Sun and Moon

Chapter two

A warm glow from the sun bathed Gulia's childhood room in light. She groggily opened her eyes, rolling over to check her watch. Her eyes widened as she looked at the time. It was already 10.00 am.

'Santa Mozzarella!' she cried, leaping from her position on the bed. She stumbled over to her suitcase, tripping over her discarded pair of shoes as she went. How had she let herself sleep in this long?

She rifled through her suitcase, searching for something to wear. She settled on a yellow cardigan, which had a sun knitted onto one of the pockets, a pair of jorts that her mother had given her, and a yellow striped shirt. The summer wind in Portorosso could be cold and unforgiving on some days. Something even the most experienced fisherman can't predict. Something her father couldn't predict.

Gulia was snapped out of her train of thoughts when she heard a loud knock on the front door.

She finished buttoning up her cardigan and rushed down the rickety stairs.

Alberto stood, leaning on the doorframe, the cold wind chilling Gulia to her bones.

'Sir... I'm sorry I didn't quite catch your name,' Gulia heard a man asking. He sounded cold, and Gulia could hear the desperation in his voice.

'Alberto. Alberto Scorfano,' Alberto said as Gulia came to join him at the door. She wrapped her arms around herself as she was hit by another wave of the icy gale.

She took her first look at the man before her. He couldn't be more than 24, with a thick scar running across his face, starting above his nose and finishing under his lip.

Gulia's breath hitched in her throat. She knew who made marks like that. That was not made by an animal.

Alberto looked down at the boy before him. He felt pity for him.

'Come inside, and we can talk. It can get cold quickly in Portorosso,' he said, flashing the man a smile as he bowed his head.

'Very kind, Mr Scorfano,' he shivered, walking through the door. The man wrapped his coat tighter around him as Alberto shut the door, then turned to look at him. The man cleared his throat awkwardly, and started speaking.

'My name is Doctor Theodore Bluett. I work for the Valentina testi- I mean, the Valentina hospital for the mentally disturbed,' The doctor laughed warily, before continuing.

'You ,Mr Scorfano, are a sea monster. Correct?'

Alberto grimaced. The name sea monster did not sit well with him. He preferred to be called a Sole di mare. Sea sun. He named himself that, claiming he was kind of an expert at things like that.

'Yes. What's it to do with you?' Alberto said, checking his fingernails in an act of boredom. Theodore began fidgeting with his hands, smiling weakly.

'Good, Good. You see, Mr Scorfano, we have an injured sea monster at the hospital. Several broken bones. We can't fix it because we don't understand your anatomy,' He paused, looking up to see if the pair had any reaction. The girl was now looking at him with a sour expression on her face, and Alberto was staring him down, arms folded. Theodore laughed nervously.

'We need your help Mr Scorfano. The patient won't let us touch him. Screams when touched by our kind. The one other sea monster patient we have can't fix bones. The boy needs your help. He is in pain as we speak,' he said, emphasizing the last sentence with particular force that he hadn't shown before.

Alberto thought about it. He wasn't really thinking. He had already made his mind up. He was waiting for Gulia to have her turn. Which she did.

'Why my brother,' she said, taking a step towards the blond, placing her hands on her hips.