The Purgatory and The Hell

'Lost are we, and are only so far punished,
That without hope we live on in desire.'-Dante Alighieri

Desire. It always connected people somehow and now Benedict was connected to Olivia with only desire and need. Olivia was the perfect shelter, perfect escape from the reality. Olivia was the only way to stop him running to Ophelia.

He would not deny his wish to redo everything. He wanted to erase everything one by one, go back in time and build something with Ophelia.

Benedict shook his thoughts as he remembered.

Ophelia chose her desires over him.

She had chosen music.

…

'Ophelia, please open the door. I am so sorry for yelling…please at least tell me that you are alive!'

Ophelia stood in the middle of her living room. She tried not to hear Amanda, Martin…Kevin. She was in a purgatory. Her purgatory. She was imprisoned within Rachmaninov, within her obsession. A ghost was following her; the ghost of her well hidden past. She knew that there was no escape. She never belonged to this city…deep down she knew it. She was adopted, forced into this world. She tried to escape yet she always ended up hurting people. She remembered Alex. She remembered her betrayal.

'Phelly…I am begging you…Open the door. I do not care about Benedict, Olivia or that fucking concert. It's been days…please. I am worried.'

Ophelia's phone rang impatiently. Third time today.

'I am hearing your fucking phone ringing…'

Ophelia picked up the phone.

'Hello?'

'Mia cara Lucia ... ti vendetta silenziosa è dietro l'angolo. venire a giocare ...'

Ophelia dropped the phone as she heard the voice. She ran towards the door.

'Hold me Amanda…'

...

Tacita Ultio…

It meant silent revenge. Alex chuckled as he touched the score. I will silence you my dear Lucia…sweet, lost Ophelia. Alex entangled into this little game day by day, he loved to play with Ophelia's mind. He knew that she was again vulnerable, surrounded by guilt. He knew that the day of his victory was just around the corner.

Like he said to her…your silent revenge is waiting you around the corner.

…

Amanda held Ophelia…she could feel her tears soaking her blouse. She could feel her shaking.

'It's ok now…It's over. I am sorry, I shouldn't blamed you that day…I shouldn't have said those words'

'You were right Amanda. I fooled myself. I thought If I could play that bloody concerto one more time then I would show everyone that I worth…something. I thought I could redo my past, my mistakes. I was wrong…so wrong.'

Amanda placed Ophelia on to the sofa as if she was about the break. She went to the kitchen to make some tea. Since the day she broke up with Benedict she's been a mess. She did not answer her calls; she did not show up to rehearsals…she built herself a perfect prison. She locked herself into this apartment, strangling her mind with piano. That day, she said to Ophelia that she was a failure as a human. She said that Ophelia was not competent enough to connect with other people. Amanda remembered that Ophelia was about to tell her something that day yet she shut her down.

'I made you some tea, have you been eating at all Ophelia?'

Ophelia did not answer, she just stared at her phone blankly.

'Phelly?'

'Sorry, I was thinking.'

'That day, you were going to tell me something, you were almost ecstatic when I first arrived here…before I-'

'I'm pregnant Amanda.'

The bombshell dropped right in front of Amanda.

…

' you do know that, has obligations towards this foundation. She signed a contract with us.'

Kevin tapped his fingers anxiously. Obligations. Obligations that wouldn't stop Ophelia from running away; history just repeated itself again. It's been almost a week since he last saw Ophelia and to be honest he would not be one to reach her. That day when he poured everything out…just to protect her, she ignored him. She ravished him.

No, he was not to blame.

He would never be.

' is having some personal issues yet I can assure you, William that she is going to play that concerto and she will rule it. She will outdo everything once again.'

'Kevin, I don't know what the hell happened to her…to you but I can assure that this is it. If she tries to run away once again…I would not forgive her.'

Kevin watched as the dean of Royal College of Music stepped out of his office.

'She has no place to run to William…I assured that years ago.'

…

'Cut!'

Director shouted for the millionth time today.

'Benedict, go and take some air…again.'

Benedict stepped into the cold air. He was not able to concentrate. This was a first for him. Not being able to concentrate. He has always been able to escape into characters. This set, this scrip was a safe haven for him. This was his plan b for years yet now, he needed a plan c.

'Benedict, you alright?'

'Do I look alright Martin?'

'For God's sake, pull it together. I know that this week's been pretty hard for you but you have Olivia now, you told me that she would heal you right?'

'Let's hope so Martin.'

Martin opened his mouth to speak again but his phone did not let him.

'Hey honey? Have you been able to reach to he-to the mouse?

Benedict immediately gave his attention towards Martin.

'Are you with Benedict?'

'Yeah, he is here with me.'

'Ok do not give out any expressions as I speak Martin. I just came back from Ophelia…well she is not so ok. There is definitely something up with Kevin too…she resisted every interrogation technique I tried.'

'Interrogation? Amanda….Come on, the mouse is you friend.'

'Stop calling her the mouse, I am sure Ben is bright enough to understand that we are talking about Phelly.'

Martin eyed Benedict; he was silently watching him. He could see that there tint of hope in his eyes. Something he didn't see for weeks.

'Martin, you there?'

'Yeah….I am.'

'Martin, she is convinced that she is the one to blame for everything. She is convinced that her past is following her. There is something else….I got to go now.'

Benedict lighted a cigarette as Martin put his phone down.

'I thought you quit smoking when you started trying-'

'No cumberbaby is coming towards my way Martin…distress is what I have.'

…

Ophelia recalled past few months. First there were silent calls…she simply thought that someone was fooling with her. Then the notes started to appear out of nowhere… Pieces from the first edition of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto folded as notes. She did realize that she was being stalked. She kept this hidden from everyone, Benedict, Amanda…Kevin. To be honest, a voice deep inside of her screamed the reality that she was face to face with.

Her hell was just around the corner.

'Mia cara Lucia ... ti vendetta silenziosa è dietro l'angolo. venire a giocare ...'

Said the voice on the phone. Lucia…the name that she kept hidden from everyone except one person.

Alex.

Your silent revenge is just around the corner…

Alex was back.

Ophelia knew that he had one purpose.

Her silence and her fall.

*'Mia cara Lucia ... ti vendetta silenziosa è dietro l'angolo. venire a giocare ...': My dear Lucia…your silent revenge is waiting just around the corner. Come and Play.