The Elevator

A voice came after us

Nadia: Erica, we have to.

Erica: I know.

We were shaking and running out. A voice came after us.

Myrto: Eh! Where are you going?

Nadia troughed her eyes and sneakily headed to the door. She catched her and talked to her decisively.

Nadia: Someone broke into the house and upset it. Come with us, we'll call the police.

Myrto: Wait! I'll go do it, you wake up your brother and father. Stay safe inside, and you, Erica, hide.

We rushed to do as she predicted. The house was on alert, we were all awake waiting in the living room for Myrto.

Erica: Don't worry, the police this time will figure it out.

I'm reassuring the most anxious person in the room who's none other than Nadia. Myrto shows up unaccompanied in a few minutes.

Orpheus: Grandma, what happened? !

We stood up waiting for redemption.

Myrto: They didn't see anything. They don't know who he was.

Nadia: What do you mean, Grandma? That they didn't see anyone come by?

Myrto: Exactly.

Nadia: They're doing a great job, too.

Myrto: Don't get mad..

Nadia: But how can I keep calm? We're in danger, don't you understand?

Myrto: It's not that tragic... They assured me that they would monitor our house more closely and if they saw a suspect directly they would act.

She gave an indignant sigh.

Nadia: Like you said if they see.

The night was sleepless. None of us slept. We provided our support to each other regardless of our personal differences. I felt a sense of solidarity strong, I wish I had grown up with these principles.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday, the drowsiness overwhelmed us, Nadia's permanently swollen eyes have been transmitted to our own faces. Even though we were performing routine movements mechanically, the tone lifeless, inactive. Nadia stops the pattern.

A twisted glow penetrates her eyes. She stabbed me relentlessly.

Nadia: Erica, what if the shooter didn't actually find it outside the apartment building. What if he's a tenant?

Erica: My father...

The evidence's starting to gather. As much as it terrified me, I couldn't ignore the truth.

Erica: I'm not going to let him terrorize us like that. This man finally needs to pay. From the moment I was born, he blames me. He blames me for being given my life while at the same time my mother's gone. It's like I absorbed it for him.

She tried to sympathize with me. Her eyes tightened slightly, creating small wrinkles on their edges.

Nadia: I'm so sorry.. So what do you suggest it be?

Erica: What we thought before. He must have stolen one of the books. We're going to search his apartment.

I told it, that's it, now I couldn't get it back.

Nadia: Yes, it's a good solution..

Frowned, seemed relieved to do so even though he had left me the power of attorney for the decision.

Nadia: We'll search the house this afternoon, he's more likely to be missing.

She took the reins from me again. She shouldn't trust me too much. Maybe Myrto's starting to negatively affect her... My gaze rolled on the floor as my thoughts ran.

Nadia: Erica? Is everything okay?

Erica: Yes.

I came back and gave her a fake smile. If I pretend to be determined, maybe I can convince myself. She really reciprocates and we continue placing the dishes from the sink to the cupboards. I've been helping a lot with housework lately.

I had to repay their hospitality, I wasn't ungrateful as Myrto claims. I'm sure Nadia and I had helped to maintain a relative balance at home after Mrs Eurydice's absence than she did. Mr. Jason has just returned from the hospital. He's happy, I think.

Nadia: Dad, how's Mom doing??

Jason: Much better, she almost came back from the coma.

Nadia: Did they find out what had happened to her?

Jason: They didn't tell me anything..

That was terribly disturbing. If we didn't know if a condition caused this, it could become completely uncontrollable without proper help from the experts. These months I get frustrated by the experts all the time.

It's like they're trying to make the worst impression and do the opposite of what their job is about. Cops lose burglars in front of their eyes, doctors don't know the cause of a sudden coma. It could of course have been isolated incidents, but so intense and in such a short time of difference between them... Frustration and terror. No one can protect us anymore?