Piccoletto

Ercole's Cellar

Luca didn't know how long he had stayed in the dark room. For a while he had stayed curled up on the floor, sobbing violently, longing to leave. Longing to see Alberto again. But eventually, the fear began creeping away. His heart rate slowed from it's constant pounding, triggered by adrenaline. Soon enough, Luca was beginning to crawl around on the floor. He attempted to see his surroundings through touch, using his hands to guide him through the darkness. All the walls and floor he touched were smooth stone, with nothing but dirt and gravel here and there. To reach the wall opposite him, Luca had to crawl for a while. It made the room feel very big.

After making sure that there was nothing there with him, Luca could feel the effects of his weakened body beginning to fall asleep. His head began to droop, and Luca found his way to a corner of the room to sleep against in order to feel more secure. The adrenaline that surged throughout Luca during the fight had dwindled, and now his bruises and cuts began supplying him with a lot more pain that he would have bargained for.

Now he was all alone. He only hoped he'd be home again. So he could see his parents, Giulia, and Alberto. The thought of his best friend made his heart squeeze painfully. Alberto wouldn't even get his flower. Luca was never able to show him how much he loved him. Ercole had that now. Ercole had everything!

It only made Luca wonder. Where was Ercole? Did he return to Portorosso? Or was he in the house, a floor above Luca, sleeping soundly in a bed like Giulia's? But more importantly, where was Alberto? Was he worried for Luca? Had he gone back into the ocean to look for him? Did he even realize that Luca had probably run into Ercole?

Did Alberto even care? Maybe he was mad. Maybe he was angry that Luca had abandoned him. Luca had promised Alberto they'd stick together. And he had to risk it for a stupid flower. Maybe it was for the best that Alberto didn't care. That way he wouldn't suffer the way Luca had to. It was difficult falling asleep on the cold stone. Luca missed cuddling up into the safety of Alberto's arms as the ocean breeze lulled them both into a slumber. He only hoped he'd be able to do it again.

Luca awoke the next morning with a light shining brightly on his face. He opened his eyes and squinted as he moved out of the way. After the blue spots from the light had gone away, Luca could see where it had come from. In fact, he could see the entire room now. And he could also remember the events of the night prior.

As memories from that night flooded through him once again, the pain he had recieved made his body ache. Before Luca could really take some time to look around, he looked down at himself. Through his unbuttoned shirt he could see the bruise that took up almost his entire side. Not only was it a dark purple, but the sides were turning a disgusting shade of yellow. His knees and elbows held the worst scrapes, with dry blood caked on his skin. When Luca put a hand up to his face, he could feel a protruding bump where Ercole had slammed him down onto the cobblestone.

Luca groaned uncomfortably as he looked up at his surroundings. The room was all made of stone. In fact, it seemed to be more of an empty cellar. Two little windows that barely peeked above the ground filled the cellar with light, which is what Luca had supposed he had woken up to.

The room wasn't as big as Luca had initially imagined. The darkness must have made it seem bigger. Near the ending corner opposite of where Luca had slept, was a bleak, rusty shower head that poked out of the wall with a knob underneath it. On that same wall was another door. This door seemed to lead into the house unlike the one he had been pushed through.

Upon spotting it, Luca immediately turned to go through the door he had come through. If Ercole was indeed in the house, he would hear the racket coming from the door closest to it. Luca began twisting the knob, as well as lightly pushing against the door to open it. Nothing worked. Oddly enough, Luca felt much more secure being left alone in the lit storage than when he had almost escaped Ercole the night prior. The thought made Luca shiver uncomfortably as he felt his sore muscles give in.

If Luca didn't find a way out now, Ercole would most definitely come back. What more would he have to do? Without Luca, he could easily win the race. But- then what? Would he let Luca go? It didn't seem likely, as Luca could tell someone what happened and Ercole would get in trouble. But if Ercole kept him there. . . forever. . . what would happen then?

His parents would never find him. Alberto and Giulia would probably stop searching after a while. And Ercole would hurt Luca, even worse than with Alberto. Maybe he could strike a deal with Ercole. That's what Alberto had called it at least, "striking a deal." It meant something like making a promise. Maybe Luca could do that.

With more determination than before, Luca took a deep breath as he faced the door. He started off with a run to run into it with a slam. As he hit, he recoiled painfully after his elbow had made a cracking sound.

"Ah!" Luca said painfully, grabbing his right arm. "Oh no, oh no, oh no. . ."

Luca let go of his arm to straighten it, but it wouldn't move. No, it couldn't move! How was he supposed to escape now?