THE EAGLE'S DEBT

Dark clouds rolled across the sky like an approaching army, heavy and threatening. Thunder rumbled in the distance, a low warning of the storm’s arrival. Panic tears streamed down her face as she came face to face with a monster, the knife in his hand dripped with fresh blood. This was a nightmare she desperately wished to wake up from. Rose had hidden behind the corner, both hands pressed tightly over her mouth. She struggled to keep still even though every second felt like an eternity. The rain and wind combined into a furious assault slapping her face and soaking her clothes. The masked man had her parents choked and broken with pain. He shifted his gaze toward a sudden sound then his phone rang snapping him out of his thoughts. “Boss.” “Finish them.” The call ended. He dragged both of her parents into the store, pouring fuel over everything. He picked up his lighter and set the place on fire. Fear crawled down Rose’s spine like ice-cold fingers as her pulse raced uncontrollably. Those were her parents, she watched them killed and burned. When it was over, the masked man approached the scene one last time. He left a clear symbol of an eagle on the bloody ground before disappearing into the storm. “Mom? Dad?” she whispered, then yelled in agony but no one answered, only the roaring fire and the relentless rain replied. Tears burned behind her eyes refusing to fall despite the unbearable pain. By tomorrow the authorities would come to investigate. They would probably place her in a foster home, she would rather go to her cruel aunty's place or maybe she was going to change her identity and start a new life just as her family would have wanted. As she ran, the emptiness inside her felt endless. Her heart was painfully heavy and weighed down by unspoken grief. She paused only for a moment, gathering the last of her courage before forcing herself to keep moving. The world seemed to end around her through the rain. Thunder rolled across the sky like distant war drums, growing louder with every passing minute. Lightning zigzagged across the clouds in brilliant flashes of white and blue making her shiver harder with fear. *Present* Her alarm yelled through the room for the fifth time that morning. Rose groaned aloud, still trapped in the leftover fog of her everyday nightmare. She struggled out of bed and moved toward the curtains and pulling them open. “Beautiful morning” she murmured. A fresh morning breeze drifted through the open window, carrying the soft scent of blooming flowers. Sunlight spilled into every corner of the room chasing away the last of the shadows and replacing them with gentle warmth. It felt like the perfect beginning to an ordinary yet peaceful day. She quickly freshened up before stepping out of her room. “Hey, Isabel!” Isabel stopped for a second, smiling as she admired the morning light. “Sei così bella, lo sai?” (“you're so beautiful you know that?") she said in a smooth Italian accent. Isabel was a married woman in her mid-twenties. Rose had been living with her and her husband temporarily. “Grazie, Isa.” (“Thank you, Isa") Rose managed to say with a small smile. “So, what’s the plan for today?” “I have an interview at 12 PM. And before that, I need a latte.” Isabel laughed, rolling her eyes as she handed Rose a neatly packed lunch. “Leo would soon be leaving, I mean you can tag along if you want.” Rose frowned slightly. She hated the idea of troubling the man. “Besides, he doesn’t mind at all. You’ve been living here since forever.” “Yeah… but I still feel like he has a problem with it. You know you two can’t really… have intense s****l activities because of me.” Her fingers twisted together beneath the table trying to hide how anxious she felt. “Relax, babes. We’re having amazing s*x like always.” “Did I just hear ‘s*x’?” Rose turned toward the mirror just as Leo walked in, knotting his tie after placing his suitcase on the counter. “Don’t mind us,” Isabel said lightly. “Rose is just overthinking.” Rose said nothing, she simply tapped her knee and focused on her cup of latte, pretending to be absorbed in drinking. “Come on Rose, let’s go” Leo said. He kissed Isabel goodbye, and the two of them headed out to the car. The ride was unusually quiet with a soft 90s romantic song playing in the background. When he finally pulled up by the park, he looked at her before she stepped out. “Sei sempre il benvenuto. Non mi dai fastidio. Puoi restare per sempre.” (“you're always welcome. And I'm not complaining. You can stay forever “) A real smile spread across Rose’s lips as she stepped out of the car, feeling a little lighter. As long as she could stay.