One [2]

My eyes flew open as I gasped for breath. I flailed my arms, spat, coughed, and cursed. I quickly scanned my room, looking for the dirty bastard that tried to drown me.1

"Wake up goddammit!" my little brother screamed.2

"I'm awake, I'm awake!" I assured him, and realized what he had said. "Jacob, where did you learn that word?"3

"What word?"4

"Goddamn"5

"Oh! Mommy used to say it."6

"Okay, just don't say it anymore."7

"Alrighty."8

"And no more trying to kill me, either," I added with a sideways smile; he blushed. Gosh, this is just swell. Two and a half months of running from the inescapable and he's already turned into a homicidal maniac.9

"Audrey?" he asked apprehensively.10

"Yeps?" I replied, never breaking his stare.11

"How much longer until we can be with mommy again?"12

"Well...you see, Jakie..." ah, crap; I should've known this was coming. Why hadn't I prepared? Simple: because I really didn't want to be in this situation. Seeing the discomfort on my face, he came towards me.13

”Never mind," and he skipped away to play in the rocks.14

My head was throbbing from my near-death experience and my back was cramped from sleep. If you didn't know, the tube slide at the park is not the best place for a good night's rest.15

"Jake?"16

"What?"17

"Lets go see what Faz has for us today."18

Faz, short for Fagioli (pronounced 'Faz-ool'), is our only friend. He supplies us with food and, on rare occasions, gives us hot chocolate to warm us up.19

"Keepz the blood a-flowing," he's known to say.20

Aside from owning his own restaurant, Fagioli was named for the most musical of foods: the bean. Being Italians, his parents wanted to keep Italy in their life after they moved. What better way than to christen their American-born son with something in Italian? Personally, I would fill a glass jar with dirt from my home if i wanted to keep it close to heart. Or, if I wanted to play the Name Game, choose something like Vita, meaning life, or Cacciatore, meaning Hunter.21

As we made our way through Little Italy, I was relieved to find that the sun was out today. Hopefully, there wouldn't be any unwanted guests.22

"Hey-ya! There's my leetle hermitz!" Faz greeted us as usual; his wide smile inferior only to his glistening eyes. "What-a deed I tell you about a-coming to-a my shop-a? Don' look so-a timid! You're-a always a-welcome here-a!"23

Jake and I felt smiles creep "up-a" to our cheeks and we giggled at Faz's accent. We were gently ushered into the bar and given rare delicacies: Caramel Italian Crème Sodas with whipped cream and a side of Gelato. Shocked expressions flew to our faces and we dove for the treats, but Faz blocked us.24

"Ah-ah-ah," He said, shaking his head, "The lunch-a ferst." Out of the kitchen came a small bowl of fettuccini and two slices of pepperoni and garlic pizza. "Now, who getz-a what?"25

Never before had faz treated us so kindly. I was apprehensive to indulge in his generosity but my hunter was screaming at me and, oh! the food smelled so good!26

"Leetle misses," Faz whispered to me, "Faz needs to a-talk to youse." We made our way through the restaurant and to his office.27

"Audrey...I know who you are."