The Mafia’s Kitten

Dalia

I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My parents never gave much away about their financial situation. All I knew was they both had good jobs. My father was one of the top surgeons in the city and my Mom was an entrepreneur.

They never mentioned that they had debt with the Italian mafia and it had accumulated to 2.5 mil over the stretch of four years and they had come to collect.

All I could hear from my bedroom was raised voices. So I decided like an idiot I would sneak out of my room and go downstairs to listen in, to know what was going on and who was in my home shouting all the odds at my parents.

I tiptoed in the stairs making sure that I didn’t make a sound or the stairs creak so they would find an intruder amongst them.

“Vogliamo i soldi adesso!” (We want the money now!)

“Non ce l’abbiamo, ti promettiamo che te lo porteremo nelle prossime due settimane.” (We don’t have it, we promise we’ll get it to you in the next couple of weeks.)

“Pensi di poter usare quella merda su di me. Di nuovo?” (You think you can use that bull shit on me. Again?)

I looked over at the four big bulky men who were covered in tattoos and were all muscular oh shit. I scrambled to the closest, locking myself in no way were they going to find me.

I sat in the darkness curried up just listening to their conversation.

“Per favore, ti preghiamo, solo un altro po’.” (Please we’re begging you, just a little longer.)

“Non questa volta Alessandro, siamo stanchi delle tue scuse di merda. O dammi quello che mi devi o ti metto una pallottola nella testolina bella tua e della tua bella moglie”. (Not this time Alessandro, we’re sick and tired of your bullshit excuses. Either give me what you owe me or I will put a bullet through yours and your pretty wife’s pretty little head.)

“No, per favore, ti prego.” (No please anything I beg you.)

“Mmh vediamo.” (Mmh let’s see.)

I watched as he tapped his scared face which ran the full length of his face from his forehead to his chin bone. His scar scared the living shit out of me. His hands and knuckles were all tattooed.

“Hai una figlia, vero?” (You have a daughter, don’t you?)

“No, per favore, altro che la mia bambina.” (No please anything but my baby girl.)

“Hai detto qualcosa.” (You said anything.)

“Tutto tranne quello, non la mia bambina.” (Anything but that, not my baby girl.)

“Mmh, pensa solo alle cose che potrei fare con lei.” (Mmh just think of the things I could do with her.)

My father charged forward and my mom screamed with a gun pointed to her head. “Una mossa falsa Alessandro ed io faremo in modo che sparino alla tua preziosa moglie.” (One false move Alessandro and I will get them to shoot your precious wife.)

“Non puoi avere mia figlia! È solo una bambina!” (You can’t have my daughter! She’s just a child!)

“Poi, aspetterò che raggiunga la pubertà per fare ciò che voglio con lei.” (Then, I will wait until she hits puberty to do as I please with her.)

“No!” He ran forward again.

BANG!

I held my mouth shut screaming into the palm. Tears slipped down my face and my body trembled.

“Ali!”

“Se vuoi vivere, dammi tua figlia per saldare il tuo debito.” (If you want to live, give me your daughter to clear your debt.)

“Mai! Prendi me, ma non lei.” (Never! Take me, but not her.)

I saw him nod his head briefly.

One of the men brought their gun up and aimed it at my dad. I wanted to scream and get them to stop, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk them finding me.

BANG!

I flinched as my father dropped dead onto the floor pooled in both of their blood.

I screamed into my hand as more tears flowed down my face.

“Trova la ragazza. Deve essere qui da qualche parte.” (Find the girl. She has to be here somewhere.)

“Capo.” (Boss.)

I heard boots thudding up the stairs but I stayed in my position under the stairs in the closet, huddled up hoping they wouldn’t search for me in here.

Footsteps echoed through the house. “Non riusciamo a trovare il suo capo.” (We can’t find her Boss.)

“Cerca ovunque, deve essere qui da qualche parte.” (Search everywhere, she has to be here somewhere.)

“Capo.” (Boss.)

They continued searching. “Abbiamo cercato ovunque Boss non sia qui.” (We’ve searched everywhere Boss does not here.)

“Deve essere lei cosa? dodici?” (She has to be she’s what? twelve?)

Fourteen asshole.

“Abbiamo perquisito tutta la casa dentro e fuori, non è qui capo. Forse sta con uno dei suoi amici.” (We’ve searched the whole house inside and out, she’s not here boss. Maybe she’s staying with one of her friends.)

“Una sera a scuola? Non essere stupido.” (On a school night? Don’t be stupid.)

It all went quiet. I was huddled up shaking in the corner of the closet keeping quiet.

The door opened and I squinted. “Found you principessa. You’re coming with me.”

He grabbed me trying to pull me out of the closed I began kicking and screaming for him to let me go.

“Mmh looks like we’ve got a feisty one here. We’re going to have so much fun taming you!” He grinned.

“No, please let me go!”

He pulled me out of her closets as I continued struggling to break free of his grasp.

“Giuseppe, aiutami a calmare la nostra esuberante principessa.” (Giuseppe, help me calm down our feisty princess.)

“Si Capo.” (Yes boss.)

I screamed. The needle went in.

“No please no.”

“Nightie, night principessa.”

I struggled until I no longer could, my whole body numbing and I was finally consumed in darkness.

What the hell had they given me?

Giuliano Rossi

I picked up the unconscious body in my arms carrying her to the car. My right hand man Antonio Giuseppe opened the back door of the SUV and I laid her fragile body across the back seat. I knew she would be no problem to us after I drugged her enough to get us back home to Italy.

I slid the door across then got in the passenger side of the SUV, closing the door. I couldn’t help but look at her as Giuseppe pulled away two cars trailing behind and two in front. Can’t be too careful these days, every mafia is after the others’ spot to take away.