Page 9 of The Devil's Den

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Page 9 of The Devil's Den

“She can han—” he starts to snap.

“Don’t worry,” I interrupt them. “I can hold the water under my armpit and the bowl in my hands. I got it!” I quickly grab the bottle off the tray, tucking it under my arm, then pick up the bowl. “See?” I glance at them both. “Easy-peasy.”

Ms. Greco looks nervous, so I smile really big at her, with my teeth and all.

“Go, Aida,” he says. “You gotta clean up the kitchen after, so don’t waste time. In and out.”

“Yes, Daddy!” I rush toward the basement, down the hallway, to the last door on the right.

Ms. Greco comes after me, opening the door. “Please, honey. Be careful.”

“He’s just a little boy.” I roll my eyes. “I’m not scared of him.”

She sighs. “I don’t mean of Matteo.” Her hand lands on the top of my head and she glides it down my long hair. “We’ll clean after, then do some reading when you get back. Okay?”

“Sure, yeah. I gotta go. Bye!”

My feet land on the first step, and carefully, I go down each one, not wanting to drop the food, or Daddy will never let me do this again. I can’t believe he changed his mind in the first place. He must be in a really good mood, which doesn’t happen a lot. He even smiled at me. He never does that!

I don’t see Matteo at first, but when I climb down the last step, I finally do. “Oh no,” I gasp, the bowl rattling in my palms, the bottle almost slipping, but I tighten my arm around it, careful not to let anything dirty the floor. Inside, my heart, it beats like crazy.

He doesn’t see me, not at first. But I see everything. The long, silver chain he’s locked to. The dirty mattress with not even a sheet on it. A small, thin blanket bunched up at the end.

A black bucket is in the corner of the room, not too far from where he sleeps. What is that for? Why would my dad do this? My lower lip trembles. This is awful.

I have to help him. But how? What canIdo?

His face snaps to mine. “Why are you down here?” Those big brown eyes appear angrier than the last time I saw him when they brought him kicking and screaming into the basement.

He saw me then, while I stood, scared, at the end of the stairs. I didn’t understand why my dad and uncles were moving him, but Dad said it’s safer for him there. I now see he lied. He always lies. I don’t know why I still believe him at all.

I want to run back up and ask how he could do this, but Ms. Greco told me to never question him.Don’t involve yourself in grown-up stuff, Aida. It’s not safe,she’d say. Maybe she’s right. Daddy would probably hurt me if I asked.

“I…” My feet tread closer. “I came to bring you food.”

“I don’t want your stupid food. I want to go home to my family.” He kicks his foot out against the tiles, his eyes darting to the floor.

“I’m sorry.” I near him some more, afraid to go any faster in case he gets mad.

“Who are you?” He looks back at me. “Why do you live here?”

Suddenly, I’m embarrassed to admit this is my home, that my father is the one doing this.

“Because… This is my house.” My voice grows small and croaky.

“So that bad man who locked me here, is who? Your dad?”

I nod, biting inside my bottom lip, my brows pinching tight.

“Well, he’s not a good person. And neither are you!”

“Hey!” I fight back. “I’m not like him.”

“Then let me go.” He rattles the chain on his left wrist.

“I can’t,” I whisper sadly. “I don’t even have the key for the lock. And even if I did, how could I get you out of here? My dad has a man out by the front door when he isn’t home.”

“Fine. Whatever. Just leave me alone.” He stops looking at me again, but I want him to. He has kind eyes. Other than Ms. Greco, I don’t have anyone who’s kind to me.


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