Piccoletto

Ercole's Trap

"Luca, watch out!" a voice cried from the outside alleys of Portorosso. Luca had been too late, as another clap echoed from the alley.

Alberto watched helplessly as Luca stumbled back and hit the ground under Ercole, clutching the right side of his face where Ercole had struck him. Ercole laughed, his figure illuminated by the yellow lamppost above.

"Oh, poor little Piccoletto," he teased as he towered over Luca. "Please forgive me, I am so sorry!"

As Luca nervously tried to scoot away from Ercole, Alberto tried to pull away from Ciccio and Guido but it was no use. Ercole's friends had him firmly gripped from each arm to keep Alberto still. But Alberto still had his voice.

"Luca!" he cried out. "Luca, are you ok? Luca!"

Alberto watched as Luca removed the hand from his face and looked at his palm, then back at Ercole with tears in his eyes. Seeing Luca in pain - that was Alberto's truest fear.

"Luca!" he shouted once again.

Ercole turned back towards Alberto, his satisfied smile fading. "Didn't I tell you to sta 'zitto? Hm? Or do I have to hurt your little friend again for you to listen?"

As he said his last phrase, he gave a little kick at Luca who was still at his feet. Luca flinched, and let out a small cry as he did so. Alberto had never felt such rage before. Not even the night he realized his father wasn't coming back.

"What is your problem?!" he shouted at Ercole. "Why do you have to hit Luca, when it's really a problem you have with me? He's half your size, you coward!"

"Coward?" Ercole repeated dangerously. "You are going to regret saying that. And if I have to hit your little friend here to get you to listen, then that is what I must do, because it clearly hasn't left an impression on you."

As much as Alberto hated to admit it, Ercole was right. Alberto was being held up against a corner, his left eye already swelling and blood trickling down his cheek. Ercole's ring had made the cut on Alberto's already black eye. He looked back down at Luca, struggling to get up and decided to give up.

"Luca," Alberto said softly. "You have to go."

Luca immediately looked up into Alberto's eyes and shook his head. "N-no! Alberto, I'm not leaving you!"

Alberto sighed. "Luca I- I can't keep letting you get hurt. Please. Go."

"No," Luca said defiantly, shakily standing up. "I can't let you do this. Not alone."

Ercole looked between the two boys and let out a wheezy laugh. "Aw, look-a how cute! He really thinks he can save his friend. Now get out of the way, Piccoletto!"

"Please," said Luca as he turned towards Ercole. "Let us go. We haven't done anything to you."

"No, Piccoletto," Ercole said. "But I haven't done anything to you."

Before either of the boys could register what was going on, Ercole grabbed Luca and pulled him forward, pinning Luca's back to his chest. Ercole had a hold of Luca's hair, and his other arm wrapped around Luca's torso, making it impossible for the smaller boy to wiggle away.

"Luca!" Alberto cried out. "Let him go! LET HIM GO! I'll give you whatever you want, just stop hurting him!"

Ercole watched in amusement as Alberto struggled against Guido and Ciccio, only to give up and sink to his knees. Alberto had finally been defeated as he let out a cry and tears started to stain his shirt. Ercole broke out into an evil smile. This is what he wanted. Meanwhile, Luca was struggling to get out of Ercole's painful grasp on him, as Ercole only tightened everytime Luca moved.

"Aren't these two funny, eh?" Ercole said, laughing at the boys. Ciccio and Guido began nervously laughing too. "Maybe it's time I let you get away alive. For now. Guido, Ciccio, let him go."

The two boys both let go of Alberto who ran forward to grab Luca, but Ercole pulled Luca back.

"Ah ah ah," he said teasingly, his hand pulling Luca's head back with a bunch of his hair. Luca bit his lower lip in an effort to not cry out. "We're not finished yet."

Alberto stepped back, terrified that Ercole would hurt Luca further if he approached. "What more do you want from us?"

Ercole didn't answer, but instead put his lips to Luca's ear.

"If I ever see you or your friend again before the race, it's over. Understand, Piccoletto?"

Luca nodded vigorously, already feeling dizzy from a lack of oxygen. In an instant, Luca was dropped into Alberto's arms, who had run under to catch him.

"Come on, Luca," Alberto said, holding him as Luca gasped for breath. "Let's go."

The boys began running down the alley and back to the heart of Portorosso as Ercole laughed.

"Run, little boys," he shouted after them. "And don't let the shark catch-a the shrimp!"