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I breathe a sigh of relief once it’s out of me, but then my blood begins pouring out. Serafina presses a rag to my arm to staunch the bleeding.
With shaky fingers, she grabs the needle and tries to put the thread to it, but her hands are not cooperating.
A bang sounds on the door.
We all let out gasps of fear.
“Serafina, hurry,” Adelina says. “We need to find a way out of here.”
Serafina concentrates on getting the thread through the needle, but she keeps missing. I feel myself weakening, becoming lightheaded from blood loss. Another bang sounds on the door. It won’t take long for that dresser to get pushed out of the way again.
“Got it,” Serafina says, grabbing my arm and pulling the bloody rag away. “Sorry. I’ve never done this before.”
“I trust you,” I tell her, gritting my teeth as she slips the needle into my skin. Slowly, she stitches me the gash.
But the banging gets louder, and the dresser begins to shake.
“Hurry,” Adelina says.
“I’m trying,” Serafina says. I hold still and let her work. “There.” She snips the thread, closing the wound. “You won’t bleed out, at least, but you’re going to need antibiotics, I’m sure. We have to get you to the hospital.”
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to get to the hospital today,” I remark as someone bangs into the door again, and this time, the dresser topples over.
“Is Dario dead?” Adelina asks. “Are we going to die?”
A sudden calmness takes over me. “I’m probably going to. But you two should be safe. My father has no reason to come after you.” I push myself up and walk to the door.
“Pia, no!” Serafina shouts. “Don’t die to save us.”
“I have to try.”
The door flies open, and I’m face to face with my father.
“Hello there, Pia.” His tough voice sends shivers over me. “Time to take you back home.”
“No,” Serafina shouts, running over. She lands a punch square to my father’s nose. He coughs, backing up, clutching at his face. Then she slams the door shut and locks it.
“Serafina, what …?”
She grabs my arms. “You’re not going with him. He’s going to kill you. I might have just lost my brother, and I’m not about to lose another family member.”
“I’m family to you?”
She shakes me. “Obviously.” Of course, in true Serafina fashion, she says it like I’m stupid. “So don’t die for us. There has to be a way out of here.”
“We’re on the second story,” Adelina reminds her. “And both Pia and I are hurt.”
My father bangs into the door, rattling the doorknob, and his voice carries through the door as he threatens, “I’m going to kill all of you for that little stunt.”
Serafina runs over to the balcony and heads outside. “We could climb down this. There’s a trellis. What other choice do we have?”
Adelina and I share a look before we both nod. I help Adelina stand up, and the two of us limp over to the balcony.
“At least we’re in pain together,” she jokes even as she winces.
“I’m glad I have you two.” I look between them. “It means a lot. To have a real family.”
Serafina nods, then motions for us to go over the balcony. “There’s the trellis. We can reach over and grab it. I’ll go first in case you guys fall and I need to catch you.” She shimmies over the edge and reaches the trellis, then begins to climb down. Once she reaches the bottom, she gives us a thumbs up.
