The Red Nights

•••

" Someone is knocking on the door " Don shouted from a little space near the living room he had converted into his small office, " Do you have an idea who might it be? " he asked his fiancee.

" No, but don't interrupt your work for that I'll go open " Volga responded while going out from their bedroom, " I have the feeling it's for me anyway ".

She reached the handle of the door and when she opened it she found the young man, Andre, standing there before her. " Why am I not surprised? " he just had the time to open his mouth when she replied herself " don't bother yourself to answer. So... why are you here, our training session is only within two hours? "

" The situation changed and I'm so sorry to ask you so much but I think I need more than one hour of shooting practice " Andre replied and as expected from that vague reply it just ended up more but confusing Volga.

She asked him to repeat but to be more clear at that time, that was when Don appeared behind her with his kind smile, " Well, why don't you just enter in? I pretty sure your explanation would be more clear when we sit around a table, and that's good timing since we were about to have our lunch.

The young man gazed at Volga as if to ask for permission to stay, the woman shrugged as she said " well, he's right and I'm sure you are hungry, aren't you? "she moved aside of the door to let him enough space to enter while extending her arm towards the inside as if to show him the way.

Andre nodded and he timidly went in the apartment

Volga pushed him to the dining room and forced him to have a seat.

Volga was fully aware that since the young man lost all his souvenirs he naturally had a problem with socializing but what she couldn't understand is that, though they, in fact, didn't spend so much time together, she estimated that they were both at least enough close for him to see her as a familiar person and thus be at ease around her. [ Maybe he had problems with socializing even before losing his memory ] she guessed.

Don made it back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room to take the plates and the food and after he placed everything on the table he went to take his place. Once he sat down Volga moved her seat closer to his.

As they started eating Don tried his best to engage the discussion by asking Andre about how he felt staying in Stainfall and if he could manage to accommodate himself to that lifestyle. As he didn't want to seem rude, especially before someone as kind as Don, Andre responded with courteously at each of his questions but he never extended his replies and whenever he gave a reply the couple would glance at each other as they understood that the man was purposely avoiding to go to much in the details.

In the end, they finished eating in silence.

" Well, what about telling us why you came visiting me? " Volga asked once everyone had emptied their plates and put down their utensils.

Andre was a little reluctant to talk since he promised Jamal and the others that he would stay quiet about the danger menacing the city so he couldn't how to formulate the request he was about to ask the woman without explanation.

While he was taking his time to think all the attention of the couple was centered on him, it lasted a quite short moment before he finally raised his head and said " I... I made an important bet with Jamal and I somehow came to ask for help to win against him- ".

" Impossible " Volga cut him and replied straight.

" But- " Andre tried to negotiate but Volga completely inflexible in her reply, " Listen, boy, I'm trying to be mean by telling you that but you've just chosen the wrong person to compete with," she said, " just inform you that even I am not even sure I would be able to win against him in whatever discipline while recognizing that I'm pretty strong myself, without trying to be arrogant ".

" But you didn't let me finish " Andre finally grabbed that chance to explain himself, " I won't be competing against him directly, but Carla instead, in a match of paintball ".

" That's too is impossible " she repeated with the same calm tone, as he was looking at her blurred by her reply she explained her point " that girl has been well trained for a longer period of time than yours she has good instinct, very sharp at finding good strategy in a battle, highly skilled in the manipulation of firearms and not forgetting the most important part is that she had a lot more experience in real-life combats. Do you any talent which would counter those qualities of her? "

"... ", he remained silent and Volga assumed that he understood and agreed with her arguments but when she was about to pass to another subject Andre said, " that's more than a simple duel or a simple bet ".

He looked at her and repeated that sentence and in his eyes, one could see how motivated he was, though he realized the difference of strength and skills between the opponent and him he hadn't given up and was still holding on the small percentage of the chance to win no matter how tiny that chance. And those strong feelings of his, Don didn't miss to notice them. He took his bride-to-be's hand in his and told her " I'm sure you saw as well as that spark in his eyes, didn't you? That boy is motivated and he deserves to be given a chance " he smiled " and I'm sure you're bored staying here all-day watching me writing about other people's dreams and fear, am I wrong? "

" But I love staying here and spending time with you " She replied to him while holding tightly his hand.

" Not more than I do " Don paused, he raised her hand drew it closer to his mouth and he kissed it, " but you know when I proposed to marry you I didn't mean to kidnap you, holding you in my apartment and keep you away from all what would make you happy. Don't hold back, go have some fun playing with guns and lend this boy a hand, I will always here waiting for you ".

Volga stayed a long moment staring at his lover's face and suddenly surrounded his neck with her arms and kissed him savagely.

" Andre go wait for me... outside, let me prepare myself and I will join in a few minutes," she told him in hurry between two breaths while still kissing Don.

The young man didn't need more explanations as he immediately understood what was going on, so he jumped out from his chair and quickly walked towards the exit, and the time he reached the door piece of clothes were flying here and there in the apartment.

He was sitting on the hallway his knees bent close to his c.h.e.s.t and back resting on the wall just in front of the apartment when the door got opened at least one half an hour later. Volga came out his clothes changed as she then dressed in a tracksuit, she was out of breath with her cheeks slightly pink and as she walked in the hallway she was rearranging her messy hair.

" Didn't you bring your weapon with you? " she asked him as they left the building.

" No, I didn't think we would use it today " he replied, a bit embarrassed.

" Well, though it will be a match of paintball you have to keep in mind that it would be just like fighting in a real battlefield ", she finally finished brushing her hair with her hand, she patted Andr's back and told him with a smile, " let's pass by your home to take your gun and we will go continue your training ".

And so they went to his home and while Volga was waiting for him at the foot of the building he ran up to his apartment he entered and rushed to his room to go pick up the gun Volga had offered him. When he was about to leave the apartment he passed by Matteo's room which was closed.

Normally, he doesn't pay attention or rather, he was never aware of the presence of the young boy since the most of the time he's outside busy with work and when he's at home he would always be calm and quiet which made their apartment reassembling to a cemetery as it was very calm and silent.

However, that day, Andre was surprised to notice that Matteo was there since he could hear noises coming from his room. He got closer to his door and stuck his ear on it so he could hear more clearly. He realized that it was very improper to spy on him that way but he found the noises coming from his room very odd and he couldn't hold back his senses of curiosity, so he stayed focus and started to listen carefully.

He recognized Matteo's voice and he seemed to have a conversation with someone or rather he was m.o.a.ning words to someone as if someone was harassing him while he was trying to talk. [ What is this? ] Andre asked himself as he had difficulties to comprehend the situation. He gave in to his curiosity and decided to have a look, he turned his and peeked inside through the keyhole.

He took a few minutes to be able to distinguish the inside and finally he found Matteo lying on his bed or at least his legs which were the only part Andre could see.

[ He's sleeping ] he concluded. But as he continued observing him he noticed that the feet of the boy didn't stop moving frenetically and his m.o.a.ns became louder and louder, he was talking in a way that Andre couldn't understand what he was saying, at a moment he successfully grasped four words which he managed to interpret a meaning, " I won't let you " he thought Matteo said.

He stopped peeking and stood still, at that moment he started to really feel like he should be spying him. Andre just concluded that Matteo was having a nightmare which explained his agitated sleep, he carried his gun and he went off.

" You took your time," Volga said when she saw him coming out of the building, " what happened you couldn't see where you had left it? "

The young man shook his head and scratched the back of his neck, " no, it's just... it's just that Matteo seemed to have a bad dream so I wanted to check on him ".

" Oh, I see. Is he okay? "

" I hope he will be " he shrugged and replied, " his door was closed so I couldn't do anything special for him but I think it won't take him to much time to wake up ".

Volga nodded, " Don has told me that there are many citizens having nightmares relating to what happened 2 years ago and that's it's really difficult to heal those traumas. You should advise him to come to see him, he may be able to do something for him ".

" What happened 2 years ago? " Andre repeated with a very low voice while wondering, his face turned to the ground.

" Well, we have enough wasted our precious time so let's get going " she pushed him enthusiastically taking him out from his wondering, he raised his head surprised, he looked at her and nodded while drawing a slight and discrete smile. " When is your match, by the way? " the woman asked him.

" Jamal decided that it would be in two days ".

" What! " Volga shouted in surprise, Andre turned towards her interrogative eyes and the latter forced a smile before she told him to not worry in order to not disturb his concentration as well as his confidence. [ But I swear to God, Jamal is really trying to complicate me the task ] she thought for herself.

•••

On his bed, Matteo was still there shaking of all his body, big drops of sweat were running on his forehead, in fact, he was sweating from his whole body so much that even his shirt was soaking and was sticking to his skin.

His face was distorted by grimaces as if he was in pain and that could as well be observed on how tight he was clenching his teeth and his fists.

But the real challenge was happening within his mind where he was opposing an enemy he didn't expect to face so soon.

In there, his pain was real and he wasn't hesitating to scream it loud enough to wake up his whole building.

" You very are tough kid, I will give you that," said the mysterious person under her hood as she was holding Matteo's neck, " but until when will you be able to hold it, huh? Sooner or later, I will win so why not give up and spare yourself from unnecessary pain ".

Matteo was panting and even there inside his head, he was also sweating. He was suspended in the air of that completely dark place, his arms extended to both sides, his feet attached together by what it seemed to be an invisible cord but the most spectacular detail was that his n.a.k.e.d upper part of his body was thrust by many metallic sticks in a way that if it was in the reality there would have been no chance for him to remain alive.

Despite the pain and the pressure she was exerting on his neck, Matteo managed to extend his lips to reveal a tired mocking smile, " what did you say? unnecessary pain? Do you think... I didn't notice that you were in a hurry? Acting like you were taking your time to torture me... just to try to fool me but you see, I'm not the kind to show off but I'm pretty smart... so you can stop lying and tell the truth that your time out here is limited... that's why you need me, huh? "

The mysterious person didn't reply and though he could see only a small part of her face Matteo, anyway, notice that he made her mad. She made appear another metallic still with a sharp edge and she thrust it slowly in the lower part of Matteo's abdomen making him scream louder than before.

" Don't think you have won boy. I have observed you as well and I can tell that you are not strong you are just acting brave but in reality, you are just an afraid little boy boy " the mysterious person started to say while still maintaining her grip on the stick, " as long as you would have that power of yours and as long as you will continue using it I'm gonna keep finding you and I promise you that no matter how limited my time with you is limited I will pay attention to always making it feel more painful than the previous one. I told you, sooner or later you will no longer be able to keep this up and you will abandon the control of your mind to me ".

She finally let loose the grip she had on his neck and on the metallic stick still planted on his abdomen and she progressively let go of him and started stepping back.

Suddenly the invisible cords which were maintaining Matteo in the air, as well as all the sticks which planted on the upper part of his body, disappeared, making him fall down hard. On his knees, he raised his head to see the mysterious hooded person as she slowly disappearing in the darkness of that sort of dimension.

" I can't wait to meet you again... boy," her voice echoed before she was completely gone.

Suddenly, Matteo woke up on his bed and instinctively without really thinking he made his body rolling on the side of the bed, he fell on the ground and while standing on his two hands and two knees he started throwing up for not less than one minute and he stayed on that position for some minutes again before he could be able to stand up. The souvenir of what happened in his mind, or whatever was that dimension, commenced emerging, he was not able to hold it anymore and he started crying.