Storm and Sea - Book 1

Chapter 16 - Finale

TW in the description - Please read it carefully for this chapter especially
Thank you to Inkendz for this heart wrenching piece!

(Song: Find you by Ruelle - "Don't let go")

Luca POV

Alberto was laughing on the pebble beach, watching Luca fall over and over. He was learning to walk for the first time while Alberto helped. He remembered the warmth of the pebbles in the sun. It made him warm.

Then Luca was hammering nails into old sea wood, making their very first Vespa. They both looked at their finished work proudly. It was the most fun Luca had.

"I can't wait to take it for a test run," Alberto said, wiping sweat off his brow.

"Me too!"

Luca then raced home before his parents noticed he was gone.

Then Alberto was speeding towards him atop their homemade Vespa. Luca holding the ramp, bracing for impact. But the Vespa fell apart before reaching Luca, and Alberto ran up the ramp and into the water.

They had laughed for days about that.

"You have a Bruno in your head." Alberto said to him as Luca hesitated by their newly made Vespa. He was so scared to get on it.

"Silenzio Bruno."

"Louder! Say, Silenzio Bruno!"

"SILENZIO BRUNO!"

"CAN YOU STILL HEAR HIM!?"

NO! JUST YOU!"

"GOOD! NOW HANG ON!"

Then Luca was on the back of another homemade Vespa, racing down the hill, clinging to Alberto. They hit the ramp, and for a moment, they were flying. It was one of the happiest moments of Luca's life.

Then they were sneaking into Portorosso for the first time.

They met Giulia

He tasted pasta.

He fell asleep under the "Fish".

Memories flashed in Luca's mind in quick succession. Each one held a very special place in his heart. And each one had Alberto in it. His chest warmed as each memory played past like a movie. He only wished he wasn't watching but living in these memories instead.

Then a storm rolled in. Alberto stood. He was older than the previous memories. A look of pain etched on his face as the rain pounded them.

"I'm in love with you, Luca." He said.

Then an explosion sounded, and he was wrapped in thick metal chords.

"Luca, RUN!" He yelled, but Luca was transfixed to the spot. He couldn't move.

A black figure approached him.

"He is mine now, Picoletto."

A knife flashed, slicing Alberto's neck.

~.~.~.~.~

"NOOOO!" Luca screamed, waking from his nightmare. He was breathing hard, the water passing through his gills. He tried to open his eyes, but everything was black. Then he realized his eyes were open. Luca was trapped somewhere with no light.

He began to feel around him frantically, looking for a way out. He searched and searched, his webbed hands looking for a latch, a door, anything that would let him free. But only smooth metal greeted him on all sides. Luca was in a metal box filled with stagnant water. He noticed the water was still, making it hard to breathe. His gills worked hard to extract any bit of oxygen.