Piccoletto

A Trick

Please don't let me go! Luca cried out in his mind, looking into Alberto's bloodshot eyes. Don't let him take me again!

Luca watched as the shadow towered over him, and he knew who it was. His heart dropped with the weight of a bowling ball as he felt Ercole's arms slide underneath him. In a panic, Luca tried to grab Alberto, longing to stay cradled in his arms forever. But as Luca's fingertips grazed Alberto's for what may be the last time, Luca felt his full weight transfer over to Ercole. His body shook at the pure terror of being back in his grasp. He couldn't fight anymore. He couldn't stay awake. His body was at the mercy of the pills, and he felt his eyelids get heavy.

But he wasn't asleep yet. He felt sleepy in his body, as if he was locked inside of it. His mind was wide awake, his thoughts racing as he could smell Ercole's sickly familiar scent as he was carried away from Alberto. Alberto. . .

Luca felt as Ercole laid him down on the stone floor, his limp body turned away from his best friend. He had never gotten a chance to tell him he loved him. Alberto said he loved Luca, but Luca never said it back.

There was a loud commotion from behind him, but Luca couldn't hear. The ringing in his ears got louder as he gave a slight cough, feeling blood splatter over the floor as he did so. From the lurch of the cough, more blood spilled from his nose, making the metallic taste in his mouth induce more nausea. Words between Ercole and Alberto echoed from behind him in a whirlwind of shouts. Luca couldn't understand a thing. He was just suffering. Suffering in pain from being ripped away from Alberto, for being at fault for making Alberto take his place, for letting Giulia get punched in the face. Only one of Alberto's phrases reached Luca's ears from across the room.

"I promise, Luca."

Promise? What did he promise? That he'll be ok? That was impossible. They were all going to get hurt, all because of Luca. All because he was stupid enough to think that getting Alberto a flower would tell him how he truly felt. He should've told Alberto right then and there at the ocean. That he loved him. This way, none of this would have happened.

Luca let out a cry as his mind began to shut down. He was finally falling asleep. Who knew if he'd ever wake up again. The only feeling left was the sickening nausea from being punched in the stomach. It was amazing Luca hadn't thrown up yet. But there wouldn't be much that came out. Just bile, the bites of sandwich and-

The pills. He could throw up the pills! Maybe they were still there in some form, and he wouldn't fall asleep! Luca's eyes fluttered open at the idea. Maybe he could stay awake after all. He could regain his strength!

This time, Luca didn't fight the feeling back down when it's wave came. He welcomed it. Of course his stomach churned painfully. No one liked to throw up. But this could save his life- Giulia and Alberto's life.

Silenzio Bruno, Luca said to himself as he struggled to bring his hand up to his face, and he slowly plunged two fingers into his mouth, slipping past the blood, and towards the back of his throat. The nauseating feeling got worse as his throat seemed to open up and then suddenly close with a gag.

But Luca just shut his eyes tightly as he forced his fingers deeper. His gag reflex kicked in again. Before he knew it, his body lurched forward to empty its waste, sputtering out the now liquid sandwich and- the pills. The bright white pills were somewhat dissolved in the throw up, but there. To Luca's relief, he felt insanely better. The nausea was almost completely gone. It was as if his body needed to get rid of that disgusting sandwich Ercole made him.

Luca took a full, deep breath of cold air. His first full breath he could manage in a while. His heart began to pound faster as he pushed himself up. The loud buzzing in his ears began to fade away as he lifted his head. With a shaky hand, he wiped his palm over his face and pulled it back to examine it. Tears, sweat, and blood. Typical.