Merlot 2
"my mother was killed...s-she was killed by Vienna? "
Letta was astonished. There was no other way she could escape this tragic fate of hers.She had to escape now
that her life's in danger she thought. But how she's just an eight year old.
she thought about telling Clara and Theo . But what could they do ?
.
.
.
.
As she was busy thinking about her escape she forgot where she was going. she walked and walked
through the empty corridors of the mansion.
Soon she met with an end. she realised that she reached the basement of the mansion.
The place where no one goes.
.
.
there was once a rumour that Leonard warner who was the previous master of the mansion died here in this basement room .
So no one really opened this room. But recently,a few years back ,when Gretta warner died it was used to store her paintings.
scarlet didn't know about this .
She opened the massive door which made a creaking sound as loud as a screaming man. no wonder they called this place haunted.
Letta quietly entered the room.
it was dark and there were no switches which could turn on the light , there was only a candle and a match.
she lit the candle and slowly went down through the wooden steps. the steps were also creaking.
the candle flame which was once unstable became still as the steps ended.
There in the midst of the dust and darkness she saw the paintings of Gretta.
among the several paintings, she saw a few which spiked her interest. it was the paintings of roses .
they weren't normal roses but bloodied roses .
she didn't understand why her mother drew so many paintings of roses.
There were nine paintings each one was named with a beautiful name . the ninth one was called Scarlet. she touched the painting and brushed her hands through dried paint. she whispered " a bloodied rose" .
the blood seeped through the rose petals ,gradually falling on the sharp knife which reflected the sight .
it looked mysteriously beautiful and deadly.
"mother.."
scarlet felt that someone was trying to tell her something. she was engulfed in that thought when she heard a slight creak from behind. "rats?" she murmured , soon she found herself walking towards the direction where she heard the notes. there she saw an empty canvas .
it wasn't exactly empty but it was painted ....red . red like blood.
an unfinished painting...
why didn't her mother complete this painting.As she walked towards the canvas she felt a presence behind.
she shivered but still turned around to know who there was.
It all went blank for her the next moment.
" This brat tried to sneak inside the mansion,i should have had her thrown out earlier"
" mistress what do you want me to do"
" Nuen I don't want her presence here anymore.
Her disappearance wouldn't affect Robert as he barely remembers that she's alive.
killing her would be such a loss . it's better to sell her to some old and wealthy man .
hell surely ravish the hell out of her."
" Mistress I think we better sell her to the loan shark Antonio Ricardo, I heard he likes little girls."
"Well, good for him, send her to his mansion soon .
not even a single ant should know that she's missing "
"if that's what you wish mistresses "
Nuen covered Scarlet with a black cloth and placed her inside the car trunk.
letta had a cloth inserted in her mouth and also had her both hands tied back .
All this time she pretended to be asleep hearing all their conversation. her heart was beating like crazy .
but she kept calm without alerting her enemies.
as soon as she was placed inside the trunk scarlet opened her eyes.
It was all dark. she tried to grab onto something she could find but couldn't find something.
She heard the vehicle taken off .
she needs to escape or else she'll be another girl dying in the hands of the cruel Antonio who would pull her apart and tear her into pieces. Antonio was a sadist, an absolute maniac. he found pleasure in torturing little girls .
That's what she heard from the maids.
the thought of it made her panic .
She tried to simmer down her invasive thoughts before it took over her.
suddenly she found a piece of a broken glass of an alcohol bottle .
she grabbed that glass piece with much effort and started to tear down the rope which restricted her motion.
the rope almost wore down but suddenly the car came into an abrupt stop. the car door opened and closed with a loud creak.
She heard the footsteps of the man walking towards the trunk .
she stopped moving as soon as she heard the sound.
her heart was again frantic. the door opened slowly.right in front stood a man who was as pretty tall . he was in his late thirties.
"stop pretending kitten you're already caught"
hearing his words scarlet opened her eyes.
"W-who are y-you " she asked him stuttering
"I don't have to answer that kitten but you'll surely know it later and nice try on tearing down the rope . you don't have to try anymore"
she was surprised to know that he understood her failed attempt to tear the rope.
soon he had her walk inside a well lit house. it wasn't too big like the mansion Vienna had mentioned soon she realised something.
"y-you are not Antonio's men, neither you are Vienna's. Who exactly are you and what do you want" she queried
"you're smarter than I thought.
just like your mother"
" m-mother! how do you know her?" she interjected.
there was a glint of excitement in her eyes.
" I know." he replied without giving her any clue.
" now come inside, you'll catch a cold if you stay outside for long"
it was the end of autumn and the beginning of winter hence it was freezing cold at night .
The man soon gave her a jacket and walked towards the kitchen which was a few meters away from the living room where she was sitting.
she sat on the couch and warmed herself up.
"what should I call you mister?"
"Victor. you can call me vic"
Victor grabbed two cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows and walked towards the couch . his eyes on her and her eyes on the cup.
He handed over the cup.
she sipped the hot chocolate slowly though she was eager to finish it.
he chuckled at her actions and brushed her silky smooth hair. she looked at him and shot him a wonderful smile .
she asked " uncle Vic I still don't know who you are and why you saved me "
" why do you think I saved you? I didn't say that i would protect you or anything "
her smile faltered "b-but you don't seem like a bad person so w-why would you do any harm to me moreover you know my mother"
"i only said I know your mother but I didn't say that I was her friend. Couldn't I be a foe?"
he interjected
"b-but-you said-"
" I'm not gonna make your little head go buzzing . I'm not a foe but I wanted to make a deal with you scarlet Warner "
" With m-me ,why would you"
"allow me to explain. your mother was a good friend of mine . she was a princess back when she was still in Princeton. Her smile never faltered but that was until your father Robert caught her sight. your mother was truly a beauty. her beautiful almond eyes and her luscious hairs but not just her hair but her whole charector was a charming one but it was soon going to be tarnished by Robert. he never intended to treat your mother with
respect. He wanted her wealth as well as her. Gretta's mother died when she was very young and her father was old and couldn't handle the buisness anymore. Gretta was his only daughter and he cherished her. he handed her along with his business over to Robert . But later when she realised that he had a family it was too late. her father died the same year as their marriage hence the consequences she had to face were inevitable. the rest you know it too"
" my mother.....she was killed by Vienna "
" we can't say that yet dear there's something I have to make sure before that do you wanna avenge your mother then you should stay with me, listen to me and forget about everything.all your relatives,relations . will you?"
letta didn't hesitate. She had a fire burning in her eyes and he could see it . without hesitating she agreed to him.
he said " the path to redemption was long and harsh .
it will rain and storms will pull you off the ground. would even drown but all you have to do is hold on .
hold on tight to your aim and do not flinch even if you're shot"
soon it had begun .
An innocent girl who's innocent smile that didn't hide anything is now hiding something more agressive.
something like fire . burning every one and thing , burning every inch of the one staring. Scarlet will see blood . scarlet will be burning red . Scarlet will bleed scarlet blood.