Where the Sun Sets
Antonia watched as the two figures walked off hand in hand. Behind her there
were voices. She turned around only to be engulfed in the darkness once more. The
voices were coming from the left. She listened with her eyes, trying to locate some
light. Once she found the source she crept slowly towards it. Once again she found
a door. She fought to keep her hand by her side. The voices outside the door were
painfully familiar. She did not want to open the door, so she just stood there,
listening with her eyes.
The door opened without her help and her father stepped through it. "What's
the matter with your hand there little woman, broken or something? You open that
door when you hear me calling. Juliet, where are you dammit? Little woman, where is
your mamma?"
Antonia just stood there, looking at the figure still standing in the doorway.
The light was very bright behind the figure, so one could not make out any
distinguishing features. Juliet came running, pressing the sides of her dress down
with her hands.
"Sorry sir, I did not hear you come in. How was your day?" Juliet's eyes
jumped between Antonia and the figure standing in the doorway.
Salvatore relinquished his anger as he invited the stranger into his home.
"Well kid, what did I tell ya? Huh? Are they not the most beautiful closures ever
seen? Tell me whatcha think." Salvatore motioned with his hand towards his wife.
"This here is Juliet. And the little woman there is Antonia." Salvatore never
considered his wife or daughter as individuals. To him they were property and he let
outsiders know this as well. Antonia's eye's never left the stranger. He was dirty
and carried an odor which summoned up bile. He walked into the house and towards
Antonia, who involuntarily took a step or two backwards. Her father immediately
picked up on this and quickly stepped up behind her. He jabbed at her back with
something sharp and she froze in response.
"Are ya scared of me?" The stranger asked, while he tilted his head in every
direction so as to get a better look at her. "Do I scare you?" Again the sharp
object rammed her in the back.
"No sir, you don't scare me."
"Good, I wouldn't want to scare you." The stranger kept his stare on Antonia as
he spoke to her father.
"Yes Sal, I think we can do some business here. Shall we begin?"
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