The Road to Chianti
by
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It’s the eve of the Epiphany, and the Tuscan sky is filled with a million tiny glittering stars, like heaven is decorating for the end of the Christmas holiday. The cold night air has not only blanketed the vineyard with diamond-like crystals, but has also left our bedroom frozen. Despite the chill, we hop into our beds, bursting with anticipation at the thought of La Befana’s impending visit. Mama and Papa kiss us goodnight and tuck us in; within seconds we are sound asleep.
The hours pass slowly; I am so excited I can barely sleep. I doze off for what feels like hours, only to open my eyes and realize mere minutes have passed. I finally find a deeper sleep, but wake up to find smoke quickly filling the room.
It’s hard to breathe. I struggle to see through billows of choking, black smoke. Terrified, I reach out, blindly searching for Salvatore’s bed. Finally, I feel his hand; I slide my hand up his arm and shake him violently.
“Wake up Salve! Hurry, wake up!”
I feel heat rush toward the back of my legs. The door is engulfed in paralyzing shades of red and orange. Terror begins to set in, and my mind races. What if I can’t wake him? Where are Mama and Papa? Why haven’t they come for us yet?
The crackling of the wood is almost deafening. I try again, shaking Salvatore with all my might. “Salve!” I scream as tears stream down my face. When I inhale, the smoke sears my throat and lungs.
I gasp for a breath only to choke more. My stomach churns with the taste of smoke and fear. My eyes burn and by now my throat is raw. I start to panic as the flames move closer and closer to us.
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About the Book
Set in Italy in the year 1977, The Road to Chianti follows two young orphans as they struggle to find a place to call home.
When their parents are killed in a devastating accident on the eve of the Epiphany, nine-year-old Alessandra DeSantis and her older brother, Salvatore, are left alone. With no one to care for them, the children soon end up in a run-down orphanage far from their home in Chianti. Still emotionally scarred from losing their parents, they now face an even greater challenge—the cruel Agostina, who works Alessandra and Salvatore to the point of exhaustion.
Deciding they must escape, Alessandra and Salvatore flee in the night and unknowingly embark on a harrowing adventure across the Italian countryside. With Agostina’s goons hot on their trail, Alessandra and Salvatore vow to do whatever it takes to survive, and above all else, find their way home to Chianti. But one nagging question always hangs over them—what will they find when they finally get home?
An action-packed journey through cobblestone streets, dark forests, and gorgeous piazzas, The Road to Chianti explores the power of love to triumph over adversity and the importance of having a place to call your own.
About the Author
Kelly Hughes Roberts is a freelance writer for numerous magazines and blogs. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications and spends her days cooking, gardening, and teaching about health and wellness. Her love and passion for food and Tuscany inspired her to write this book. Roberts lives with her husband and two children in Berlin, Maryland.