Giulia and the boys had covered themselves in towels while they dried the stairs and parts of the kitchen. To prevent them from getting wet, Massimo gave Luca and Alberto gloves and spare boots he had, which were too big for them. But that didn't stop the boys from continuing with their work. While they took care of the steps, Giulia cleaned the spots in the kitchen that got wet since they preferred the boys to take shelter in a place where no one would see them, just in case. While the girl finished mopping, she got up and saw her father come in with another rag.
"I'm sorry," she apologized again, smiling nervously.
Massimo shook his head, clearly annoyed by the small flood. Still, he didn't want to make a fuss, knowing that the departure was imminent, so he wouldn't scold her, just for this occasion.
"Now you see why we never let you have sleepovers?" He said playfully.
Giulia rolled her eyes as she laughed, which made Massimo smile. He hoped that, after the boys left, his daughter could keep her smile. Massimo didn't want her to return to depression.
After finishing cleaning, Massimo offered to make some espresso. But Giulia told him better not, as it might alter the boys, and it was already late. So the fisherman instead made some hot chocolate since the boys had already tasted it, so their bodies would be more resistant. So after a few minutes of waiting and everyone changing into dry clothes, they sat down at the table, and Massimo served each a cup.
After thanking him, Luca and Alberto drank. They didn't have chocolate at the sea, so they better seize the moment. Giulia looked at her father and smiled at him. Massimo also felt happy for the boys.
"Mother of pearl," Luca said after finishing his drink, "I'm gonna miss this."
"So will I," Alberto joined him as he dipped a finger into the cup to smear the foam and then licked it, savoring the chocolate, "This and the Trenette al Pesto."
Remembering what was inevitable darkened the atmosphere a bit. The faces of the boys dulled, and even a grimace formed on Giulia's face, who lowered her cup.
"Well... all good things must come to an end," she told herself. Giulia thought she had accepted it back there, but - it was hard. Luca and Alberto had changed her life so much that it was difficult to imagine how she could continue without them.
"I don't know if I can return to the lab… they will be away from Ercole, and without them here, Ercole will also leave. Focus on that."
Massimo noticed the change of atmosphere, sighed, and leaned back a little more in his chair; it was already happening even if the boys were still here. Everyone already knew what was to come.
"Well, there's no point in regretting what will be; it's better to live in the moment," he thought.
"Don't be blue," he said, drinking some. The three turned to look at him, "even if you have to leave, there is still one thing left to see."
Luca's eyes widened, remembering what Mrs. Marsigliese said.
"Oh, that's right, Giulia," he looked at his friend, "one of your dad's clients said something about a party - at - at."
"Festa del Mare," Giulia finished, leaving her cup on the table.
Luca snapped and pointed a finger at her.
"That!"
The girl nodded.
"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot: Festa del Mare is a festival we hold every year to celebrate the year's end and to ask for a better one. There are many food stalls, games, and dances, and the town gets quite lively.
"I think it will be an ideal farewell," commented Massimo.
Luca and Alberto exchanged glances and then smiled at each other.
"That sounds great!" Alberto commented, raising one arm. The part about the food was his favorite. If he was leaving the town soon, he was eating all the Surface meals he could.
Luca nodded his head energetically; he was just excited to see a little more of the human world and to be able to spend more time with Giulia. She, for her part, smiled; it was good to see that the spirit had returned to the table.
"The Festival is at night, so we can spend a few hours in it, and then - you will go home," she said; it sounded better than 'leave.'
The boys looked at each other again, this time not with as much enthusiasm, but they knew it was the right thing to do. It was time to return home and be reunited with their family.
"You know you two will always be welcome here," Massimo added, with a tone more severe than usual, causing all eyes to fall on him, "but now that Ercole saw you - it is better that you return home soon."
Massimo hoped he didn't sound like he was kicking them out, but he didn't want to risk them returning to that horrible place. Needless to say, he and Giulia would also pay the consequences.
This time, the three looked at each other but did not say anything; they knew that Massimo did not mean it with bad intentions, and was also aware of the danger Ercole represented. Even so, Massimo felt a little responsible for having to be the one to remember the bitter details, so he decided to correct it.
"But don't make those faces," he said more calmly, which once again brought attention to him, "you still have a great day ahead and a wonderful night."
"It's true," added a much more cheerful Giulia, "you always find good things at the festival and have a good time."
Of course, she omitted the detail that, as a child, she always had to go with her parents or alone since no other children in the town wanted to go with her - but there was no need for the boys to know that.
Alberto finished his drink, and then the three agreed to go to bed. It was better to rest to prepare for tomorrow. Massimo only nodded his head slightly.
Giulia stood up and followed the boys to the stairs when her father's voice called her again:
"Giulietta."
She stopped and turned to look at him.
"I'm sorry if I bothered you."
She smiled, shaking her head.
"No, papá - we know why you say it - and you're right."
Massimo did not add more.
Giulia smiled and began to ascend again. Massimo stood until his daughter's shadow disappeared, then sat down again. Machiavelli appeared shortly after, climbing on the table. It was not his habit because his cat was not affectionate either, but Massimo caressing the feline's head. Machiavelli made no complaints and even purred a little.
"Yes, it's going to be rough," he said, already missing the noise.
Giulia followed the boys to the guest room, where they were dressed only in their seaweed shorts. Luca had arranged the clothes on a chair while Alberto had just thrown them under the bed. At that, she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
The boys noticed this and smiled at her.
"I just came to make sure you're not missing anything," she said, entering the room.
"We're perfect, thank you," Luca responded.
Giulia looked around; it seemed that everything was in order.
"Well, I think I'll go to bed too."
The two just nodded, as they now felt a little uncomfortable. Giulia just smiled and turned around to leave until she had another idea. She turned, leaning on the edges of the door.
"Hey."
The boys looked at her.
"I've got an idea."
"Does it involve flooding another room?" Asked an excited Alberto.
Giulia giggled.
"No, this is less chaotic."
The boys accompanied her to the room, where they helped her unmake the bed and lower the mattress from the base. Then, between the three, they took it to the guest room.
"You know? These beds of yours are very comfortable," said Alberto as they carried it, "but I feel like you complicate life too much."
"Just because you have the advantage that everything is lighter in water," Giulia defended: "Try to move a stone on dry land."
"I have already done it - we have done it multiple times."
"He's right," Luca added.
After reaching the room, they arranged the mattress on the floor, vertically to the bed, then the three returned for pillows and sheets and quickly spread the quilt. Giulia sat down, crossing her legs, while Luca and Alberto settled down on the bed.
"Okay, this is what we humans call a sleepover."
Luca was excited to discover a new human custom.
"Cool, and what does it consist of?" He asked.
"Oh well, it's when you spend the night at a friend's house and talk about things."
"What kind of things?" Luca questioned.
"All kinds of things, that is what's cool about it. You can talk about anything."
"Oh, now we're talking," said an excited Alberto.
It was difficult for him to follow the 'smart people' conversations that Luca and Giulia used to have, but if they could talk about anything, he wouldn't have any problems.
Giulia smiled and lay back, chest down, resting her head in her hands. What did it matter if she never had a sleepover as a child? Now she had it, and better yet, it felt like they had all the time in the world.
...
When Ciccio left Ercole in his rented room, he ran to the desk and turned on his computer. In other circumstances, those ideas would seem like total nonsense, but not now, after having seen those boys-
He knew he had a lead.
When the screen turned on, he prepared to type until he detected a nasty aroma. Ercole began to sniff; it smelled like rotten meat. When he turned his head towards the keyboard, he discovered where it came from. His hand, the wound- Ercole raised it. His fingers were black.
"Soon. I just need to catch those bastards, and then I'll go to the doctor," he thought. He was already close, with the clue he had been asking for.
He returned his attention to the screen and opened the browser, typing: 'Sea monsters that turn into humans on land' into the search engine and then pressed search. The first results were disappointing, just lists of prehistoric sea monsters, sea creatures, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
"No, no," he said irritably to the screen; "give me something I can use!"
He lowered through the results, but they were all equally useless.
"Shit!" he thought. "This is worse than trying to consult with Guido. Maybe I should go back to him. I'm sure, with the right pressure, I could make him talk."
He seriously considered it, when one of the results caught his attention.
'The love story between two beings that crossed borders,' it read.
Ercole stopped scrolling down and reread what the description said. He smiled, it seemed that he had finally found it, he opened the link and started reading, it was a legend about a human prince who fell in love with one of those creatures.
'Because of the strength of their love, the moon granted a gift to the princess and all of the sea folk, that every night that she shines in the sky in her entirety, they would be allowed to walk the land as humans.'
Ercole got up and went to the window to look at the sky. There was a full moon.
Just as he thought, he took a pack of cigarettes from his pockets and held one with his remaining good fingers. While on the other hand, he lit it and blew the smoke out the window. The gray cloud stood in front of the moon, and from his distance, it seemed like it covered her completely.
"You are mine now," he would just finish his cigarette, send the information to Bellucci to print, and present his case to the general in the morning. After that, Spewlia and those freaks wouldn't know what hit them.
...
When Giulia woke up, she felt cold. So she curled up in a ball under the blankets.
"Guys- close the window, please" was the only explanation she could find as to why it was freezing, but she got no response, "Guys?"
She stood up a little, noticing that the bed was empty. Giulia looked around, no sign of them.
"Luca? Alberto?"
No response.
"Did they leave?" She thought, "Was the encounter with Ercole too much for them?"
Fearfully, she stood up, quickly went to her room for a bathrobe, and then went downstairs, expecting to find them in the kitchen.
"I hope they haven't left- just- a little more time, please," she didn't even know who she was praying to.
Luckily, when he crossed the door, she found her answer. Luca and Alberto were sitting at the table, covered with towels, a little wet, with those body parts transformed, and drinking hot chocolate, which they had heated in the microwave. Giulia sighed in relief and leaned against the edges of the door, drawing both of their attention.
"Buongiorno," they said in unison.
"Buongiorno," she responded, approaching and sitting in the remaining chair, "may I know why you are wet?"
"Just look out the window," Alberto replied, drinking.
Giulia raised an eyebrow but did as her friend instructed. The cart was once again full of fish.
"You went out again?" She asked them, looking back at the boys.
"Yes," Alberto responded casually, taking another sip.
"It's your dad's last chance to sell before we leave," Luca explained.
"Santa Ricotta," Giulia added as she sat down, not knowing whether to feel very flattered or very irritated. "Guys, I really appreciate what you do for us, and I'm sure my papá does too, but we can't take such risks anymore. Ercole knows you are here."
She was not deaf to her father's words.
"But you said it yourself; he wouldn't believe it unless he saw us change," Alberto resumed.
"I know, but it's better not to take unnecessary risks, just in case."
Alberto rolled his eyes. He was gonna tell her that they were careful, they made sure that no one saw them, but Luca spoke before he could say anything:
"We understand, Giulia. Don't worry, we were careful."
Alberto just nodded his head while pointing at Luca. Giulia rolled her eyes. She wasn't gonna argue because this was their last day together, and she didn't want to waste it like that.
"Well, let's forget about it," she said, stretching her arms. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
The boys smiled, showing their teeth. Giulia was satisfied with that.
"Well, now that you brought more fish, I do not doubt that my dad will want to open the pescheria."
"That's good for us. We liked helping, so we can do it again," Luca said.
Alberto nodded.
"Very well, you don't know how much joy it gives me to work in the family business instead of in that horrible lab."
"It was good when you were around," Luca said, drinking his cup.
Giulia blushed a bit.
"Well, then it looks like we will be busy."
...
As was predictable, Massimo was not so happy with the boys sneaking out again, and even less now, Ercole knew. But he did not give it too much importance. Like his daughter, he did not want to use the last day for scolding and arguments. It was better to take advantage of the extra hands.
Like the day before, they divided into the tasks already assigned, only now Giulia was making home deliveries. She couldn't use her bike because of the frozen streets, so she preferred to go on foot. The boys would have liked to accompany her, but in the end, they stayed at the pescheria because Massimo asked them to so that they would not risk any more. After all, he told them it was better to wait until nightfall. Although a little disappointed, the boys understood and agreed to stay behind.
Giulia smiled and went to make the deliveries. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed that job, not only because it helped her get through those lonely summer days. But it also encouraged her to walk the streets. It brought back nostalgia for her childhood, and Giulia felt satisfaction in delivering the orders. It made her feel like she was helping the family business.
"How curious. Now I would like to return to those days," she thought while delivering a fish. After receiving the payment and thanks, she turned around to continue her work.
Since she couldn't get the cart out, he took a bag.
"Yes, I was alone, and Ercole always humiliated me in the Portorosso Cup- but mamá was alive. I wasn't paranoid that the government was behind my back- I don't know, life was simpler."
It was funny how life took its turn. Not everything was awful since meeting the boys was great, but- there was always a longing for the past. The next street was passing an alley; Giulia walked without looking inside. If she had, she would have seen the man. He left his hiding, covered her mouth with his hand, and dragged her inside. Giulia didn't have time to react or to understand what was happening when they were already holding her inside.
"Shhhh, it's me."
Recognizing the voice, Giulia calmed down and stopped struggling. The hand released her, and she turned to confront him.
"Santa Gorgonzola! You're crazy?! You almost scared me to death!"
"I'm sorry, but it's better if they don't see us together in public," Guido responded, adjusting his jacket.
Giulia rolled her eyes.
"Shouldn't you be in the lab?"
Guido denied with the head.
"I don't think it's safe anymore. Ercole has lost it."
Giulia, despite everything, smiled. She liked hearing that that fool was having a hard time; the lower he fell, the better.
"After this, I will go directly to present my resignation. Without the specimens, there is no need for me to stay."
"You know they have names."
"And you want me to say them here? In public? Out loud? Where someone could listen to us-"
Giulia did not respond and just crossed her arms. Guido was right, they should be more cautious. There was an uncomfortable silence until the man looked at her again.
"Giulia- the two boys you were with yesterday- they- are they-?"
"Yes."
Guido's eyes widened, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"How?"
Giulia sighed, knowing that Guido was a scientist- he wouldn't like the answer.
"Magic."
Guido went from surprise to skepticism. He examined her face for any trace of a joke or something similar, but she kept her face straight. Guido backed away a little.
"I'm serious. It's the only explanation I can find. The full moon affects them."
Guido narrowed an eyebrow.
"Like Red Pandas?"
"Oh, they exist too. And apparently, they had a war with the sea monsters."
Guido blinked in amazement. Giulia rolled her eyes and looked to the sides; no one else was visible, so she returned her attention to Guido.
"Listen, I have to make these deliveries. By the time I return, it must be break time, so see me there, and I will introduce them to you."
Correctly, shewanted to say. The little encounter they had last night didn't count.
"Let them explain everything to you."
Guido sighed, looking left and right, and then at the rooftops of the buildings, before returning to see the girl. Although he was already risking a lot by meeting with Giulia, he wanted to have all the answers that Luca and Alberto could give him. It was an opportunity that he could not miss.
"Just this last time, then I'll leave," he thought.
"Okay," Guido agreed.
Giulia smiled.
"Enter through the back door."
Guido nodded, and the girl walked backward until she left the alley. She looked to the sides, no enemies in sight, smiled at the Guido, and returned to concentrating on her task.
...
As Giulia had assumed, when she returned, it was break time. Massimo was closing the doors and putting up the closed sign when she appeared.
"And the boys?" She asked her father.
"In the kitchen," Massimo responded, pointing to the door with his head.
Giulia nodded, checked again that no one had followed her, and told him to crouch. Massimo did as instructed so that his daughter could whisper in his ear. The girl approached and told him what had happened.
Massimo got up.
"Sure?"
"He said Ercole is at the lab."
Massimo looked around, seeing that everything seemed normal, and nodded.
"Go, I'll keep an eye out."
Giulia didn't know what she had done to deserve such a father. Massimo let her in, and she went directly to the kitchen, where, as she was told, Luca and Alberto were sitting at the table.
"Hello," Luca greeted her, "How did it go?"
"Good, but you need to get ready. We have visitors."
That alerted them both, and they stood up to look at her. Giulia went to open the door, she looked outside in search of the man, she found him hiding behind the tree where her hideout once was. With one hand, she instructed him to get in. Guido trotted to the door, and Giulia closed it behind him.
When Guido entered, Luca and Alberto opened their eyes as wide as they could and stood up. There was a moment when neither of them looked away from the other. The biologist examined them from head to toe. He had already seen them last night, but with the pressure of having Ercole on one side, he had barely paid attention to them. But now that he saw them calmly, he could see all the details and verify that they looked quite familiar.
"I can't believe it. It's you."
Luca and Alberto looked at each other, then back at Guido.
"Well, yes-" Luca admitted with a shrug, "hi."
Alberto also waved.
Giulia just stood next to the door, watching everything happen. It was- a little funny, seeing how none of the three knew how to react.
Luca and Alberto exchanged glances again, but in the end, they sat down.
"Well, first of all, I would like to apologize- for letting Ercole- "
But Luca denied it.
"No, you helped us while we were there with the ointment and to escape."
"I still feel like I could have done more."
"Maybe," Alberto responded, but Luca elbowed him lightly in the ribs. He complained and looked at his friend, who sent him a reproachful look.
Alberto rolled his eyes.
"We thank you for everything you did for us."
Guido smiled while Giulia snickered. She would never get tired of the Luca and Alberto dynamic.
"I have so many questions- have you always been able to speak? Or only when you transform?"
"All the time," Alberto answered, "we are not savages."
"So- all those times in the lab-"
"We had to be careful who we trusted," Luca said.
Guido nodded.
"Smart move."
"Thank you," Luca sincerely said. While Alberto stuck out his chest.
"You guys are wonderful, but how can you-? You know."
Luca and Alberto smiled at each other. They walked to the sink, opened the tap, and put their hands under the water. Once they transformed, they showed them to Guido, and with a surprised look, the biologist suddenly stood up, knocking over the chair.
"Fascinating," he said as he examined the limbs.
"Pretty cool, right?" Alberto said proudly.
"Incredible, I would say," Guido continued.
Giulia shook her head while smiling, went to pick up the fallen chair, and put it back in its place.
"They are a bunch of children," she thought.
"Extraordinary," Guido continued saying as he looked at the webbed fingers and then their faces. "How do you do it?"
"Oh, well-" Luca began, but Alberto quickly interrupted him:
"The Great Fish in the sky grant us the power."
Guido grimaced. Great Fish in the sky? He looked at Giulia to see if she could explain better.
"I told you it was magic."
"Why don't you sit down and we will tell you things better?" Luca suggested, seeing that the poor man did not understand anything, "We will try to be as clear as possible."
Guido nodded, yes he needed it.
So they sat down, and Luca and Alberto retold the legend of the sea princess. Giulia did not know how the scientist would take the story. She and Luca still had a hard time accepting it. What would happen to a man of science?
In the end, Guido leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
"Interesting- and do you- believe in it?"
"Of course, then how do you explain this?" Alberto said, showing his hand.
"Well... at home, everyone believes it. It's like our religion, but I still have doubts," Luca admitted.
Alberto rolled his eyes. He knew that his brother was smart, so he couldn't understand why he didn't believe in something he could see in front of his eyes.
"I'm not so sure either," Giulia confessed.
"Well," said Guido, putting a hand to his chin, "the moon reflects the sun's rays. That could explain why you can transform during the day and night, and only when the moon is full."
Of course, that still didn't explain why they couldn't change the rest of the month, but maybe that had to do with the deal made between the moon and the sun...
Now Luca and Giulia were the ones who exchanged glances if they saw it that way- they could accept the legend a little more as an explanation.
"But there's definitely magic involved," Guido admitted, "it's the only answer I can find for tails appearing out of nowhere."
"Yes, they just materialize," Luca continued, "but do you know what's strange about it? Even if we wear clothes that are not ours, that is, that do not have a hole for the tails, they appear and do not break through. They only come out from the other side, and when we transform back, they disappear."
Luca had always found that quite strange.
"Yes, without a doubt, it is magic," Guido concluded, raising his arms.
"You seem to take it pretty well for a man of science," Giulia said.
"I guess sometimes you just have to believe in miracles."
Giulia didn't say anything else, she was right, the four of them smiled at each other until a new thought came to the girl.
"Wait- clothes not made for you? Do you mean human- did you have human clothes at home?"
"Oh- eh," Luca looked at Alberto for help. He had accidentally put himself in a cave with no exit since they had found human clothing at home- from a dead body on a submarine.
"Oh," Alberto responded, gritting his teeth a little, but then he looked ahead determinedly, and used a casual tone, "You humans always throw your garbage in the ocean, so it's easy to find things."
Luca nodded his head while Giulia and Guido looked away, feeling ashamed on behalf of their race, but for the sea monsters, it served since neither of them wanted to explore the topic further.
"Well," Guido said after a while, "it's been a real pleasure, but I should go now."
"So soon?" Luca asked.
"Yes, Ercole suspects me. I think I risked you too much by coming here."
Giulia bit her lip, knowing she was guilty of it too.
"Let him come, and I'll show him what's good," Alberto exclaimed, darkening his tone and gaze.
"No," Guido said quickly, "we've been through a lot already. There would have been no point in taking you out of the lab just for you to die out here."
"That's some reasoning," Luca thought.
"Oh, believe me, he doesn't-" Alberto was going to start contradicting him, but Giulia placed a hand on his shoulder.
He looked at her face. Giulia had a worried expression, she shook her head, and Alberto knew what it meant. He sighed, a little irritated, but-
"Just to prove that I love her," he thought.
"Fine, no fighting."
Giulia smiled.
"Thank you."
Alberto smiled.
"I just had to see you one last time," Guido said as he stood up, "you are leaving tonight, right?"
"Yes, before the effect wears off," Luca said.
Guido nodded.
"It was a pleasure meeting you- Luca, Alberto," he looked at each one while saying their name, "goodbye."
He turned to leave, his hand placed on the door when Luca's voice stopped him:
"Guido, wait."
The scientist turned to look at him. Luca stood up, and now all eyes were on him. The boy put both hands together and lowered them.
"I hope your mom is better."
"Mom? What is he talking about- Oh," his eyes lit up when he remembered that little white lie he told Luca during his experiment.
"She has fully recovered, thank you for asking."
"Is it unfair to continue lying to him? Yes, but I don't want to ruin the moment," he excused himself.
Luca smiled. He seemed genuinely happy about hearing it.
"Thanks, Great Fish."
Guido was surprised once more- despite the scales, tails, and fins, deep down, sea monsters were just like humans, or perhaps- even more human than many.
"Luca, Alberto, Giulia, thank you for everything."
And with that, he opened the door and left, because if he hadn't, he would never have left them.
