Chapter 9


Vicovaro, 25 August 20XX

Caro zio Romano,

This Varia training camp is a great place! So much has happened since I got here. First, we had a camping trip and obstacle course through the woods (there were a lot of landmines and lasers, haha!) and we ended up running through a bunch of traps before the last landmine set the trees on fire and we barely made it out in time! I also met my best friend Paolo there!

Paolo's a really great guy, and it's funny when he gets mad because I know he never means it, haha! We're roommates now and he sleeps on the bottom bunk. He complains all the time and says that I move around too much at night, but when he gets too loud there's a guy who throws shoes at him (sometimes he throws shoes at me too but it doesn't really hurt that much haha!)

Our instructor is named Brioschi and he's a big and grumpy-looking guy with a huge beard. He made us do really hard things like 500 push-ups and sit-ups and laps around the whole training camp but I didn't give up! It was really hard at first because I had these heavy weight-things tied to my arms and legs while we were playing capture the flag so I kept losing...and Instructor Brioschi made me and Paolo stand outside all night holding buckets of water…
But even if he yells a lot and makes us do difficult things, I don't think he's a bad person. He always makes sure nobody gets injured too badly and he put Paolo on medical duty to make sure he doesn't get hurt that bad (oops don't tell him I said that or he's gonna get mad, haha!)

Anyways, let me tell you about the some other people in our cabin. First, there's Geraldo, a big guy who secretly brings back leftovers from dinner. He's bunkmates with Frederic, a spunky little dude who likes to collect the shoes thrown by Antonio. Antonio, or Tony as we like to call him, gets angry a lot because our cabin is really noisy. He throws shoes at us all the time, especially at me and Paolo for some reason...He's got reaaallly good aim too! I wonder if he was ever a pitcher for a baseball team…

Our daily schedule changes often, but it's mostly like this (I'll use yesterday as an example!)
5:00 AM
We wake up. Well, it's actually just me but Instructor Brioschi usually comes in around this time too. He makes a pretty big ruckus, screaming and banging on the walls for everybody to get up, haha! Thankfully, I'm always ready and dressed by then so he just glares a little or screams at me to get out of the way.

7:00 AM
After morning exercises, it's breakfast time! Paolo is usually too sleepy to eat so I eat his portion too. Tony complains about the eggs being undercooked but I think they're okay. The time limit is 15 minutes but that's plenty of time for me to finish!

8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Training begins! Our schedule changes from day to day, depending on the Instructor's mood. Today we are playing frisbee with the tire of a monster truck. Paolo got hit in the face at least 7 times but the Instructor never lets anyone sit out, so he was passed out on the ground the whole time, haha! This tall guy from the other barracks almost got it past us but I managed to intercept and passed it to Geraldo. That crazy guy caught it with his teeth! Well, he got knocked out after that, but anyways, we won! Actually, we only won one round and had to run laps for the rest of the day, but we still won!

12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Paolo woke up in time for lunch, and we ate at the cafeteria. We're given a 15 minute break for bathrooms and water before we finish the rest of our laps. We usually finish around 7 and then it's off to dinner! Tonight we have a weird mix of meat and warm dough with parsley on the side. It's nowhere as near as good as your cooking of course, zio, but you know that I'm not very picky when it comes to these things…

8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
After dinner, us new recruits either hang out in the Wreck Room or around the barracks. Paolo says the Wreck Room is short for "wreck-reation" but that doesn't make any sense to me… I think "Wreck Room" fits better, because that room really is a wreck! There's a really big hole in the wall, because this one time we were having a punching contest and I wanted to join, and I got kind of carried away...hehe! Sometimes we share stories from home and sometimes we just complain about the Instructor. It's really fun though, and I always get a good laugh before lights out at 9 o'clock!

This camp is a lot more different than the other ones I've been to back in Ardea. Yesterday during the water break, I overheard some of the other people talking about a big end-of-training event coming called it spaghetti dinner night and it's supposed to be a big party or something. I can't wait! Ah, but I'm sure the spaghetti at the party can't be more delicious than yours, zio!

Speaking of spaghetti, how are things back in Castagnola? Is the restaurant busy this time of year? There must be a lot of tourists since it's summer, huh!

I just wanted to apologize...for saying all those terrible things to you, Uncle...I was angry and stupid. I know you were just trying to help me. I'm sorry I couldn't say it to you in person but I promise that as soon as I get back, you can do whatever you want! I'll wash the restaurant floors for as long as you want me to! Please forgive me zio, I really didn't mean it.

I will keep you in my thoughts as always!

Stammi bene,

Renata


Paolo gently deposited the piece of paper back onto his bunkmate's pillow, a stone of guilt settling at the bottom of his stomach.
That's right. He'd completely forgotten to tell her about the Varia, and what it actually was.

He kicked himself mentally, cursing his carelessness. Paolo would never admit it out loud, but the past month or so was the happiest he'd been in a while. He'd never expected the unbearably harsh training, the lousy cafeteria meals, or the cramped living quarters to have been so….fun. But somehow, Rena with her infallibly optimistic attitude and enthusiasm, seemed to surround them with an atmosphere of adventure.
Paolo could almost close his eyes and pretend that he was on a trip to summer camp instead of receiving recruitment training to join the mafia.

But… He glanced reluctantly at the letter sitting on the top bunk. I can't just hide the truth from her like that… it's bound to come out eventually.

"Heyyy there you are, Paolo!"

A familiar voice rang out from the doorway of the barracks. Paolo flinched, and hastily deposited the slip of paper back onto his bunk mate's bed.

"Ah, Renata! What is it?"

She bounded over, grinning as usual.

"It's lunch time, c'mon! Don't want to miss out on the cold cuts before Geraldo takes 'em all!"

Paolo laughed, a sudden wave of relief washing over him. Perhaps he was being too paranoid about this entire matter after all. He tended to overthink these things too often, so maybe it was better to just let it be for now.

"Let's go then!"

He allowed himself to break out in a grin that matched hers in intensity as they raced out of the door and down the hall, echoing with laughter.