to a father who abandoned her. She always knew life wasn't easy, but she never gave up on it because she knew one day it would get better. Even now, while she observed the people living life to the fullest as she sat at the side of the road wrapped in a old blanket begging for money.
She decided to take a break from her post and see if there was any food thrown out from the restaurant near where she slept. She quickly counted the money she raised that day and placed it into her back pocket. She slowly walked to the back ally where the restaurant's garbage bin was. She opened up the can and searched through it for something edible. She soon found herself smiling with joy at the loaf of bread and a half eaten chicken she held in her hands. She took a bite of the chicken and moaned in delight. It was one of the best meals she had in days so she tried her best to take her time. As soon as she finished it, she placed the loaf of bread in her bag to save it for later. She was about to leave the ally when she heard yelling and the sound of loud footsteps approaching. She was afraid it was the cops coming after her again so she quickly hid behind the big garbage bin before peaking out from the side. She saw it wasn't the police, but instead a man takings steps back while he tried to catch his breath.
"Look Silvio, Please. I-I'm begging you. I have a wife and a new born little girl. I-I can get the money, but I just need a-a l-little more time,"the man said as he pleaded for his life. Silvio turned to the men around him and singled for them to wait outside the ally to make sure no one gets close to the perimeter.
"You see Ralph, Enzo has run out of patience," Silvio said.
"I know and I'll pay it,"Ralph said.
"I know you will. You'll pay right now...with your life," Silvio said before he pulled out his gun and fired at Ralph. In an instant Ralph was dead on the ground with a bullet in his head. Celeste stared at his body in shock as she quietly covered her mouth with both hands tightly. Before Ralph went down, he glanced to the side where he spotted Celeste. She looked straight in the eye before the bullet penetrated his forehead. Unfortunately for Celeste, this didn't go unnoticed. Silvio tapped the two men next to him and pointed behind the trash can where Celeste was hiding. The two men crept from the side and swiftly grabbed Celeste from where she was hiding before pulling her out in front of Silvio. Before she realized what had happened, Celeste was staring face to face with Silvio De Luca. She was shaking in fear, and from the cold.
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She examined Silvio's and found herself staring at the star over his left eye. His silence was as intimidating the scowl he held on his face. He pulled out his gun and placed it on the temple of Celeste's forehead prepared to pull the trigger when his phone rang. Silvio rolled his eyes as lowered his gun down from her head. He pulled his jet black iPhone 11 out from his jacket pocket and answered it.
"Hello," he answered.
"Is it done?" Enzo asked.
"Yes," Silvio replied.
"Then why are you not back?"
"I was going to when I found myself a situation," He said.
"What kind of situation."
"Seems like we have a witness. A beautiful one," he said as he grabbed her chin and turned her face left and right before letting it go.
"Explain."
"Found a homeless girl hiding behind the trash bin," he said. The line was quiet for a moment until Lorenzo spoke again.
"Don't kill her. Bring her back," He said. "Alive," he emphasized so Silvio would understand the importance of his order.
"What? Hello?" Silvio asked angrily into the phone, but Lorenzo had already hung up. Silvio groaned and put his phone back into the pocket. "Bring her," he said before he turned and walked away. As they were about to leave the ally, Silvio stopped. Celeste's breath hitched once he turned and began to approach her. She tried to free herself from their grasp, but it was no use. Silvio pulled her out from their their arms before he took his gun and hit her in the back of her head.
