Metanoia

Chapter 7

We sit in the hotel awaiting any update from Dante or Arlo. My leg nervously shakes as I think about the fact that they could be coming back with good news or they could come back just to tell us that they still can't find her.

My eyelids become heavy as I try to fight sleep. I've been having nightmares lately, about Darcy. They always end the same, her begging for me to held her but I can't get to her.

The guilt has been unbearable lately. I've always acknowledged that Darcy's disappearance was somewhat my fault, it was my basketball game that caused my father to leave her behind that night. I just pray that she'll forgive me and if she doesn't I'll spend everyday trying to make it up to her.

The sound of Lorenzo's phone ringing pulls me out of my thoughts. He picks up immediately, placing the phone to his ear and for the first time in the past week I see a glint of hope light up his eyes again. He practically jumps out of his chair, causing us to do the same.

"Get your shoes on and grab a weapon they'll be here in two minutes," He rushes out, storming to his room. We do as we're told and make our way to the entrance of the hotel, duffle bag in hand.

The familiar black van is already parked with Arlo driving and Dante next to him, the door slides open revealing an agitated Alonzo as he beckons us to hurry up. We all pile in the back, sitting down on the little benches. Lorenzo is the last one in before the door slams shut and we're speeding down the road.

When Arlo and Dante returned to the hotel last week claiming that this orphanage was the most disgusting building they'd ever been in I thought the were over exaggerating but as I climb up the rotting old steps I can't help but agree. The putrid smell of vomit and feces hit my nose before we even enter the door, judging from the grimaces on my brothers faces they smell it too.

Not bothering to knock, Arlo enters the house with us following suit. On the left there's a kitchen which is filled with what looks like hundreds of unwashed plates and rotting food littering the floor.

While on the right, three men and a woman are spread out across the sofa, clearly high out of their mind. There's no children in sight accept a young boy who's passed out behind the sofa. I look down at my phone and realize that it's almost midnight so I assume most of them are in bed.

With no children in sight, Lorenzo who is clearly already enraged storms over to one of the men, picking him up by the collar. "Darcy Russo. Where is she." He asks simply but his tone is deadly. "Darcy? Never heard of her," He slurs, finding the conversation amusing as he lets out a chuckle.

Alonzo cocks his gun and places it to his forehead while Romeo pulls out a machete. "We won't ask again," Dante interjects. "I said I don't k-" the mans sentence is cut off by a high pitch scream which is quickly muffled by Lorenzo's hand. Romeo had sliced off two of his fingers in one motion.

If there's one thing you should know about my youngest brother is that he's a bit of a sociopath. Lorenzo has always tried to prevent Angelo, Luca and Romeo from participating in anything mafia related but Romeo just won't stay away. It's like he gets a thrill out of seeing others suffer.

Romeo points the machete at one of the other men, "Now you- " He begins, but is interrupted. "Yes, fuck man she's here," He stutters out, clearly panicked as he stares at the fingers on the ground.

He bolts up and leads us through a very dark hallway. At one point Luca almost screams when a rat the size of a dog brushed up against his leg.

Most of the rooms are shut but a few remain wide open, revealing absolutely tiny rooms with three or more kids stacked in them.

"You know, I don't even know why you want that one," He mumbles. After earning no reply from us he started rambling. "We have plenty of better options, she doesn't even talk."

This raises our curiosity but before we can ask any questions he drunkenly continues "Four years working her and I haven't ever heard her talk, not once," He slurs. "I have no idea why Dimitri likes her so much," He trails off before stopping and opening a door revealing an immaculate, well decorated room.

"Where is she?" Lorenzo questions, his eyes drifting from the empty room back to the drunken man.

"Who knows, that one comes and goes," He says dismissively.

"What business has a nine year old got doing out at this time of night?" Dante interjects angrily.

"I don't know but she'll be back," He shrugs before wondering away.

The room is so small that we needed to strategically plan the way we entered. The youngest entered first, the three of them sitting side by side on Darcy's perfectly made bed. I join them while Lorenzo, Arlo, Dante and Alonzo leaned against the door and wall.

We wait for hours, spending the time looking at her stuff. I feel bad for invading her privacy but I'm desperate to know anything about my little sister.

The first thing we notice is that every available space on the wall is covered in a piece of artwork. She was genuinely amazing, and not just the amazing you tell a kid even if they hand you a shit drawing. She was really good.

We spend at least half an hour looking at her pieces of art, most if not all being inspired by nature.

The second thing I notice is the basket full of cleaning supplies, a peculiar thing for a nine year old to own. She also has her own plates and cutlery all neatly stacked. "It looks like we have another Luca," I mumble, motioning towards the cleaning supplies which earns a laugh from Arlo.

Luca is an obsessive cleaner which drives Arlo crazy because he's a lazy slob.

Time goes by as we continue to talk about her, discussing all the places we're going to take her and all the things we're going to buy her. Lorenzo just stares out of the window, clearly anxious about the stormy weather that she's out in right now. We're all worried but Dante reminds him that we can't do anything until she gets back.

We carry on talking while Angelo skims through her cds until suddenly we hear the loud creaking of the old window opening.