Guns & Roses (EDITING)

Chapter 32

Tatiana

Everything was so dark. I rubbed the corners of my eyes to clear out to the fogginess and the sight took me by surprise.

Hay was everywhere. The familiar smell of a horses' shed filled my nostrils. Standing up from my position, I reached for the wooden panels to support my aching body as I stood up on both feet.

Where was I?

Following the light, I neared the exit until I heard whispers from the back. The little hairs on my back stood up as I slowly turned my head to see nothing but horses looking back at me. When I still saw nothing, I took a step until I heard  a little girl's voice.

Positive that it wasn't just my mind playing tricks on me, I quietly crept towards the farthest shed, careful not to alert whoever was hiding.

Before reaching the last stall, I quickly hid behind a large stack of hay and strained my hearing.

"Hey Tati, stay here and don't come out until I come back okay?" A boy whispered.

Tati?

"But Dimi it's dark in here, I'm scared" the little girl whined, and from the sound of it, was even about to cry.

"Tati don't cry. Remember? You're a brave girl right?" The boy said consoling the kid.

This feels so weird. I honestly feel like I've heard this before.

"Right! I'm a Lunanov and Lunanovs are fiershe!" The little girl said stumbling with her words.

"Oh my god. No way"

I didn't catch what the boy replied since I was to shocked to process what I just heard. I stood up from my hiding spot just as a little boy ran towards the exit with determination etched on his face. He didn't even notice me.

I stood in the shadows and noticed the little girl with her knees up and her head cast down. Suddenly, with renowned courage, she lifted her head up and I stifled a gasp.

The little girl... was actually me.

What the actual fuck?

"I am brave, I am brave" the little girl- I mean little me, said while her hand rested just above her birthmark.

The feeling was so surreal. I can't stop the gnawing feeling that's in my stomach. The feeling that something's about to go terribly wrong.

Suddenly, a crunch was heard and I snapped my head towards that direction.

A man stood in the middle of the entrance with smugness radiating off him. I buried myself deeper in the shadows and held my breath.

Little me was still giving herself a pep talk, a mannerism I didn't know I carried since I was a child.

I wanted to tell her to be quiet but I suddenly lost my voice.

The man entered and when he heard the whispering, he smiled like a maniac and continued further down the stall.

"Oh piccola principessa... come out come out wherever you are" he said tauntingly, the Italian accent quite prominent.

He walked down further until he stood directly in front of the stall and little Tatiana's stunned figure.

"W-who are you?" She asked.