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</span>​</div><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">No cell phone. No television, and no internet. Born in 1994, Luca was a child of the technological age, the era of Generation Y. He was a millennial that had grown up with technology, and he relied on it to perform his job better. Armed with smartphones, laptops, and other gadgets, Luca was usually plugged in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He liked to communicate with his family in Brazil through frequent emails or sending text messages during the week to let his mother and brother know how his days away from home were going. He played video games on a console, and probably had never played a board game in his life. It didn't help matters that frequent technological advancements in real-time media and communication increased his expectation for instant gratification, instant answers and instant service.<br/>
<br/>
Luca's mother had been his sole source of nurturing and protection until he left home last summer for New York City. Catarina Mireles provided for Luca's every emotional, educational and physical need and want, as well as his brother's. She praised and rewarded her oldest son for minimal effort and increased the expectations of his school and their community to educate, entertain and protect her child. As a result, Luca had high expectations of recognition and reward from others with minimal effort on his part. Luca had a close relationship with his mother, and family ties were everything to him.<br/>
<br/>
Chances were that if Luca had not been discovered on the campus of the University of Sao Paulo that day by a modeling agency headhunter, he would probably still be living in the <i>favela </i>with her and his little brother, Juliano. Luca might have still been supported by his mother to some extent as he prepared to enter the Brazilian workforce. It was likely that he would still be seeking his mother’s advice and approval and probably look to his managers and supervisors to provide the same nurturing protection, advice and approval as Catarina did.<br/>
<br/>
Growing up a millennial had its disadvantages. Luca often required frequent praise and reassurance from others that he was doing a good job. The safety net his mother used to cushion his fall had been ripped away, and in its place was a musty, dim basement. The basement was more of a bunker, all concrete and no personality. Near the ceiling were long low windows, no wider than the slits in a castle turret but lying on their sides.  He'd tried unsuccessfully to open them, but they were painted shut.<br/>
<br/>
Without any circulation of air the stagnant aroma made it feel like a dungeon. The unsoftened echo of Luca's sobs brought on a claustrophobic feeling. a sofa, a few mismatched tables, a bookshelf with old board games. There was food that pretty much had gone untouched, a shower and plenty of quiet in which Luca could either scream at the walls, sleep for hours or stare blankly as the light from the sun faded over the wooden paneling as another day passed. He was still there when the sun rose, and the countless hours of loneliness began to take their toll.<br/>
<br/>
There was paper and pencils, so Luca wrote something on them. It was a letter of thanks to his mother, Caterina and his little brother, Juliano.<br/>
</span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">---------------------------------</span></span>​</div><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">Querida Mamãe,<br/>
<br/>
É impossível colocar em palavras tudo o que eu deveria ser grato. Quando penso na minha infância, a primeira pessoa que sempre vem à mente é você. Eu sei que me educar não foi fácil. Houve momentos em que eu era um pirralho total para você; Eu era rude, egoísta e cruel. Ainda assim, você me amou de qualquer maneira, e por isso, estou eternamente grato. Obrigado por todas as noites que você levantou de sua cama para vir para o meu e me acalmar de volta para dormir. Obrigado pelo milhão de pequenas orações que enviou a Deus em meu nome, todos os dias, mesmo agora.<br/>
<br/>
Para mim, você não é apenas minha mãe; Você é a mulher mais forte que eu conheço. Você constantemente me mostrou para encontrar o bom na vida, mesmo quando era difícil de encontrar mesmo para si mesmo. Eu sei que ser mãe solteira era difícil, mas você fez parecer tão fácil equilibrar trabalho, dois filhos, e ter uma vida própria, mesmo quando eu sabia que não era. Sua maneira altruísta foi uma das muitas razões pelas quais eu sempre olhei para você. Você era minha melhor amiga e você sempre foi. Eu vi seu amor quando você me alegrou em meu evento esportivo, competição, passeios escolares, e postou no Facebook sobre como você estava orgulhoso de mim. Agradeço as horas em que você me confortou, quando a vida se tornou um pouco difícil demais para eu lidar. Sem mencionar, você me mostrou como amar os outros e como amá-los bem.<br/>
<br/>
Você é incrível.<br/>
<br/>
Eu escrevi esta carta para você com palavras de absoluto obrigado. Eu sei que crescendo eu não percebi tudo o que você fez por mim. Eu nunca posso esquecer o tempo que você deixe Juliano e eu comer sorvete fora do balde quando o poder saiu, ou quando você salvou todas as suas dicas do restaurante apenas para comprar os balões para o meu aniversário de 10 anos. Mas, na maioria das vezes, na maioria das vezes eu esqueci ou nem mesmo aprecio tudo o que você fez. Estou maravilhado com o quanto você desistiu de mim e Juliano. Você desistiu de seu próprio conforto, comida, tempo, energia e segurança, tudo porque você nos amou. Agora, eu posso ver o quão duro você trabalhou, o quanto você deu, e quanto você realmente amou a nós dois. Obrigado por encontrar dentro de si a habilidade de nos amar tanto quanto diferente. E obrigado por incutir em nós respeito e lealdade um ao outro.<br/>
<br/>
A vontade que você possuía de nunca desistir era algo que eu sempre aspirava ter um dia. Mesmo nos dias em que tudo o que você queria fazer era tirar uma soneca depois de um longo dia de trabalho, você sempre colocou nossas necessidades antes das suas. Você nunca desistiu das coisas que eu precisava e continuou a me dar mais do que eu mereci. Mesmo quando eu duvidava de mim mesmo, você nunca desistiu de mim. Sua motivação constante me deu a confiança necessária para realizar muitas grandes tarefas na vida, e eu não poderia ter feito isso se não fosse por você. Obrigado por me aceitar e apoiar quando eu disse que eu era gay, e me amando do jeito que eu era.<br/>
<br/>
No caso de eu não te ver novamente, espero que as autoridades vão encontrar esta carta para dar-lhe para que saiba o quanto eu te agradeço pelas inúmeras coisas que você fez para mim em meus vinte e dois anos de vida. Portanto, esta carta é mais que um agradecimento. São as palavras que não consigo formular no meu atual estado de confusão, para mostrar o meu apreço por tê-lo na minha vida. Mesmo quando tudo o mais na minha vida não era constante, eu sabia que você sempre foi. Mesmo agora, enquanto eu me sento aqui, preso nesta prisão pelo homem que me prende, eu sei que você está procurando por mim e você não vai parar até me encontrar vivo para que eu possa dizer essas palavras para você pessoalmente, ou você encontrar Esta carta e lê-la em cima de minha morte.<br/>
<br/>
Eu te amo com todo o meu coração, e ainda não é o suficiente. Então aqui está para você mãe, minha mãe solteira, compassiva, amorosa e inspiradora. Eu anseio pelo dia em que eu posso segurar você e nunca deixar você ir.<br/>
<br/>
Sempre seu filho,<br/>
<br/>
Luciano<br/>
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<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">Translation:Dear Mama,<br/>
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It is impossible to put into words everything I should be thankful for. When I think of my childhood, the first person that always comes to mind is you. I know raising me was not easy. There were times when I was a total brat to you; I was rude, selfish and unkind. Still, you loved me anyway, and for that, I am forever grateful. Thank you for all the nights you got up from your bed to come to mine and soothe me back to sleep. Thank you for the million tiny prayers you’ve sent to God on my behalf, every day, even now.<br/>
<br/>
To me, you’re not only my mom; you’re the strongest woman I know. You constantly showed me to find the good in life, even when it was hard to even find for yourself. I know being a single mom was difficult, but you made it look so easy to balance work, two sons, and having a life of your own, even when I knew it wasn’t. Your selfless manner was one of the many reasons I  always looked up to you.  You were my best friend and you always have been. I saw your love when you cheered me at my sporting event, competition, school field trips, and posted on Facebook about how proud you were of me. I thank you for the times when you comforted me, when life became a little too tough for me to handle. Not to mention, you showed me how to love others and how to love them well.<br/>
<br/>
You are amazing.<br/>
<br/>
I wrote this letter to you with words of absolute thank you. I know that growing up I didn’t realize all that you did for me. I can never forget the time that you let Juliano and I eat ice cream out of the pail when the power went out, or when you saved all your tips from the restaurant just to buy the balloons for my 10th birthday. But, most of the time, most of the time I forgot or didn’t even appreciate all you did.  I’m in awe at how much you gave up for me and Juliano. You gave up your own comfort, food, time, energy and security all because you loved us. Now, I can see how hard you worked, how much you gave, and how much you really loved us both. Thank you for finding within yourself the ability to love us both equally yet differently. And thank you for instilling in us respect for and allegiance to one another.<br/>
<br/>
The will that you possessed to never give up was something that I always aspired to have one day. Even on the days when all you wanted to do was take a nap after a long day at work, you always put our needs before yours. You never gave up on the things that I needed and continued to give me more than I ever deserved. Even when I doubted myself, you never gave up on me. Your constant motivation gave me the confidence to accomplish many great tasks in life, and I couldn't have never done it if it had not been for you. Thank you for accepting and supporting me when I told you I was gay, and loving me the way I was.<br/>
<br/>
In the event that I don't see you again, I hope the authorities will find this letter to give to you to let you know how much I thank you for the countless things you did for me in my twenty-two years of life.  So this letter is more than a thank you. It is the words that I can’t formulate in my current state of confusion, to show my appreciation for having had you in my life. Even when everything else in my life wasn't constant, I knew you always were. Even now as I sit here, trapped in this prison by the man holding me captive, I know you are looking for me and you won't stop until you find me alive so I can say these words to you in person, or you find this letter and read it upon my death.<br/>
<br/>
I love you with all my heart, and its still not enough. So here’s to you mom, my selfless, compassionate, loving, and inspiring single mom. I long for the day when I can hold you and never let you go.<br/>
<br/>
Always your son,<br/>
<br/>
Luciano</div>
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</div></span></span><br/><div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">--------------------------------------------</span></span>​</div><span style="font-size: 18px"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">Caro Juliano (Meu Macaco)<br/>
<br/>
Eu não posso te agradecer o suficiente por ser o irmão mais incrível do mundo. O riso eo amor que você adicionou à nossa família é um presente. Embora eu seja o mais velho e deveria estar fornecendo-lhe lições de vida e orientação, acho que você me ensinou mais do que eu poderia ter te ensinado. Obrigado por ser o melhor irmão mais novo do mundo.<br/>
Você me ensinou a rir das pequenas coisas e a brincar. Sua risada é contagiante. Suas piadas são histéricas.<br/>
<br/>
Você sempre me amou apesar de todas as minhas deficiências e as vezes que eu fiquei chateado com você. Obrigado por ser sempre meu melhor amigo e por me amar infinitamente. Eu te amo por quem você é e eu aprecio seu amor por mim. Você é forte, amorosa, bondosa, apaixonada, determinada, tem um coração de ouro e muitas qualidades incríveis. Eu não poderia pedir um melhor irmãozinho.<br/>
<br/>
Você é sábio além de seus anos e é aparente na maneira que você vive a vida ea maneira que você toca vidas dos outros. Continue seguindo seu coração e paixões. Saiba que é bom cometer erros, e eu sempre estarei aqui para você, não importa o quê. Eu admiro você por permanecer fiel a si mesmo e pela confiança que você exude. Obrigado por adicionar uma camada especial à minha vida apenas por ser você.<br/>
<br/>
Os dois de nós podem ter lutado muito, mas eu nunca teria trocado você para o mundo como você me incentivou a tornar-se uma versão melhor de mim mesmo todos os dias. Mesmo quando eu não estou lá, continue a ser o seu eu especial como você chuveiro uma incrível quantidade de amor e calor em cada pessoa que encontrar. Eu admiro você por tudo que você faz. Sempre sei que estou tão orgulhoso de você por quem você é e que eu sempre fui seu maior fã. Dê a mãe muitos abraços, e tente se comportar para ela. Eu te amo e sentirei muito a sua falta.<br/>
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XOXO,<br/>
<br/>
Seu irmão mais velho orgulhoso,<br/>
Luca<br/>
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<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">Translation:Dear Juliano (My Monkey)<br/>
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I cannot thank you enough for being the most amazing little brother in the world. The laughter and love that you've added to our family is a gift. Although I'm the oldest and should be providing you life lessons and guidance, I think that you have taught me more than I could have ever have taught you. Thank you for being the best little brother in the world.<br/>
You taught me how to laugh at the little things, and to joke around. Your laugh is infectious. Your jokes are hysterical.<br/>
<br/>
You've always loved me despite all my shortcomings and the times I got upset with you. Thank you for always being my best friend and for loving me endlessly. I love you for who you are and I appreciate your love for me. You are strong, loving, kind, passionate, determined, have a heart of gold, and many more amazing qualities. I could not ask for a better little brother.<br/>
<br/>
You are wise beyond your years and it is apparent in the way you live life and the way you touch others' lives. Continue following your heart and passions. Know that it is okay to make mistakes, and I will always be here for you no matter what. I admire you for staying true to yourself and for the confidence you exude. Thank you for adding a special layer to my life just by being you.<br/>
<br/>
The two of us may have fought a lot, but I would have never traded you in for the world as you encouraged me to become a better version of myself each and every day. Even when I am not there, continue to be your special self as you shower an incredible amount of love and warmth on every person you encounter. I admire you for all you do. Always know that I am so proud of you for who you are and that I was always your biggest fan. Give mom lots of hugs, and try to behave for her. I love you and will miss you so much little brother.<br/>
<br/>
XOXO,<br/>
<br/>
Your Proud Big Brother,<br/>
Luca</div>
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Luca folded the letters he'd written in half, stashing them underneath the sofa. The basement still smelled like vomit because of the wastebasket. He didn't have cleaning materials around to do a good job of cleaning up his mess, but he poured some water into the plastic container and swished it around, then flushed it in the toilet. His appetite was absent, but he tried eating a banana and kept it down. Returning to the table, he sat down and drew a picture because there was nothing else for him to do. No music, just silent thoughts. The man on the paper was moving, he was dancing and celebrating his freedom. Luca was an art major, and his drawing was complex and detailed. Hours passed, When the pencil finally stopped moving, his blue eyes focused on the man's face. It was Marcus.<br/>
<br/>
The nightclub, and the evening out where they had so much fun.  What happened?<br/>
<br/>
How did this happen to him? Why him?<br/>
<br/>
Suddenly, there was a sound that had come from outside, and Luca froze in his chair. It sounded like a car door, slamming shut. He waited for other sounds, to see if the first wasn't just his imagination playing tricks on him. Rattling keys, and a door opening. Above his head, the weight of a man's footsteps made creaking sounds. Luca had long since stopped screaming, it was pointless. The cement walls beyond the paneling formed a sound-proof prison that was effective in muffling any noises he made to alert others to the cabin. Luca sat still, waiting.<br/>
<br/>
The noises continued, then the aroma of good food drifted down to the basement. He gazed at the window, dusk had fallen. Marcus had returned, and maybe he would let him come upstairs and rescue him from his solitude. Realizing that he hadn't yet made the list of things Marcus suggested, Luca quickly wrote some words in Portuguese down on a sheet of blank paper, in list form. He would have to explain to Marcus what they were, hopefully he could so he would be less bored if he were to remain locked in the basement.<br/>
<br/>
<i>rádio</i><br/>
<i>lápis de cor</i><br/>
<i>papel de desenho</i><br/>
<i>luz noturna</i><br/>
<i>bolinhos de sal</i><br/>
<i>magazines</i><br/>
<i>Chiclete</i><br/>
<i>cartas de jogar</i><br/>
<i>bola de borracha</i><br/>
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<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">Translation: radio, colored pencils, drawing paper, night light, saltine crackers, magazines, bubble gum, playing cards, rubber ball</div>
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Hearing the rattling of keys in the lock, Luca stood up from his seat, grabbing the drawing he made of Marcus. Strangely enough, the picture that Luca had drawn in shades of black and grey seemed to duplicate Marcus' attire tonight. Luca was happy to see him, it seemed like forever since he heard someone else's voice besides his even if it had only been three days.<br/>
<br/>
<i>"Olá ,</i> Marcus. You come back! I make this picture for you, see?" he held it out to show him. "You were dancing. You like?" he asked Marcus.<br/>
<br/>
"You have surprise? For me? Let's see!" he drew closer, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek.<br/>
<br/>
"Mm. What smell so good, Marcus?" Luca asked, excited about the prospect of escaping the basement and the claustrophobic feeling it gave him if only for a few moments.<br/>
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He eagerly took Marcus' hand, and waited for his answer.</span></span>