Piccoletto

Accusations

Hours before Luca had woken up, Alberto had already been pacing at the top of Giulia's hideout. Nothing would let him sleep for more than an hour or so. Alberto would wake up with a start as the nightmares of Luca being beaten by Ercole ate away at his mind. Every time he tried to fall back asleep, he would reach out, hoping to feel the familiar feeling of Luca's hand in his. But when he remembered the truth, his guilt would take a hold of him. After a few hours of on and off slumber, Alberto got up for good. He had to keep his hyperactive mind focused if he was going to act out his plan in the morning.

The only problem was that it was still dark. Alberto could only guess that the sun would be up soon, but still - Giulia and Massimo would awake several hours away. And so his mind was set. Alberto wanted to swim. He quietly climbed down the hideout and out of Giulia's yard, hoping that no early morning fishermen were going out for a catch. Fortunately for him, the only thing that interrupted the silence of Portorosso were the waves crashing against the stone wall.

Alberto looked up past the ocean and into the horizon. The island he and Luca had come from looked especially welcoming. Maybe he'd pay a visit.

Without hesitation, Alberto took a step back and launched himself into a dive. His body sliced through the chilly water with barely a splash as he rocketed through the ocean's currents. This had been a swim he was familiar with. But the only thing missing was Luca. The last time Alberto had made his journey, he had been holding Luca's hand. He had pulled him up into the air to show Luca the joy's of diving up and down through the sea.

It all became too much. In a split second decision, Alberto went off his usual path. His speed rapidly declined as he carelessly let the current bring him through the water. But something was different. Something felt. . . familiar.

Alberto dipped his head lower to find the ocean floor and he could see what had awakened his memory. A patch of silky seagrass flowed gently through the current of warmer waters. This is where Alberto first spotted Luca. It had been several weeks ago by now. He had seen the other boy sitting on a rock that lay in the center of the patch. By then, Alberto had been curious about who that boy was, and why he was always around those pesky little fish. Everyday, Alberto would swim over this area, getting a closer look at who he now knew was Luca each time he visited.

Alberto swam deeper and went to the rock Luca had always been sitting on. Something else had taken its place. It was a statue, a very shabby one at that. It had a drawn-on face, and some of it's hair of seaweed had come off. Alberto chuckled at Luca's half hearted attempt at escaping up towards the surface. Alberto looked up around him, and realized that to his right was a pathway through the long forest of seaweed surrounding the pasture.

Through the weeds, he could see a big hollow rock, which seemed to be used as a home. Could this possibly be. . . ?

"I'm telling you, he's up there!" a muffled voice called out. It was a much different voice. A woman's voice. Alberto stiffened at the shock of possibly hearing Luca's mother and quickly sped towards the seaweed surrounding the home. Through the disguise of forest, he was able to make his way around the other side of the house and crept up to a little round window.

"Or else Lorenzo and Ugo would have found him by now!" the woman's voice continued. Alberto could hear it more clearly now. He pressed his back against the stone and began to listen.

"He's probably at the human town," a raspier voice answered. "You shouldn't be worried, Daniela. It's normal to want to explore things like that."

"Are you serious?" Luca's mother exploded. "It is dangerous! All those humans are killers, and you know it! You filled his head with mindless dreams of- of- what did you even tell him?"

It was Luca's family. . . Alberto had never really thought about them much. In fact, he had pretty much only ever perceived Luca's family as overpowering and unsupportive. But Luca's mother actually sounded worried.

"I didn't tell him anything I haven't told you," an older woman replied. "Look, he's out discovering himself and who he wants to be. There's nothing wrong with that. You gotta trust your kid, Luca's smart."

Luca's mother stopped in her tracks with a furious look. "Smart? Oh I know my son is smart. But this isn't him, he'd never do this! It's that- oh what's his name? Alfred? Albert?"

Alberto stiffened at the switch in conversation. He focused on listening harder as his heart began to sink.

"What, you're gonna blame Luca's friend now?" the grandmother replied. "He's one of us, he knows the risks. He didn't force Luca to-"

"But what if he did?" Daniela interrupted. "My brother in law said that he was a bad influence."

The grandmother scoffed. "Don't try to blame this on the kid, you haven't even met him. Look, if you're that worried, I'll go to the human town this afternoon and look for-"

"No."

Alberto's heart began to pound as he listened to Luca's mom slam her fists down on the table.

"Lorenzo is already out looking for him," Daniela said. "As soon as he's home I'll tell him that we'll look for Luca at the human town together, first thing tomorrow."

"Good," the grandmother said cheerfully. "It's about time you figure out why your kid wants to be up there in the first place."

There was a strong and tenseful silence. Even Alberto, who was fighting his tears at being accused of hurting Luca, was aware of what Luca's grandmother was trying to say.

"What do you mean?" Daniela asked, in an emotional whisper.

The grandmother sighed. "It's a good life up there. Look, I'm not saying you're a bad mother. But having your kid herd fish for his entire childhood, not getting to see what the sun looks like, and not get to make friends his age isn't a good life for him."

"But we're sea creatures!" argued Daniela. "He's not meant to see the sun, and there isn't anything else he could do down here."

"But there is up there," Luca's grandmother said. "And you know what else is up there? Ice cream. And School. And sports. And other kids! Your son can even change into one, and you're trying to send him to the bottom of the ocean just because he wants to make decisions for himself!"

Luca's mom stifled a cry. "Mom. . . you really think I'm trying to hurt Luca?"

"No, honey, no," Luca's grandmother replied. "But you're being too close minded. I've been up there, and it definitely beats being down here. Think of the opportunities for Luca. Maybe even consider guiding him along this path, because that Alberto kid is the only one doing it right now."

Alberto listened to every word, taking in both of their opinions to heart. The way Luca's mom was speaking made Alberto hate himself more than ever. Had he never gotten Luca to the surface, Luca wouldn't be missing. But then Luca's grandmother would only remind him of what used to make Alberto love being above the surface even more.

"I think you should consider letting Luca be in charge of who he wants to be," the grandmother continued. "If he wants to run around with his best friend, let him! That Alberto kid is probably the best thing that's ever happened to Luca in a while. And if you want to help Luca out, maybe you should let his curiosity wander."

"You don't understand," argued Daniela. "You've never-"

"But I have," interrupted Luca's grandmother. "And Luca's friend has too. I bet he's trying his best to keep Luca just as safe as you have."

Alberto physically couldn't listen anymore. The pain he felt from what Daniela's words had cut into his heart like knives, and he felt sick. He turned away from the window and bent over, grabbing his stomach as tears to squeeze out of the corners of his eyes.

What she said was right. If Alberto had never met Luca, Luca would be safe. Alberto's father was right. He was a bad kid and he made bad things happen. For years, Alberto had ignored him, or fought back. But now everything he said had made sense. Alberto was a bad kid. He did bad things to other people by letting Luca go off on his own.

Alberto pushed off the ocean floor and swam as quick as lightning back to the shores of Portorosso.

He couldn't take it anymore.