𝑺𝒆𝒂 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 // 𝑨𝒍𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒐 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

Ch.5

"(Y/N). Show them the tecnica. The one I taught you with the knife and the fish." Massimo speaks after hoisting some nets back onto the boat, furrowing his brow to see no fish this time. The boys helped them back into the boat properly.

The large man gestures to one of the two fish entangled in the nets for me to demonstrate. "The tecnica, (Y/N)." He repeats.

"Ah, si! Alberto, Luca. Watch here. If you'd like to kill a fish quickly, this is what you have to do." I grab the knife from the floor, holding it between my teeth while I got a good grip of the writhing fish, placing my fingers somewhat inside its gills.

Alberto leaned fowards, a little intrigued. "Ya gonna stab it to death or something?" He questions, kneeling down and draping his arms over his knees. Luca is beside him, his knees pressed to his chest while he cringes at the way I was holding the fish. "Stab it? I'm not that cruel. Watch here." Taking the knife from my teeth, I carefully place the tip of the blade where the fish's brain should be. In the centre of the head.

The fish gasping for air while being threatened with a weapon made Luca feel a little uncomfortable, but he was still curious.

They gritted their teeth when I wriggled the knife through the fish's skull, Alberto grimacing as watery, red blood dripped onto the animals glassy eyes and trailed its way down my fingers. It didn't smell pleasant either. The aquatic animal only struggled for about a second, but it went limp very quickly as the watery blood dripped from the wound ceased. "I don't like doing it, but it's an efficient way of killing fish painlessly. Massimo taught me and Giulia one time."

Alberto cringed and reclined a little as the blood dripped down my fingers and onto the deck of the wooden boat. But, he rolled his shoulders a little, looking up at me from where he was crouched. "Well..why don't you use that technique on Ercole? Seems like he could need it." He jokes, earning a light slap on the arm from Luca who gave him a displeasing glare.

"What? No no." I pause, snickering at what I'm about to say. "I'd need an even bigger knife to pry through his thick skull!"

Alberto snorts in laughter, clapping his hands together. "You're totally right! Isn't she, Luca?" He patted his friend on the arm with his gloved hand. His brow furrowed softly to recive a small chuckle from his friend. Alberto was expecting a little more enthusiasm.

Massimo kneels down to look at the last of the net he pulled up, delicately touching the net which held one fish. "Mannaggia, not a great catch today." He sighs softly, not wanting to disappoint Giula.

"Aw, don't worry, Massimo! I'm sure there's a better spot to fish somewhere." I pat his one arm with a comforting smile. "Besides, we've still got this little guy." Holding up the fish I had killed, I placed it in the fish bin which I Massimo usually brings with him.

"Uh..it might be because we're over a haunted fish graveyard." Luca points out.

Alberto stands back up, adjusting his gloves. "The fish, think it's haunted. We know its not haunted. This time of day, most fish would be right about..there." He points a finger East, having his hand on his hop. Clearly he knows what he's doing.

✮ ∴ ∵ ✰ ∵ ∴ 🐚 ∴ ∵ ✰ ∵ ∴ ✮

"Giulia! Look at what Alberto and Luca did!" As we dock, I scramble over to my smaller friend and rapidly point to the small boat which was full of fish. "Guess we're kicking some Ercole culo today, hm?" I raise my eyebrows at her, earning a beam from the red haired girl. "Bellissimo! Let's go sign up!"

Giulia hands us a note each. "Come on, affrettati!" She runs off with Luca, giggling cheerfully. I visibly see Alberto's expression fall to see Luca happy without him. "Come on! I've got some spare money, so..how about I get you some ice-cream after we sign up? I promise not to tell Giulia or Luca." Holding up my pinky, I gesture with my eyes down to his.

"Yeah, sure. I'm up for ice-cream. Thanks," Raising his hand, he wiggles his pinky in uncertainty before locking it with mine, shaking it gently. A grin passes my lips. "That's the spirit, now come on!"

I start jogging after Luca and Giulia, Alberto hurrying after me. I stop so abruptly he bumps into me, muttering an embarrassed 'scusa' as he rubs the back of his head, breathing sharply through his teeth.

We happen to be halfway through one of Signora Marsigliese's little acts. I groan in annoyance. "Get to the rules!" Both me and Giula holler.

Marsigliese points her prop trident at both of us. "Ah, enthusiasm! Love to see it! To win my famous race, your team must be the first to brave the treacherous waters of the bay, devour a mystery bowl of my delicious pasta and ride to the top of Mount Portorosso and back!"

Luca holds the map of the Portorosso Cup route in his hand. "That all sounds pretty hard."

Alberto scoffs slightly, clearly underestimating the difficultly of this race as he crosses his arms. "Yeah. Hard to lose. We're going to win."

"We love your confidence, but don't forget, we're gonna have to go through.." Giula was about to carry on, but almost on cue, I hear the infamous voice of Ercole.

The tall, gangly Italian boy practically pushes his way through the crowd. "Champion coming through! Ciao, ciao, hey!"

As he blabbers on and on about himself, him and I lock eyes and the mischievous smirk returns to my face. "Ercole. Long time no see, amico." I spit my words at him. standing in front of my three friends.

"Oh, hoh , hoh. Giula and these vagrants have a body guard now?" Ercole puts a sassy hand on his hip.

I snort at him, wrinkling up my nose. "Mhm, well, I'm not like you, I actually have friends. Unlike your henchmen who you scare into liking you. So before you go spitting words, make sure they're true, capisce? Now step aside, cagna. Or would you like me to knock the absolute shit out of you? Because I will!" I definitely must've gotten carried away because Giulia stands between both of us. "(Y/N), don't. Smettila!"

I definitely must've struck a nerve, because I feel myself be knocked over onto the concrete floor. Alberto gasps and confronts Ercole. "Knock it off!" He hissed, clenching his fists until his knuckles flared white. The tanned boy had unleashed a punch to Ercole's jaw, an audible crack filling the air. The children around, including myself, gasped in horror as Ercole stumbled back, lip split and bleeding.

Just as I got up to my feet, the boys were throwing punches and kicks at eachother. "Stop it! Both of you!" I demand, getting between them and shoving them apart. Their faces were both bruised, Ercole more then most. "Piss off!" I hiss, putting a hand on the older boy's chest to shove him back into Guido and Ciccio who catch him.

Pulling away, I hand Marsigliese four notes of money. "Scusi, Signora Marsigliese. Just..take the money. Sign Giula, Luca and Alberto down as a team. I'll go by myself. Let me deal with this." I whisper softly to the woman. Understanding, she takes the money and writes down in her notes.

Sighing, I step over to Alberto and pat my shoulder. "Come on, Alberto." The tanned boy drapes his arm over my shoulder, hobbling alongside me while looking back at Ercole with one of the most venomous stares. I place my hand over his forearm softly. "Are you okay,(Y/N)?" He asks in concern, completely disregarding his bleeding lip, bruised eyes and slight limp.

"Me!? What about you, idiota!?