The Mafia's Songbird

full of chaos, one mus

to acquire than medicine, and where violence was the answer to everything. A place that

to hold her head above water. And with each passing day, she f

ollege where the bulletin boards are riddled with dozens of warnings, curfew notices, and missing person posters. “You would think living so far aw

e hair she had envied for a long while. “It’s not so bad,

lie fully. “Callie, people have gone missing, and you work as a courtesan servicing those scum I just

luscious chestnut-colored hair swaying with the action. She knew Sienna was only worried. “I don’t like them eit

d Callie in when her parents died in a tragic car accident, fifteen years ago, the same year of The Great Burning.

work at the club. It wasn’t until Callie was thirteen that she decided she wanted to work as a singer. Then, fast-forward s

ve and further her education. In these dark times, a woman must learn to s

ake a great point.” Sienna slides her hand down Callie’s arm to hold her hand. “St

ienna’s expression. “I’ll b

re heading in the opposite direction. “Don’t forget to buy our tickets for the seni

eft alone among the dozens of pairs of eyes staring a

lining their pockets?” Callie muttered to herself, annoy

classmates. Though she tried to sound optimistic for Sienna earlier, Callie

y. Some say it was an accident, while some say it was done by terrorists. But there’s one story people believe the most—the one where a man burned the city

andles around the perimeter of the city to honor those who died. But even then, the city and the surrounding areas became a hotspot for c

backpack and starts to head hom

t today she felt as if something was dragging her feet to go slower. Bu

t when she bumps into a heavy wall of a man. There were no thoughts in Callie’s mind even as she falls to the gro

ion. She proceeded to apologize profusely when she noticed the man dropped his cigarette. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m sor

braced herself for a

ranger walked past Callie, leaving a trail of a delicious scent that could only belong to someone who dripp

a peek of the stranger, only to see h

ed the mysterious man drive away. She didn’t know who the man was, but she could t

ly quiet on their floor, which was unusual given the families living there with their noisy kids. But it w

Shit

“Did he come from my house?” she muttered to herself, but wonde

e from her pocket in one hand and dialed 9-1-1,

hed into her backpack for a small can of pepper

at’s your

for the operator proceeded to tell them her address. “Please sen

rom the apartment for now. Find somewhe

and sprayed the stranger in his eyes. The assailant jumped back, screamin

at’s going

hand before he shook his head and clicked his tongue. His eyes were gray and stared at her with a promi

t evident in his voice, but something shone in

, throwing it against the far wall, crushing it into pieces. It was over before Callie cou

ie screamed as she struggled agains

ain when she landed on her wrist, trying to soften her landing. Tears threatened to

The splatters continued across the kitchen until her eyes found the unmoving lump of flesh leaning heavily onto the

m the floor, “No! Uncle—” only to be stopped

ed Callie’s blood to ice. “Sit down, pretty. I’m not done with dea