Massimo Longo E Maria Grazia Gullo - Quarter Moon

Everyone at home was waiting for him.

Giulia was nervous whilst she was packing up the last things. The time had come and she was asking herself if things would turn out for the best. After all she was their mother and couldn't help but worry.

Gaia, on the other hand, had already come to terms with the idea. She was chasing her mother around the house with thousands of questions: what could she see? what could she do around the farm?

Elio and she had not been to the farm since they were kids and their grandparents were still alive. They did not have any memory of that place, except for some vague memories: the fields, or the perfume of the trees behind which they would play hide and seek.

After her husband passed away, Aunt Ida struggled to get her life back together. Thus, she decided to move with her kids to her parents abandoned old farm.

As soon as she heard the sound of the keys turning inside the lock, Gaia ran towards her cousin, who lifted her up and spun her around like in a carousel. Gaia smiled as she did not expect such display of affection.

"Hi, Libero. How have you been?" she warmly asked her cousin, whom she had not seen in a very long time.

"Well, honey." replied Libero.

At the same moment, Giulia joined them and Libero greeted her like a gentleman, giving her two quick kisses on both cheeks.

"How was the journey?" thoughtfully asked Giulia.

“Very well, the "steel cow" is very fast and comfortable when you need to travel; and the city is full of interesting things to see. I'm happy to be here!"

"Please, sit down. You must be tired. Would you like some ice-cream?" asked Giulia.

"Yes, thank you, Auntie." Libero accepted gladly. "Where's Elio?"

"Elio is in his room. He'll be here in a minute." replied Carlo. He was mad because his son would not even bother to come and greet his cousin, who had travelled a long way just to pick him up. As he started walking towards Elio's room,

Libero began to speak:"Don't worry, uncle Carlo. I'll go. I want to surprise him. Just tell me which one is his room."

As soon as Carlo pointed out Elio's room, Libero threw himself towards the door. Libero’s cry of happiness could be heard from the corridor whilst he was greeting his cousin.

Not even Elio, despite his usual coldness, could avoid Libero's spinning hug.

Gaia looked at her mother and whispered:

"I did not remember that he was that gullible!"

"Don't say that." promptly scolded her Giulia. "He's a good boy. And he's very kind too."

"Yeah, but... Are you sure he'll drive us safely to the farm." Gaia uncertainly asked.

"Of course, that he will!" Carlo reassured her. "Do not underestimate him. He and his mother keep the farm going. He's strong and smart."

Dinner time came by and was spent cheerfully. In fact, Libero had brought with him all the festivity and liveliness of the countryside, which was very much appreciated by everyone but Elio.

"I'm really looking forward to showing you around." finished up Libero after he had described the farm to his cousin.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for a couple of days before you leave again?" asked Giulia.

"I can't leave mum on her own this time of the year. There's a lot to take care of."

"You are right, Libero. You really are a good boy." Carlo praised him, gently patting him on the shoulder.

"You know, uncle Carlo, I was asking myself something. Before coming here to the city, I thought you were supposed to honk the horn only in an emergency..."

"Yeah, that's right." replied Carlo. "Why?"

"Because it seems like everyone uses it as if they were playing music at a party! They never stop honking!"

Everyone burst out laughing, except for Elio, who was wondering whether Libero was joking or not...

Third Chapter

He realized that the boy was in terror, and burst into laughter

The following morning Libero got Giulia out of her bed, after he had tripped over the corridor's carpet. So, Giulia and he found themselves having breakfast before everyone else had even opened their eyes. When the smell of fresh coffee had invaded Carlo's bedroom, he also made his way to the kitchen and started explaining what had been wrong with Elio lately.

"Do not worry." Libero assured them. "This out-door experience will help him. And mum already has a strategy!"

Once they had reached the train station, Giulia could not stop giving recommendations and making sure that the kids would behave.

Gaia could not wait; she was excited and curious. On the other hand, it was clear that Elio was only being dragged into this. On top of that, he was also carrying along Gaia's heavy luggage only because Libero made him : "Ladies should not carry weights!" he said, which caused Elio to roll his eyes. He could not bear his cousin already.

Libero was wearing a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a civil protection yellow ocher baseball cap, which seemed completely out of place to his cousins. Moreover, he was carrying the remaining luggage with such easiness that they might as well have been empty.

The train departed perfectly on time. There was no one else in the car they had been allocated to. After Libero had arranged all baggage onto the overhead compartment, he suggested:

"Gaia, come with me. Let's go to the restaurant car and let's get some more breakfast. It's going to be a long journey and you'll need all your strength. Elio can watch the luggage. No one will even come close to them. If someone does, bark!" said Libero to his cousin. "And if you stop pulling such a long face, we might even bring you something to eat..."

Gaia and Libero exited the car, which turned out to be a great comfort for Elio who wanted to be alone.

He was staring at the repetitive landscapes outside his window. They had just travelled past the industrial area of the city and they had begun to be surrounded by fields and hills that were alternating again and again.

All of a sudden, on the window pane he noticed the reflection of an old man sitting in the aisle seat next to his.

When did he get into the car? He did not hear the doors open.

The old man was dressed in black and was wearing some odd glasses on his nose. He was reading a black leather book that looked about a century old, whose pages were made out of tissue paper. On his head he had a wide-brimmed hat that was covering up his face. The whole scene was rather unsettling.

Elio did not turn around, yet was keeping an eye on him through the reflection on the window pane. He felt frightened of being on his own with that man. At that moment he surely did want his big and strong cousin to be by his side. However, neither he nor Gaia were approaching.

In the meantime, the old man was still reading his book. Every once in a while, he would look at an old watch that he was keeping inside the breast pocket of his waistcoat, elegantly worn underneath his old-fashioned suit.

This would annoy Elio even more, who kept wondering what or whom that man was waiting for. It certainly must have been something of extraordinary importance given that he was constantly looking at his watch.

Suddenly, after checking the time once more, the old man closed his book and bowed down to get something inside a black bag that he was keeping between his legs. As he was bowing down, his trousers slightly went up and revealed his black ankles and some odd black thin socks that looked like black fur.

Elio was not able to contain his apprehension and started shaking. As he was going through his own bag, the old man burst out laughing as if he had perceived Elio's terror. It was a long, deep and gloomy laughter that resounded into his ears. Elio coved up his ears with his hands to try and stop hearing that noise. He closed his eyes to avoid looking at the man's reflection on the window pane and started praying to himself: "Libero, come back. Libero, come back."