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Today marks the end of the year and the end of an eight-year journey, burdened with filth and things I cannot bear to think about.
I am writing my last note now, at 11:40 p.m. Everyone is asleep, and only I and my mind are stuck in a maze with no way out. After all these years, I can finally say: this is the beginning of the end.
A small lamp on the desk casts a dim golden light on my face, giving me pleasant warmth in the snowy season.
As soon as I finished writing, I slowly closed the notebook and put it, along with the rest of my belongings, in a black bag I had hidden away, especially for this day.
Maldo changed his black clothes for another black outfit, wearing a high-necked blouse that hid the prominent scars on his skin, and over it a long jacket that reached his knees.
When he was done, he picked up a broken mirror to see his reflection. His hair had grown long, tangled, and messy down to his lower back, covering half his disfigured face.
As he stared, a fog formed behind him in the mirror, slowly revealing Luca's figure. Maldo quietly placed the mirror on the table and turned around.
Luca's features had not changed much despite the passage of time, but his dark aura had grown more intense.
"It seems the time has come... my little one," Luca said with a slight smile, raising his hand to run his fingers through his hair.
"I don't think 'little one' suits me anymore. We're almost the same height now... my swan." Maldo raised his eyebrow sarcastically and replied.
Luca let out a grumbling sigh and threw himself onto the bed.
"Unfortunately... I miss your little version."
At that moment, Maldo sensed soft footsteps approaching the hallway. He fixed his gaze on the door, waiting expectantly. As soon as it opened, Daniel appeared, just as he had expected.
As soon as his eyes met Maldo's, he said,
"Oh... Are you ready?"
"Yes... I've got everything ready. Today, I'm going to put an end to this farce." Maldo replied without hesitation.
But Daniel smiled his usual calm smile.
"No... there's still something you haven't done," he said, pointing at him.
Surprise flashed across Maldo's face, and he asked,
"What else is there?"
Daniel approached slowly, raised his hand gently, and placed it on Maldo's head.
"First of all... we have to get rid of this messy hair," he said sarcastically.
This excited Luca, who sat on his knees on the bed.
"Come on, let's get rid of this hair."
Daniel raised his thumb high, signaling his approval of Luca's support.
Yes... Daniel could see Luca too, and at that moment, when Maldo began his plan to build himself up, he confessed to Daniel the truth about Luca's existence and what he was.
"No... not my hair," Maldo exhaled with annoyance.
But his protest was futile. Luca's joke had turned into determination, and he tightened his grip on Maldo's shoulders, pinning him to the chair, while Daniel leaned toward his head with shiny scissors between his fingers. With the first cut, dark strands scattered on the floor.
With each strand that fell, Maldo said goodbye to a part of his past, letting it fade away with his heavy breaths.
Ah... my hair, farewell.
Daniel finished his task, then handed him the mirror with a satisfied smile.
"Look now, you're more handsome."
Maldo contemplated his reflection. It wasn't the same face he was used to seeing; his hair was now short, almost to his neck, with a neat fringe hanging down, revealing features strangely unfamiliar.
He reached out and ran his fingers over the prominent burn scar.
"I'll try to get used to this look. "
Luca interrupted the moment.
"Come on, let's go. Time is running out... The start of the year is just around the corner, guys."
The two nodded and began to get ready. Maldo picked up his bag and handed it to Daniel.
"As agreed, we'll meet outside," Maldo said.
"Be careful not to hurt yourself," said Daniel.
Maldo accepted his words with open arms. Then he left with Luca, leaving behind the room that had witnessed his first farewell.
The corridors were quiet, broken only by the bitter cold and the echo of Maldo's rapid footsteps. He dashed until he stopped in front of a dark black door with a wooden sign on it, written in sarcastic letters: "Get out of here, you fools."
It was Enzo's room.
Maldo didn't wait long. He kicked the door violently until it came off its hinges.
Enzo jumped up from his sleep, his eyes wide, searching for the cause.
"Damn it! What the..."
But the words stopped when he saw Maldo.
He smiled a suspicious smile and jumped towards him.
"Hello..."
He kneed Enzo in the head, knocking him off the bed.
"Maldo!! You bastard, what are you doing?!" Enzo shouted.
But as soon as he tried to move, he felt a weight crushing him to the ground, the cause unknown. Luca was crouched on his back, immobilizing him.
"Look at your face... You look beautiful," Maldo said, pointing to the scars that covered Enzo's face.
Enzo opened his mouth to respond, but the muzzle of the gun pressed against his shoulder. And it fired.
"Shhh... Today you have no right to speak."
At that moment, Enzo tried to scream, but Luca covered his mouth with his hand, leaving him completely terrified. He had no choice but to be afraid; today he felt what he had suspected for a long time: Maldo was strange, different from everything he knew.
His breathing quickened, and Maldo gave him no chance to rest, but signaled to Luca with a clear gesture, understood without words: "It's your turn."
As for Luca, excitement lit up his face, for he had been waiting for this opportunity. He raised his hands, and dark threads emerged, entangling themselves like a spider's web around Enzo, pulling him in tightly.
"What... what is this?!" Enzo shouted, his eyes scanning his body, but he saw nothing.
He only felt something holding him tightly, restricting his movement.
"This... is the rope of your destiny," Maldo whispered in his ear.
Maldo grabbed the rope with an iron fist and pulled him violently across the floor of the room until he reached the outside. He headed towards the square that had witnessed bloody events and repeated injustices over the years.
He threw his first victim into the middle of the square, tied him tightly to an ancient pillar, and then stepped back.
"Where are you going, you bastard?" Enzo shouted, his voice echoing throughout the square.
"The magnificent scene must be complete before I can finish my work," he replied.
He meant that he would now head to Don Dante, his second victim.
When he arrived at Don's office, he stopped in front of the armed guard near the door. His surprise was evident, as he was struck by a wave of panic when he felt a dark aura emanating from Maldo.
Maldo raised his arm for a moment, and the guard opened fire mercilessly, then calmly made his way toward the office.
Meanwhile, Don was smoking his cigar and reading some files when his eyes caught sight of Maldo. He fell from his chair in shock, then got up to find himself face to face with Maldo.
"Why are you afraid?" Maldo asked, his eyes flashing with terror.
"You... you surprised me... What do you want at this hour?"
Terror had taken hold of the Don, and he was sweating profusely.
"I came to steal your soul," he replied, then grabbed his head and slammed it hard against the table, then punched him in the stomach.
The Don tried to raise his hand, but Luca simply broke his arm with a slap. Dante let out a scream that filled the room.
Maldo didn't give him a moment to suffer, repeating what he had done to Enzo: he tied him up tightly and dragged him across the floor, while the screams continued unabated, growing louder with every step toward the exit.
When they reached the courtyard, Maldo pinned him to the pillar next to Enzo, completing the scene.
"Don Dante! Damn you, Maldo! How dare you hurt the Don?" Enzo roared in his face.
Maldo commented as he pulled an old wooden chair in front of them and sat down with his legs crossed. "Hmm... I don't think you're in a position to reprimand me."
He began to slowly move his gun left toward Enzo, then right toward the Don, igniting tension between them.
He paused for a moment and put the muzzle of the gun to his mouth, thinking before he spoke. "Do you realize what will happen today?"
"What do you want?" asked the Don.