CHAPTER 37

MILA

Many years ago… almost thirteen years ago…

“Mommy, will we be safe here?” Mila asked. She had just moved to this new location with her mother and felt excited. The last place she was living with her mother was very bad. Her mother had to keep her hidden in a basement, and she sincerely hoped that this hut, where her mother was putting up their things, had no basement at all.

“Yes, my love, we will be,” her mother spoke lovingly as she pulled up the hood of Mila’s cloak over head to hide her.

“Do I need to hide here as well?” Mila asked, disgruntled.

“We know what happens when someone sees you,” her mother sighed. “You know what happened last time.”

“That bad man saw me…” Mila whispered.

“And?” her mother insisted.

“And you had to kill him!” Mila spoke, wide-eyed.

“And killing is bad,” her mother stressed.

“Killing is bad, but sometimes, we have to do it to protect the ones we love,” Mila chimed happily.

“Yes, my dear. And I love you and there is not a thing I won’t do for you…”