Piccoletto

Don't Leave Me

Alberto held Luca tightly in his arms as they slammed into the water. Immediately, Alberto could feel Luca's scales run down his skin to cover his body, knowing this was happening to himself as well. Alberto and Luca sank down into the depths of the sea from the speed at which they had fallen. Billows of bubbles obstructed Alberto's vision as he frantically began pulling Luca up to the surface. Luca couldn't die, Alberto wouldn't let him.

Although Luca was basically weightless in the water, Alberto found that he was desperately clawing towards the surface. He was unable to go as fast as he could. Why was that?

Finally, with one last frantic grab, Alberto raised his head above the water and took a deep breath. He pulled Luca up towards the water too, but was horrified to see Luca's head flop back into the sea. Alberto stifled a scream as he frantically began swimming to the stone ledge right in the front of Portorosso.

He gave a mighty pull to get Luca over the ledge, letting him roll onto the stone as he joined him. With one stifled breath, Alberto finally pulled himself over, collapsing over Luca as he doubled over to breathe. He looked at Luca's face, even seeing his face colorless as a sea creature. That's when the panic came back.

"Luca!" Alberto screamed as he put his hands on Luca's shoulder to shake them. "Luca, come on! Wake up!"

That's when the first gasp came. Followed by another, and another. They weren't coming from Luca. Alberto looked up to see that the villagers of Portorosso were gathering in a small crowd before them, keeping their distance. Alberto didn't need to know how they were feeling, as it was already written upon their faces. Mutters and silent cries of fear escaped from their lips. Women pointed with awe as their children dug their faces into their mothers' backs to hide. The men fearfully exchanged glances as they debated whether to step forward in an act of courage or run away with their families.

Alberto felt his breath get caught in his throat as he realized his secret had been exposed. To everyone. His heart pounded against his rib cage as his panicked mind fought for a solution. He looked back down at Luca to see that not only had he exposed him, but that this meant he might not be able to survive.

"Please!" Alberto cried out, shaking Luca's limp body. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Alberto let out an agonizing sob as he felt the crowd begin to gather under the yellow street lights. He was torn between the crowd and Luca. What would kill him first?

"P-please. . . ," Alberto heaved, feeling his body constricting over Luca's. "Just wake up. . ."

He looked back up at the crowd as he felt the ocean droplets drip from the end of his nose, his chin, and stream down his legs. Scales began to disappear in dry patches over his body as his human skin came back, turning him back into what Alberto Portorosso knew.

"Alberto?" a voice rang from the crowd.

Alberto looked up to see a man he had seen before when out fishing with Massimo. His name was Thomaso.

Thomaso stepped forward in an act of courage as he looked at Alberto quiver before him before taking off his hat.

"I can't believe this. . ."

Alberto was desperate. He lifted his head higher to look at the crowd, then back down at Luca. Luca had also turned back into a human. Although his blood was washed off, more was quickly spilling out of his pale, cold body. Alberto had no other choice.

"Please, help him!" Alberto cried, looking out at the crowd. "Luca got hurt! Please! Look at him!"

As the villager's gazes turned to the boy laying underneath Alberto, the crowd gasped and erupted into a new set of murmurs. Some women cried out, while the men took a step forward, trying to get a better look as Alberto continued to plead.