Piccoletto

When the Plan Fails

Luca nodded, his breath quickly shallowing. "What's wrong with that?"

Ercole began to chuckle, which evolved into a full fit of snobby laughter. Luca darted his eyes between the ocean and Ercole, trying to find a way out of the conversation.

"Why are you laughing?" Luca finally said, trying to nudge away from Ercole. Ercole stopped and turned back up towards Luca.

"You can't buy flowers for a boy, Piccoletto!" Ercole shouted.

Luca felt his unease turn into anger at Ercole's bullying. Ercole could hurt Luca in every physical way possible (which he had), but making fun of him liking Alberto angered Luca in a different way.

"Why?" Luca finally argued, putting his legs down. "It doesn't matter if he's a boy!"

Ercole scoffed. "Yes it does! You can't be- you don't know what you're talking about! You're too young, anyways."

Luca violently shook his head, and in an act of confidence, stood up.

"I do know what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter who I buy flowers for! And Alberto would have loved it, I know he would!"

Ercole stood up too and pushed Luca back. Luca's side hit the bench of the boat and he groaned in pain as Ercole stood over him.

"I threw your stupid rose away," Ercole seethed. "Maybe I wouldn't have if you were normal."

Luca knew it was time he had to put his plan into action. He couldn't stay here any longer. Sooner or later his weakened body wouldn't be able to keep him alive for another beating. Luca was tired, and all he wanted was to be away from Ercole. But the only problem was Ercole was standing over him, and Luca couldn't get up and fall if Ercole was still there.

"What are you going to do with me?" Luca finally asked as he watched Ercole pull out his knife.

Ercole switched open the blade and held it threateningly over his head.

"What does it look like I'm going to do?" Ercole taunted, raising the knife above his head.

"No," Luca said. "I meant, what are you going to do with me after- after this?"

Ercole raised a brow and slowly lowered his knife.

"What do you mean?"

Luca could tell he had hit a weak spot in Ercole's words, and tried his best to continue with his defense.

"Are you going to keep me here forever?" Luca asked, trying to scare Ercole off of him. "What will you do when your parents come back? Will you let me go, or will you just have to kill me?"

Ercole's eyes widened at the realization of Luca's words. Ever since Ercole had kidnapped Luca, he had been asking himself the same question, but would always push it away out of fear of what the answer would be.

"I can't let you go," Ercole finally said, stepping away from Luca and sitting back down on his bench.

Luca grunted as he got back up on his own seat and stared Ercole straight in the face.

"I guess you'll have to kill me then."

Ercole looked at Luca with surprise. He never imagined Luca would ever say those words. But Ercole knew for certain that he didn't want to murder Luca.

"I'm not going to kill you," Ercole said, playing it off like a taunt.

"Then what will you do?" Luca persisted, challenging Ercole's every thought. "What happens when the summer is over? What happens when my parents come back?"