Prologue
Night of the Hunter
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It was a cold, rainy day in Florence, Italy. Boats were starting to dock to the nearest harbor since the wind was picking up and thunder was rolling in off to the Northeast. The dark clouds were slowly picking up pace over Florence, making icy water rain from the heavens.
One boat docked just before the rain started falling, and off scrambled a little girl. Her eyes were wet with tears and she shook from her very core.
"Che stupida, che stupid. Perche l'ho fatto?" (Stupid, stupid girl. Why did I do that?) She questioned silently, hiccupping afterwards. She rubbed her eyes and started to wander the streets as the rain slowly pounded down her back.
Giovanni was late; surely his wife would kill him for being late for dinner. This was the tenth time this month, and she warned him about it before. He always said that dinner was family time, but never pushed it on his children, they were growing up for goodness sake!
"Mi dispiace signore." (I'm sorry sir.) Giovanni said bowing his head just slightly, "but mi moglie (my wife)is expecting me home for dinner." His boss waved his hand in dismissal, "go on Giovanni, you've done enough for me today." Giovanni bowed his head again and smiled towards his boss, "Grazie, grazie signore!" He cried out as he rushed out the door.
Just his luck: it was raining.
Giovanni raised his hand up towards the sky and scowled at the darkening clouds. Holding up papers that rendered themselves useless, he tried to cover his figure as he hurriedly walked through the empty streets.
The little girl started shaking from the cold wind and rain that fell upon the streets. She didn't look up, not once. Suddenly, she ran into something, knocking her to the ground. She looked up, her dress now completely soaked, at a man. Slightly graying hair, but still long and black; he looked so kind.
His eyes softened considerably and held out a hand, which she gladly took.
"Mi dispiace poco ragazzina." (I'm sorry little girl.) She looked up at the kind man and smiled, her eyes tired.
"Va bene signore." (It's okay sir.) Her voice was small, he barely understood her.
"Are you lost little one?" He asked, exchanging Italian words to English hoping she understood. She looked up slightly confused.
"My papa…"
"What of your father little one?"
"He… left me…" she said piecing words together slowly as she hugged herself close. Giovanni stared down at the little girl and then grabbed her hand.
"Come with me bambina." He pulled her along to his house while she trusted the stranger; it was all she could do.
Edited: November 30, 2010