Page 278 - E-Magazine 2016-17

TWISTED

When Valerie was young, war was raging between the French and the Italians. Her father worked
for a secret Italian agency that played a huge role in the war. After the Italians lost, everybody be-
lieved her father, Aberto, to be dead, and Valerie was sent to France, where another family brought

her up.
But one of the few things that she remembered was her father teaching her how to make risotto.
Her father believed that he had caught a top secret French spy, Gabrielle Maraud, who looked just
like Valerie, in her place.

She couldn’t believe what was happening…….

Memories flooded into Valerie's mind as she stepped into the house where she was born after 20
years. Everything was exactly as she remembered.
"This was one of the few places which wasn't destroyed after the war. The French- they destroyed

everything. But this time we will avenge our country. And you, my child, shall make us strong."
Valerie was confused.

Who should she side with- the family who brought her up, and the streets she grew up walking, or
her long lost father?

With a heavy heart, Valerie realised that she had to destroy her country or break her father's heart.

She did not know what to do just then.
Valerie thought about it for a while, and paced up and down the hallway. Suddenly what she had to
do became very clear to her.
"Papa, I need to talk to you." Valerie said.

"What is it, child?" Aberto asked her.
Valerie took a deep breath.
"Papa, I love you. I really do. But I cannot destroy the country in which I grew up. My future lies
there, Papa. I cannot do this."

Aberto looked surprised, and sighed sadly. After a few moments, he said-
"Then we cannot be together."
"Yes, we can't." Valerie said with tears in her eyes.
"Very well. I will take you back to Paris. I hope I will see you someday."

As Valerie walked out of the house with her father, she noticed a helicopter waiting outside arranged
by her father. She allowed herself to be blindfolded by her father's men. Then, with Aberto's help, she
got into the helicopter.
After what seemed like hours, the helicopter landed and she was transferred to a car that stopped

after a few minutes. She was pushed out of the car. By the time she took her blindfold off, both her
father and the car were gone.
At least she was happy to know her father was alive.

NEHA SRIRAM XI-C