Cold

The Donati Family had walked into a nightmare. One that had left the once full family nothing but a ghost of what it was. It had all started with the parents and the lust for revenge stole a lot from them. Little August was at the forefront of it all.

This is a classical story on the making of a boy who cared about nothing but the duty he owed to his family. August Donati had lost all he had but not the desire to see those responsible for his losses pay their crime. In the end, all of it just froze his tender heart, rendering him cold.

"I killed them all," he said to Oscar and he nodded. "Everyone?" He shook his head and murmured, "Something like that." "August, what do you mean something like that? You killed that policeman right?" "Yea, He was first." "So I assume it was the girl you left, right?" He nodded and let out a breath. Oscar searched him with his eyes. "You love her?" he asked and he nodded. "Loved her, not anymore," he replied and it was a cold reply. "Why?" he pressed further. "Love is dead for me. Died with Mary. I love nothing anymore." Oscar watched him and the distance stare in his eyes. He thought the boy was far gone. He understood perfectly well. He was handling guns and shooting them at an age he was supposed to be cuddling to his mother. August shot him a stare. "Killing all these people, is that what's going to make me a man? Is that how Joseph became a man?" he asked. Oscar nodded. "Then I don't want to be a man," he murmured. Oscar stared at him and smiled. He put his arm across and dropped it on his shoulder.

"August, I don't know how they do it out there or anywhere else but here in Mathews, that's how it goes down, it's either you or them and if you die at a young age, you won't grow to be a man. If you can't protect the people you love, boy, you ain't no man and that's what made Joe a man, he protected you all the much he could." August watched him and felt his icey heart melt. His eyes moistened and he felt a tear drop. "Before I left, I sat with Janet and I told her I loved her. I meant it then. Today, I stood over her and nearly pulled the trigger," he stopped, sniffed and continued. "Oscar, I don't want to be that kind of man. I want to protect the people I love. I watched them all die and nearly killed one myself. Janet thought I was a demon and I think she thought right." "Boy, there are things life throw at you sometimes and you are left with no choice. You had a duty to your loved ones that were murdered and that's what you carried out, don't be a sissy now," he said and August stood up. He walked round the worn out cross on a grave, his back against Oscar.

"I had a choice when I held that gun against Janet and I chose not to shoot and I didn't. Do you think Jamie had that chance? Jaycee had a gun and it was either Jamie or him," he turned and stared at him.

"August, he killed Joseph and you killed him. Joseph was only keeping you all safe. You, Jaycee and Maria and Jamie killed him. You killed Jamie for that and that's the end of it. Fucking let it go. You had a duty and you carried it out. Here in St Mathews, your home, it's blood first and if someone fucked with your blood, you fuck him to hell and that's it, you heard me? That's it!" he scolded. August wiped his eyes and nodded. He heard all he needed. Jaime killed his brother and he killed him for it. That was all that mattered.