Giulia tried. She really did. As soon as she thought she had escaped, she could hear Ercole's footsteps running to grab her from behind. She had put up the best fight she could handle. Although her leg felt twisted, and she could barely stand, she gave it all she got. She swung to hit Ercole over and over, while dodging his attempts to do the same. She couldn't last long, not in the state she was in. But before his fist collided with her chest, she was finally relieved. She was relieved that Alberto had gotten Luca away, and relieved that she had finally gotten a few punches in after a life of torment. Maybe they weren't for nothing.
Now she was doubled over, wrapping her arms around her body in pain as Ercole's stiff hand dragged her by the collar of her shirt back to the house. After the horrors she had witnessed with Luca, and watching Alberto clutch his nearly lifeless body, she didn't think she could face being back in that cellar. Was it even possible? Alberto was surely going to tell someone, right? She'd be rescued, and Ercole would be thrown in prison forever, right?
Right?
It hadn't been long since Alberto had raced down the hill on Ercole's vespa with Luca in tow. He'd surely find her dad. She just needed to be patient and wait this out. Hopefully it would be easier than expected.
"Ercole," Giulia forced herself to say as Ercole tightened his grip on her collar. "Ercole, what are you-"
"Stai zitto," Ercole interrupted harshly, giving her a rougher tug.
Giulia glared. She wasn't going to let him shut her up so easily.
"Ercole," Giulia said once again in a sharper tone. "You need to stop."
Ercole violently came to a halt in his tracks, sending Giulia to fly forward as she tripped over her heels, but was instantly pulled back due to the grip Ercole had on her. Giulia was terrified to look up. She didn't know that Ercole could be capable of doing any of this.
Giulia braced herself as she opened her eyes and tilted her head up to look at Ercole. Interestingly he was looking out into the distance with a glazed look. Something between terror and pure insanity.
"They were right," Ercole whispered, the sound barely reaching Giulia's ears. "They were right all along."
Giulia didn't want to get involved. Looking at him made Giulia feel repulsed, knowing what his dirty hands had done to her best friend. If it weren't for the fact that he had such a tight grip on her, and that she wasn't hurt, she would bolt. Strangely enough, Ercole seemed to be showing a weird soft spot for her that Giulia wasn't at all comfortable with. Why her? Of all the people he could care about, why her? It didn't make sense. But Giulia did know one thing. It could be used to her advantage.
"Who was right?" Giulia forced herself to ask, trying to seem interested in what Ercole had to say. "Who was right, Ercole?"
Without warning, Ercole tilted his head back towards Giulia with wide eyes, glistening with tears.
"My parents!" he shouted, his voice echoing against the hills. Giulia winced, bringing her hands up to her ears as she tightly shut her eyes. Ercole had truly scared her.
Giulia lunged, almost hitting the ground as Ercole violently pulled her forward in a strong strut back up the hill, muttering under his breath.
"They always said I was a bad kid, that I'd get what's coming for me, and they were right!" Ercole echoed, with a lunatic smile spreading on his face. "I never thought about it more than I should, and why would I? They gave me everything! I was the richest, happiest kid in Portorosso! And I've gone and thrown it all away!"
"Ercole, st-stop!" Giulia screamed, trying to get him to slow down, as she was tripping with every step she was taking. Ercole's stride was wider than she was.
"What do you think, Giulia?" Ercole said, coming to another sudden halt as he looked down at her, fighting to stay on her feet. "Do you think I'm done for, too?"
This was her time. She couldn't mess this up. Everything she said would have to be perfectly planned, and perfectly timed. If not, she could threaten Ercole further, and who knows what he would do to her after what he did to Luca?
"Ercole," Giulia said calmly, forcing herself to look deep within his glistening eyes. "You have to stop. You're only making it worse for yourself."
For once, Ercole listened. He let his grip on Giulia weaken, and Giulia took the opportunity to slide her arm out of his hands in a careful manner, still standing her ground.
"Don't run," Ercole said, looking her dangerously in the eye. "I'm not letting you go. So don't run away."
Giulia calmly nodded, ignoring her strong will to bolt and never look back. She had to stall him. She had to put her plan into action.
"I won't," Giulia finally replied, looking Ercole dead in the eye.
"Then come," Ercole said, gesturing for her to follow him as he continued up the hill. Giulia reluctantly began to follow, limping a few steps behind as she realized that the house was unfurling beyond the corner of the hill. She hadn't run away as far as she had hoped.
Once Giulia had followed Ercole to the front porch, he opened the front door with a key from his back pocket and let Giulia walk inside. As Giulia walked past him, she felt an eerie shiver go down her back. It was strange to be invited into his house in this manner. She was, after all, his hostage.
"Sit," Ercole said sharply, pointing a large grey couch against a wall.
Giulia looked around the big family room as she strode over to the sofa to sit down. There wasn't much. A family portrait, some paintings, and a large TV she didn't even know could be made that big. Her living room in Portorosso was only as big as the couch, it seemed.
Ercole began pacing around a small coffee table in the center of the room, running his fingers frantically through his unkempt hair. Now was the time.
"Ercole," Giulia said quietly, hoping this would get his attention. "You can fix this, you know."
Giulia's words made Ercole stop. He turned slowly towards her.
"You know I can't do that."
Giulia knew this would be difficult, but she had to give it her all. It was the only way to keep Ercole from endangering her.
"You can," she replied sternly, feeling her rebellious self creep back. "You can and you have to."
"I can't!" Ercole bellowed, sending Giulia to flinch. "You know it! I've put my entire life down the drain because of that stupid boy!"
"Why are you blaming him?" Giulia asked cautiously. "He didn't walk into your house, did he? He didn't shove those drugs down his own throat. He didn't stab himself!"
Ercole grunted. "He did! He fell into my knife! I didn't stab him the first time, he fell!"
"I'm giving you a chance!" Giulia screamed back, standing up in pure rage. "I'm helping you fix your mistake and you're still blaming everyone but yourself! You don't want to throw your life away, right? Then start by telling the truth! You know whose fault this really is."
Ercole looked at her with wild eyes, his teeth gritted as he tried to control his shaking. Giulia could see his balled up fists by his sides and realized what had truly become of Ercole.
"Are you going to hit me again?" she asked quietly.
Ercole's eyes widened and he looked down at his fists and quickly unfolded them.
"How do I fix this?"
Finally, Giulia had gotten through to him. She had no time to waste.
"If you tell everyone the truth," she began, carefully planning her next words. "You can redeem yourself. Maybe you might get punished, but- it's better than rejecting an entire fact that the whole village will know about. You can-"
"Portorosso won't know," Ercole said quietly, staring daggers through Giulia's eyes. Giulia felt her heart drop.
"What? Yes they do, or at least- they will."
"No," Ercole said, shaking his head. "Those idiots wouldn't tell everyone. Just your father. Portrosso won't know. It's my word against your father, Giulia."
Giulia began shaking her head in pure disbelief. This was all going the wrong way.
"No!" she spat back, unable to hold back her fear. "He's going to tell everyone! Luca is living proof of what you did to him but you can fix it. As long as you turn yourself in, I can say you were nice to me and can change, all so you can-"
"What? So I can go to jail for a few months? Have my name dragged through the dirt and disappoint my parents once more?"
Giulia could sense the fury in Ercole's words. He had seen through her like a ghost. That was exactly what she had wanted. For him to turn himself in under the promise she'd vouch for him. As soon as he did, she knew she wouldn't. She just wanted him gone. Forever.
Ercole's laugh cut through the tension in the air like a razor blade, ripping apart skin.
"You've always taken me for an idiot," he said finally. "Like I'd do such a thing."
"There's no other choice!" Giulia frantically retaliated, realizing she was in much more danger than she initially thought. "You can either face it or run. And if you run, you'll have no one. And nothing. But if you stay, you actually have hope. You can't- you don't-"
"You're scared, aren't you?" Ercole said, his voice wavering.
Giulia looked him dead in the eye with a cold stare, determined not to show any ounce of fear. Even though she was filled with it.
"No," she said finally. "I just want what's best for everyone."
"You just want what's best for him!" Ercole shouted, his snarky voice echoing in the room. "You're pretending to care, but really you only care about Luca!"
Giulia made the mistake of flinching as she stepped away, terrified of Ercole's voice. And how could she not be? She was trapped in the same room as the person who almost killed her best friend. Her only friend.
"You're scared, admit it!" Ercole screamed. "You're scared I'll do the same thing to you that I did to him! Well I just might if that's the type of person you think I am!"
Giulia shook her head, trying to hold back her tears as her back hit the wall. She had nowhere else to go. No more to say. Ercole had won.
"Go to the cellar!" Ercole screamed, advancing on Giulia.
Giulia violently shook her head as tears streamed down her face.
"Ercole, stop! You can fix this right now if you just stop! Please!"
Ercole didn't listen. Instead, he forcefully grabbed the front of Giulia's shirt and pulled her close to his chest, his nose almost touching hers. As Giulia stared into Ercole's evil eyes, she could see the speckles of sweat that ran down his neck, and smell his foul breath.
"You're going to the cellar, and I'm going to shut the door, and you won't make a word, capito?"
Giulia didn't nod her head, but only grabbed at Ercole's wrist, forcing herself to pry his fingers off of the hold on her shirt. She didn't want to take Luca's place. She didn't want to be trapped with Ercole after what she knew he was capable of doing.
"Answer me!" Ercole shouted, his voice ringing in Giulia's ears.
Giulia shut her eyes, willing for the panic to go away. Instead, she was dragged towards the door and flung down the stairs. She hit every step as she tumbled down and violently recoiled at the bottom, clenching her teeth as her hands wrapped themselves around her body. She let out a scream as the door slammed above her and she could hear Ercole's steps coming towards her.
How long would it be until she was rescued?