Give the knife a little twist.

"Do you think we are going to make it father?" whispered a small, feeble voice as she was lead through the dark streets by her father. "I hope so Ariana, for both our sakes I hope so." They were walking past the dark buildings and shops which had been closed for many hours. The only noise was the faint rummaging of animals through trash and their footsteps.

Ariana's father was trying to keep her quiet as they walked towards a carriage waiting by the city limits.  This escape plan had been formulated rather quickly and therefore was expectedly simple.

"When it becomes dark outside, Ariana", her father had told her the night before, "We will take our leave and make for the carriage waiting just beyond the city limits to take us to Otranto."
    "Where will we be going from there papa?" Ariana spoke in anticipation as if the run from Italy would be a game.
    "Simple Ariana we will be sailing to Vlore, Albania and from there we will make our way to Greece.  I do not expect it to be easy, but if we do not leave I fear for our lives."

Suddenly in the dark alley they heard voices and footsteps.  The voices were the same as those that were after them.  Grabbing his daughter by the hand (Geoffrey) lead his daughter to the carriage without a single glance back upon the men he suspected were after them.

Days earlier, unbenounced to him, a bounty had been placed on his head by the (~mob~).  He was warned of this by an anonymous letter dropped off at his house while he was walking with his daughter, Ariana.  The letter said that the (~mob~) was after him because the (Crime boss') son had been killed and they suspected Geofrey.  He was a skeptic, of course, but, when someone tried to follow through on the contract, he began to believe.  For three days; he left his house only when necessary hoping to avoid the (~mob's~) mercenaries.  However, on the third day, after seeing his daughter's face filled with sadness at, yet again, being told she wouldn't be allowed outside, he made the decision that this was no way for a child to live so he formulated a plan of escape.  They left in the dead of night, with nothing but the hope a life free from worry, and the questions of why the men were after them.

Ariana, a child no more than 11 years old, became frightened.  Her life had been turned upside down.  The stocky, short man, who had always been a loving father to Ariana, was now changed; he was somehow different.  He no longer wore the grin she had always known.  His face looked flustered, almost frightened.  She wondered why her papa was afraid, why they were running in the night, why they were leaving the only house she had ever known.  Her questions remained unanswered, they remained unasked.  She may have been a young child full of joy, innocence, and naiveté; but even she knew this wasn't the time to ask questions.  She would wait until tomorrow when they were out of this city, away from whatever or whoever they were running from, and until her father's smile had once again shown.  She laid in the back of the carriage, waiting for sleep, praying for sleep.  Praying, actually to wake up.  To wake up and realize that all of these past night's events had been a dream, a nightmare, and that everything would return to normal.  Even as she hoped, she doubted her wish would ever come true.

Ariana awoke the next morning to new, friendly sounding voices speaking with her papa.  She pulled herself out of the carriage, and walked to wear her father was.

"Ariana look," Geoffrey said pointing at a strange new dwelling, "this is our new home."

"This may be our house, but it won't be our home.  We left our home, because of those men." Thought Ariana not wanting to show her father her true feelings.  "It's lovely, Papa." She said.