The sound of Antonio and Isabella's feet pattering against the cobblestoned road echoed in the cold night. Together they ran down the road and passed their old home. Isabella had to slow her stride because her father could not keep up. He coughed into his elbow every so often, and the sore in his groin hurt more now. Antonio said nothing of his condition and ran faster than Isabella, to mask his pain. They passed their cottage and Antonio led them to the edge of the small lake. Steam and the moonlight's reflection clung to the water's surface. Antonio searched for the tree which marked the spot, and then proceeded toward the tree stump.

Isabella followed as her father marched forward. It was then that gray clouds blotted out the moonlight. Silver rays fell upon the ground, but the area in which they could see became much darker. Antonio found the tree stump and noticed that leaves had been scattered about by its base. He looked into the stump and saw that his store of supplies had disappeared. His eyes pressed shut as he thought of Pietro watching him emerge from the forest a few days prior.

Antonio said, "it appears we've been bested, and Pietro took our supplies."

Isabella approached the tree stump and looked in. She said, "madre taught me how to forage, and you taught me how to hunt. We will be fine." Antonio smiled and felt a sense of comfort from his daughter's words.

Antonio looked up and brushed his fingertips against his daughter's cheeks as he said, "I've missed you. And yes, to survive is to know how to hunt and forage. You are correct, our journey will be tough, but not impossible."

Droplets of rain began to patter at his shoulder and hair as thunder crackled. Antonio stood up as the rain increased in volume, and he heard something then. The thud of hooves against the forest floor fell upon him. He turned his head toward the sound and saw Pietro turning from the road and away from the lake. As the steed turned toward them, Pietro's eyes were veiled by his hood. All that he could see was Pietro's bird-like beak. In his hand was a lantern that revealed the secrets of the forest with an orange glow.

Pietro's cloak seemed to breathe with each stride of the stallion. The horse was clad in iron mail, and atop that mail was a white cloth. The steed was black and strong, and it did not neigh or relent as its driver commanded it to run faster. Pietro removed his cane from his hip and pointed it at Antonio.

He said, "you have forsaken your city and the god which lives there. You have been warned about the spread of disease. You have facilitated the escape of an infected individual. You have betrayed the people of Siena and Italy. Most importantly, you have betrayed the church and God. I beg that you reconsider and turn back now, or I will exercise my full authority upon both of you. I am your judge, remember that."

Antonio sidestepped toward the tree stump and peeled a piece of bark from it. He threw it at the horse's right eye, and it connected. The steed neighed and retreated into the forest, and with it, Pietro. He grabbed his daughter's hand and ran toward Ferrara. As they ran, the sound of hooves departed them, only to return. Pietro withdrew a saber from his waist, and it gleamed against the moonlight. He raised the blade high and swung at a tree he thought was Antonio. The goggles he wore had become foggy, and he could not see much. But the blade cut through the bark and sliced into the tree.

Pietro raised his hood and looked around in the forest. Where Antonio and Isabella ran to, he did not know. He kicked the horse's ribs and commanded it to turn. Still, he saw nothing. From the shadows, a rock the size of a fist sailed through the air and hit Pietro in the skull. He fell from his horse and felt his leg snap. There he lay on the ground now, broken and writhing.

Antonio, who had found refuge inside of a vast bush, had found stones that could be of use. As he watched Pietro move on the ground, he steadied his breathing. He knew that Pietro was likely unconscious, but also knew that he had a saber. The chance of Pietro arising and pursuing them was too great. Antonio sat silently with his daughter, and they watched Pietro's back rise and fall as he breathed. They inched deeper into the forest, away from Pietro.

Isabella whispered, "we should break the lantern." Antonio agreed and he grabbed a stone. He threw it at the lantern and missed. Isabella threw a stone and missed. This aroused Pietro, and he pushed himself from the forest floor. He rubbed his head, and then Antonio threw another stone. This one hit the lantern and broke it. The rain extinguished the fire inside it, and now all that remained was the cold and wet darkness of the forest.

Pietro looked in the direction of the assailing stones and saw Antonio in the bush. Antonio gestured to his daughter to flee. She arose from the wet dirt and ran deep into the forest. Pietro noticed her and readied his blade. As she ran, and Pietro arose to his feet, Antonio charged for the plague doctor and ran into his shoulder. Pietro fell to his back and his bird-like mask slid off.

Antonio stood over the man. He snarled as he examined Pietro's face. His face was thin, and his hair was long and white. Yellow teeth revealed themselves as he gasped for air, and below his jaw sat a purple pestilent bubo. Pietro fidgeted as he groped for the saber.

Antonio said, "you're dying from this black death?"

Pietro's eyes swiveled upon him, and they were glassy and yellow. His irises were pale blue. Pietro said, "this disease took my family in Sicily, I was only trying to help. In God's name, I did not want anyone to suffer as I did. Now all will suffer, forgive me heavenly father," Pietro tried to sit up, but he could not. He coughed into his hands, and blood splashed off his lips.

Antonio winced as he noticed Pietro's right leg had been shattered when he fell. He slid open Pietro's cloak and saw that bone had torn through the skin and cloth of his pants. Next to the bone rested another bubo, beside Pietro's knee. Antonio said, "this is why you've limped?"

Pietro laid upon his back and looked at the clouds rolling overhead. He said, "my wife could not breathe just before the pestilence took her. I cannot breathe now. Flee if you must but allow me to die in quiet peace beneath the stars." He coughed once more, and his breath seemed flooded.

Antonio called for Isabella to return, and she did. Once she emerged from the forest, he directed her toward the steed and guided her onto its back. He climbed on behind her, and together they sat atop the black steed, and rode into the depths of the forest. As the day broke, Antonio found it harder to hold onto the reigns of his newfound horse. He wobbled to and fro, until all at once he fell from the steed. He clutched his chest and heaved for breath. Isabella stopped the horse and stooped low, for she wasn't sure about her father's condition.

https://youtu.be/GWVYx81sr-U