Chapter Text
Bruno leaned against the wall from the inside, sitting with his legs pressed against his chest and his chin rested on his knees. All he could hear was his own thoughts swimming and the howl of his stomach. He had learned to drown out the sound of the rain during the first week.
He felt his eyes drooping as exhaustion filled his body, the lack of sleep and food getting to him. He had managed to find water just fine-the pipes leaked when there was an abundance of rain and it hadn’t stopped storming since he left. But food? He couldn’t just go to the kitchen for food anymore. Just another week and he’d die in here. Though that didn’t sound so bad.
He let his head fall back against the wall with a soft thunk, eyes forcing themselves closed. Maybe he could just rest for a moment. He didn’t have anything better to do and his body felt dizzy and weak.
Then Bruno heard the knock-knock. He closed his eyes tighter, praying to a god he had stopped believing in that he wasn’t going insane inside the damp passageways.
Knock-Knock
Tears built up in his eyes as Bruno shuttered weakly, stomach growling louder.
Knock-Knock
He sniffled softly, opening his eyes just enough to stare at his trembling hands with a distressed chuckle. Then he heard the soft voice, just barely above a whisper and only audible if he tried to listen. Dolores.
“Tio Bruno…?”
He held his breath, crossing his fingers and hoping that maybe she’d give up and go away. A twelve year old couldn’t be that stubborn, could she? Another knock-knock. Bruno released the air in a gasp of a sigh, closing his eyes tiredly,”…Dolores?”
He could faintly hear the sound of her sitting down against the wall in the kitchen,”Mama and Tia are looking for you. Are you going to come out?”
Bruno laughed softly, shaking his head with a sigh-trying to ignore the painful growl of his stomach,”No…No-No…”
“They miss you. Mama’s been making it rain constantly.”
He chuckled weakly, forcing a slight smile on his face even if he knew she couldn’t see him,”I know…the pipes leak when it rains.”
It was silent for a moment, and for a second he thought she left. His stomach twisted at the thought that such a young girl now had the burden of hearing his mumbling, hearing his cries, hearing the way his stomach screamed in agony-desperate for some sort of substance. Or maybe it was just twisting at the lack of food. Bruno hadn’t found a single crumb of food since he fled.
Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock
He opened his eyes weakly. She hadn’t left. Instead, he just heard her whisper softly,”Tia Julieta’s in town. The kitchen’s clear,” Dolores squeaked, adding onto her statement,”I can keep watch.”
Tears built up in his eyes, staring wide eyed at the wall. A sniffle escaped Bruno, soft sobs running down his cheeks.
“ Gracias, sobrina .”