The Giuoco Piano

Chapter 18 - Canali e Cannule

And then they are jumping and falling and falling, the air bitingly cold, snatching the breath from their pained lungs. And all the time they are running and falling, their hands hold fast bringing them a sliver of stability in a world that is spinning around them so fast that they can't see the truth any longer.

And then they hit the water and it closes over their heads and the warmth of Roman's hand is torn from Marlena's. And for long, terrifying moments her world is dark and silent and agonisingly painful, and she can't breathe. There is nothing but blackness and water in every direction and she doesn't know which way is up.

Each kick against the heaviness of the water is torture and her lungs are bursting, and she starts to think that maybe this is it. Maybe she has escaped Moretti just to die in a Venice canal. And then she thinks that maybe that is the way it should be and there are far worse ways to die.

With a shock, she emerges from the icy water, and she inhales large, excruciating gasps of air.

"Roman!" the shout erupts from her as she spins around in the water, frantically searching for him. "ROMAN!" She flails in the freezing water but he's nowhere to be seen. "ROMAN!" she screams and then she feels something brush against her leg and she reaches down. Her fingers close around the lace of his shirt cuff and then he is gone, and she screams in fear and frustration.

Taking a deep breath, she dives under the water and ignoring the pain in her stomach, she searches for him.

Through the dark, murky water, she sees a flash of light, what might be Roman's shirt and she reaches out for it.

It is him and she draws him into her arms and kicks desperately to break the surface of the water. When she does, she realizes that he is unconscious, and she looks around desperately to see where they are. Canal de Cannaregio is a large waterway off the Grand Canal and there is a bridge fifty off meters away and on the other side of the canal there are buildings with doors that open straight onto the canal. But she will have to get Roman there along with herself and her strength is rapidly dwindling. She can barely keep the two of them afloat, let alone get them through the choppy, ice-cold water

"Roman!" she gasps. "Wake up honey. I need you to wake up. I need you to help me."

But he's a dead weight in her arms and she feels herself sinking again, his weight dragging her down. Despite the fact that they are no longer wearing the heavy costumes that would have pulled them immediately to the bottom of the canal, she is not sure how much longer she can keep the two of them afloat.

To make it worse, she is unprepared for the bow wave of a boat that suddenly breaks over her head. Her mouth is full of water, and she can barely hang onto Roman as they both start to sink beneath the surface of the canal.

And then she feels hands on her and she is rising, breaking the surface and the pain in her stomach is searing as she is dragged over the side of a speed-boat and deposited on the water slicked deck. She hears shouting and a large splash and then there are several men hauling Roman into the boat. He is followed onto the boat by the man who had jumped in to retrieve her husband. Someone gives a barked order, and the boat is suddenly moving down the canal, away from the Palazzo and the chaos of sound and light that surrounds it.

"Roman!" she crawls over to him. "Roman." She brushes the hair back off his face but it's a moment before she realizes his lips are turning blue.

"He's not breathing!" she shouts frantically. She doesn't know who these people are, but she can only presume that if they've been fished out of the canal, their immediate safety and health is a priority.

"Here, let them have some space," one of the men folds a foil blanket around her shoulders and moves her backwards while two more kneel beside Roman and commence mouth to mouth and CPR.