Chapter 14 - The First Word
The secret tunnel was suffocatingly narrow, smelling heavily of damp earth, old mold, and ancient secrets. Valeria crept forward in absolute darkness, keeping one hand firmly on the rough stone wall to guide her, while her other arm securely held Mateo against her side.
They walked in terrifying silence for what felt like hours. The muffled, violent sounds of the mansion's destruction faded away, replaced by the dripping of water and their own ragged breathing.
Suddenly, Valeria’s foot caught on an uneven stone. She stumbled, falling hard onto her bruised ribs. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and the flashlight she had blindly grabbed from the cellar rolled away, clicking on as it hit the ground, casting a weak, yellow beam into the gloom.
Mateo immediately dropped to his knees beside her, his small hands gently touching her face in the dark, checking if she was badly hurt.
“I’m okay, brave boy,” Valeria whispered, wincing as she sat up. “I’m just a little tired.”
Mateo stared at her in the dim light. He looked at the bruises on her arms, the dirt on her face, and the absolute determination in her eyes. For two years, he had been entirely locked inside a prison of profound silence, too terrified to speak in a world full of monsters. But this poor maid had bled for him. She had fought for him. She had not abandoned him to the fire.
Mateo’s small chest heaved. His throat worked furiously, swallowing hard against the massive psychological block that had kept him mute.
“V-Val…”
Valeria froze completely. She stopped breathing, staring at the little boy in absolute shock.
“Valeria,” Mateo whispered, his voice incredibly raspy and small, like a rusty hinge finally moving.
Tears immediately flooded Valeria’s eyes. She pulled him into a fierce, desperate embrace, kissing the top of his head again and again.
“I’m here, Mateo,” she cried softly. “I’m right here.”
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“He is bad,” Mateo whispered into her shoulder, finally speaking his terrifying truth aloud. “Héctor is bad. He hurt Mama.”
“I know, sweetheart,” Valeria promised fiercely. “And I swear to God, he will never hurt you again.”
