"God damn it, we just lost all the money! How these damned leeches managed to screw all of America so badly?!" 

One eventful Monday in the autumn of 1987 roars of rage from a failed investor reverberated throughout the entire apartment complex. A great crash after decades of upturn in the market drove many people to the brink of bankruptcy. This particular household hit even harder, with the only moneymaker deciding just recently to mortgage all of the family property, promised by decades of prosperity and infinite growth theories of renowned economists to “make it big”.  

However, Luca couldn't understand much of it, with his mother crying on the sofa and dad getting progressively louder, each sentence cursing federal politicians and bankers was making his headache grow stronger and stronger.

"I told you not to put everything into some scam stocks! I don't even know any of those companies' products, how could you be so stupid!" wailed mother.

"How could I know everything implodes just now! Radio and all the papers lied from when I was goddamn 10 years old that the stock market is the best possible investment with guaranteed 3 times returns!" yelled red-faced and out of breath by this point dad.

"I don't care, when I married your ugly ass you promised to buy me a house before we turn 30! What now, are we getting homeless?!"

“That’s right we are, soon someone will come to kick us out of here! Kick me out of my own property, bloodsucking thieves they all are!”

Something in Luca’s head felt like it was swelling. Despite that, there seems like a fairly simple solution presents itself just by looking around at photos of a young, newlywed couple surrounded by their families.

“How about we go back to Europe? I want to meet grandpas.” interrupted the argument Luca.

This gets father visibly shaken, “I’m not going back, treating me like an idiot and pariah, why, because I didn’t want to become a doctor like that little bootlicking brother of mine.” muttered dad, finally switching his attention to seeking a solution for their predicament.

Hiding her face behind her hands, mother said, “Baby, my parents died three years ago in a truck accident.” with a deep breath she continued, “I didn’t want to tell you, after all, they never wanted to travel here and we were so busy trying to raise you…”.

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“Oh…” a feeling of loss came to Luca, adding to all that was happening right now.

“We have to pack up and run, preferably north, across the border.” stated with conviction father. “I still have some cash for emergencies under the bed. Should be fine for a month or two.”

“What do you even mean, is it really that bad? What about your job, Luca’s school, and our friends?!” exclaimed mother.

“… I took some loans too, you know we already put everything into it, make or break, guess it’s a break this time…” sighed tiredly dad.

Life on a street seems like a certainty at this point. Guess my friends will forget about me soon, is there even a reason to say goodbye? I may just die of hunger soon. Thought Luca, progressively freaking himself out and sweating from the smoldering hot weather uncommon in this season. Radio blaring on full volume an announcement straight from Wall Street about the event making the atmosphere depressing and hopeless even more with each minute. Father paced back and forth in the neatly decorated salon with floral patterned wallpapers. Mother sits quietly, trying to come to terms with her husband’s idiocy.

Pain not abating in the slightest, Luca had to break the momentary silence: “Mamma, my head hurts.”

“Yeah, mine too sweetie. If only someone asked my opinion before ruining a decade of our work.” she sarcastically threw out.

“Our work? Since when did you work for a day during our marriage, woman?” father spat back.

“Who does everything around here do you think? Who cooks, washes and cleans, takes care of our son and you, ungrateful broke bastard?” both seemed ready to turn it into a pointless argument, anything to take their minds off reality.

There is a medicine box in the kitchen. Mamma gave me some pills last time I broke my leg. Luca got ready to relieve his suffering himself. Getting up made his already swirling head become even more dazed, walking unsteadily forward with a purpose. Window in the corridor provided an intimate view of a red brick wall, twin building of the place currently inhabited by his family. Passing by, a stray ray of light blinded his sight. Stumbling into the kitchen, Luca poured himself a glass of water and went to open every drawer to finally find what he needs. With shaking hands, Luca swallowed a couple of white pills.

Half an hour later, he sat shivering on a dining chair, with tears and snot making his little face hideous, listening to his parents' unproductive bickering next room, Luca finally started to almost black out from pain. Something wanted to come out of his whole being, heat turned into burning fire inside.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up! Aaah!” holding his head and screaming he tried to push the fire out. At this moment something broke, a dam holding his power collapsed. Temperature was quickly dropping in an entire apartment, chairs, table, and cupboards shattering into unrecognizable splinters while metal appliances flatten into pancakes pasted on walls. Radio in the living room shattered, finally alerting the couple to strange changes and noise coming from outside. Running as quick as they could, they arrived to see an incredible scene.

Their little son floating where just a minute ago stood a solid oak table, with a circle of frost spreading from his skin surface onto everything near, halo of shadow looming over his head, seemingly devouring all light, incoherent moans coming from his mouth. Both of Luca’s parents quickly came to the same and truly only logical conclusion,

“Satan! Demon! Run, run away!” exclaimed man in panic, trying to pull away his partner that found herself kneeling with a terrified expresion and fervently praying, “Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus…”.

Fortunately, no force applied to Luca’s parents, they were able to swiftly and safely evacuate the premise, not forgetting to scream lines with meaning similar to “son of devil” and “what was that witchcraft”.

Meanwhile, frigid cold, darkness, and complete silence took possession of their former apartment, seemingly separating it from reality. This ordeal lasted for just 10 minutes, after which shadows receded all at once, revealing little boy fainted in the ruins of his former kitchen.