Beneath The Mafia Masks

Mira tried not to think

ause Lina encouraged her. It was just another

he checked her email be

th

y, she stopped e

res, assignments, meals with her mother,

her phone vibrated

, a notification ap

hing through another list of job op

the name of

oze above t

sage wa

ation

ened it

r M

re pleased to inform you that you have been sho

the sente

n a

tlis

d back in

not been

not been

tually read he

r form and attend an online interview. If the intervie

touched

ed that she was h

ed for her phone. She

ed after th

see it?"

e w

ema

s a brie

ina sc

t short

he phone away

hink

so? Read

lau

short

, and this time Mir

eks, the future did not

like a nar

han

email again, her exci

d, she would still need travel documents, a flight, mone

have a passp

ly for one,"

the f

figure

the amount in h

e out money tha

went

. Lina simply wanted her to take the opport

o tell my moth

tell

f she s

won

n't kno

plain it

d at the e

to build a life that belonged to her. But w

until dinner was over bef

the last plate when M

um

turned of

t is

ed an ema

m wh

school

ied her hands

ool ab

nod

rogramme. They shortlist

er stare

d without t

ink they wou

ow the

es

r sat dow

is the

r the name o

's express

aunt and Uncle Dan

es

ou told

Not

hy

t even know if I'll be accepted. If ev

her was

the worry gathe

y," her mothe

kno

never be

kno

now what you

wered h

I d

across the table

a future. I just don't want your desir

swall

t to stay he

kno

able to take c

r squeeze

ul with every

nod

wil

ned to her room and began c

nish, a new message

e to my mana

a:

you come here,

fro

u said you could g

the owner has to

d toward t

nknown to her. She had never seen its streets, never he

kind of o

ina took lon

peared, disappeared,

the messa

m. Just be respectful and

red at t

the answer

have to do exac

id not

ute p

ano

e on the desk, but s

nity still

sc

jour

ty of becomin

ng darker had en

ivat

na refused

ng disguise

ted a door t

o wonder who was stan

the door had been waiting for her-or wh