Leo sat leaning against the cold concrete wall, Matteo seated beside him in the dimly lit room. A plate of food sat untouched between them-gray, unappetizing, growing cold. The room was bare, damp, and smelled of dust and old stone.It was sad. No games. No snacks. No TV. Worst of all-no Papa, no Mama.Leo sighed, and Matteo nudged him."Hey, everything's going to be fine. Both of our dads are fine, didn't you see?" Matteo said with a smile, but Leo could see it shaking. He guessed Matteo was scared too."If they were safe, they would have followed us back home," Leo sighed, pushing his food around the plate. "And they kept us here in this smelly, dirty room."Matteo deflated, unsure. "Well... um." He stopped talking, and his lower lip started shaking, wobbling before he covered his eyes with his hands.Leo's eyes widened. He patted the older boy on the back."I'm scared," Matteo whispered."Me too," Leo confessed. He thought for a moment, then added, "But we're both okay, right?"Mat
Last Updated : 2026-09-14 Read more