Maleventum

Chapter 1

Dating online

The monitor light illuminates the face of Luca, has decided to become a serious journalist, a blogger more than anything else, though, let's face it, for the collective imagination he could never be that much serious, because he decided to use his talent in classifying the world of pornography online, the world that has always fascinated him and has always attracted his attention, millions of sites exist on the subject, but his idea is not entirely to be underestimated, the rest he thinks: "There is a reason why there are so many, not?"

The sex, in all its forms, pays and in many cases also very good, but he is not interested in pornography as such, although he is a good lover, calls it "academic", so to speak, the one where beautiful women make sex with men sculptural and equipped in the presence of light and filters that improve the image quality.

In fact he does not excite with that kind of movie, then he looks the scenes with a critical eye and sees nothing but continuous movements, already knows the plots and how it will end. So we are far from excitement, not to mention that in most cases he watches the pages without listening to the audio, which could be a great stimulant, but still living with his parents and his mother usually opens the door to his room five times a day just to ask him if he wants to eat, and it would be very embarrassing.

This is why Luke has positioned the desk toward the door, so take time to click on the X to close the browser and pages.

Described in this way, our protagonist seems to be almost a maniac, then if we consider his glasses that he continually systems with two fingers, filling them of fingerprint, he is so concentrated staring at the screen that he doesn't notice of having to clean them, he looks like one of those nerd, which is so much talk in recent years, especially since Bill Gates began to boast, and so they have become known, in the same way when you place a brick on the ground and from underground emerge all those earthworms. Then, as if that were not enough, it is exploding a kind of fashion, some soubrette in vogue buy a pair of Ray Ban Fifty, they make so called Selfie pushing the lips out and inserting one of those cursed hashtag followed by the word “nerd” putting then tits in full view and greetings to all the work of the dear Gates!

But do not be confused by Luke, anything can be said about him except that it is a loser, rather can be viewed as a middle ground between the two categories mentioned above, the rest, he was lucky, with that physical he could be a model, can drink dozens of beer bottles and eat like that Richman of TV, but his metabolism will always keep his abs well exposed .

The aspect to be explored is his unbridled interest in the sexual sphere, everyone has fantasies, and you know, in the past it was more difficult overcome own limits on the subject and it was necessary to have a vivid imagination, thanks to the Internet now it is all just a click away. In fact, the problem comes when every fantasy is overtaken by another, which is even more perverse, and it is on this aspect that the careful Luca intends to concentrate his research, somehow he is studying his personality, because many times asked himself: “I'm normal?" to the point that fails to have a stable relationship, the girls do not like his extreme demands, they want the fairy story, and now he has decided to do without that kind of women; the rest just click a bit on the chat to convince the girls that he is really in the picture and that's it, he doesn't woo them, come on, he lives in the generation in which MTV broadcasts programs show the girls as sexual predators, they share Coelho's phrases on the social network and they are always in search of the deep love, then it happen that at sixteen years, behind the curtain of a nightclub, they do impregnate hoping to get the much-vaunted by Andy Warhol: Fifteen minutes of fame! Maybe, if they are lucky, MTV dedicates them the entire episode. Fortunately they are not all like that, but the "normal girls" not interest to him . Let's step back in the life of our protagonist from when he lighted the first PC and logged on to the network, immediately he showed interest in the world of Eros, on the other hand those who do not browse those sites, but he went far beyond of the simple interest soon turning in real studio, bringing him to meet personally many people known just by registering on different portals of meetings, and between one site and another, repeatedly found himself to attend those swingers parties, in which it is not even easy to enter as a single male, but you know, if you have the attributes "and he has them" and the right knowledge, you will get everything, on the other hand we are in Italy, here works so, right?

From then he has begun to broaden his circle of friends and often finding himself in someone's home for an intimate dinner, in the company of bored couples who want to make an amateur film while the woman insults her husband! It happened in many cases to our "investigator" of finding himself with his face covered by a black dot on absurd sites.

To break a lance in his favor, it is not easy to stay away from such temptations, just look at what happens on the news, and learn that who governs discovers what is the Bukake and Bunga Bunga and you happen to think: "heck I have to participate!" Then you move on to look at women who made sex with all kinds of animals, from domestic to the most dangerous, this thing called zoophilia, strangely you don't have it discovered by the institutions, but when the news leaked out that a breeder of Bergamo (city of northern Italy) was sued for mistreatment animals having induced a British pornstar having sex with his Great Dane; Luca after reading the article, said sarcastically: "Poor dog!".

It did not take long to discover that even on this there are a myriad of sites, the same speech after seeing two girls with cup.

But despite not being a psychologist, the aspect that most intrigues him is to understand why we reach a degree so "extreme" of the sexual sphere.

Everything began from this thought. From that moment, Luca began to think that these continued research could become a profession, and it is admirable, indeed there are MPs who rule without knowing what's going on in the world, at least he has culture.

The brilliant idea jumped to his mind when he decided to create a profile, rather a female identity on Facebook and other social network, the rest, he chatted many times with the girls and he is well trained on how to respond, but despite this, however, he was surprised to receive a great amount of messages, as well as a large amount of friend requests from a high number of users; well, he also used a photo of his friend , a girl enough buxom but not too beautiful, it was enough to show a half-naked picture and several men flocked like bees while trying to eat a moussaka on the beach in Corfu.

The talks are always the same, but then you know, the men turn out towards the wild and beautiful girls especially after midnight!

The approaches are practically all the same and at the same time very varied, there are those who behave as buddy, some are super cool, others try to create a fake empathy, but in the end everyone is looking for the same thing, literally : where to post their package. When Luca notices then that someone does not trust enough in that case he shows them a shot video with the camera, her friend Sarah lent herself to the game, a couple of simple moves like a greeting with the hand, then when the questions intensify , he stops the movie and continues to write on chat. Among all this crowd of men in search of the Holy Grail, in recent days he happened to know a certain

Never S-wing-e, the nickname seems refer to those who want to look deeper, at first glance seems one who wants to be a philosopher, like, "I'll never have wings!".

Definitely one of the most boring categories among the suitors typical, those who mourn on itself , looking for a consideration useless. But thankfully Luca had to think again, and after chatting a while, he discovered new worlds about perversion.

Just what he was looking for, something beyond even the imagination, of course, Luca took a little time to get closer to the interests of his new acquaintance, perhaps because that Never s-wing-e knows the difficulty of finding someone who can understand his needs, then he wants probe before the ground trying to understand the openness of the girl he believes to be from the other side of the monitor, and after exchanging pleasantries, slowly begins to make strange statement to which Luca (chatting Sarah) responds with a nice irony, looking for not to reveal to his interlocutor that in fact he is not a woman, but the shock is inevitable at the first explicit question:

<<Dear Sarah, can I ask what you think about slaughter?>>

<<Oh my God, I’m unprepared, I don’t know, I know that the butchers do it>>

<<I mean, have you ever seen to kill animals, is not it interesting?>>

<<Oh yes, sometimes when I was a little girl, I saw killing of animals on the farm of my aunt in Campania!>>

<<What luck, interesting, tell me!>>

<<What can I say, they kill chickens, rabbits and once a year the swine. Now after long time the thing impresses me, but years ago we made the party!>>

<<Of course, to kill is part of the primordial instinct , and how lucky you have relatives there, I know it is still very common in the south of the country to breed animals to eat them, not like here , the people treat the Vietnamese pigs like dogs!>>

<<It seems to me a good thing, that is, in Korea they also eat dogs, so they could say the same! This is to say that even a swine befriends and requires affection!>>

In this statement Never S-wing-e responds erratically, making an allegory, which first seems typical of men, but then it turns into something really hard to understand:

<<It's true but also we swines require affection!>>

<<Why you consider yourself as a swine?>>

<<Well, dear Sarah, do not get me wrong, I'm not one of those men that be a swine means making winks and speeches related to sex; I would just be a real swine, maybe one of those who roam the farm of your relatives, leading a useless life waiting to be slaughtered!>>

<<Said in this way, your existence from swine does not seem too worthless , no?>>

<<In fact, it serves to what is needed! Thank you deeply dear Sarah, I like you because you do not judge me, but I believe you to be a girl very interesting! Now I ask you one more thing that I like a lot: you do not find exciting the sight of blood?>>

<< Thank you for the compliments, but what about the blood, well, I would not say, remember that for five days a month I fight against it and it is quite tedious and annoying!>>

<<You are nice, but I was talking about just a knife to the throat, and that blood copious... please still do not misunderstand me, I repeat, I am not a bad person, I could never do harm to someone, but as already mentioned, it is the nature, the man kills the animals to eat, it is survival!>>

<<Well there are also those who kills the vegetables and survives the same!>>

<<Haha, you're funny, you know, often the girls run away when I say these things, but you seem different!>>

<<Maybe because I happened to see the rabbits not only in the Disney version, but also as farm animals!>>

<<Right, you're strong! But tell me, there was so much blood that flowed from the throat of the swine? Have you ever helped your aunt to not waste it , perhaps holding the container>>

<<No, I was a little girl, I did look only!>>

<<This is exciting and it makes me hard!>>

Of course not until now had kept the secret, but at this point it is more than obvious that his nickname makes no reference to the wings of Icarus, rather to a group of poor swines that undergo a slaughter.

Chapther 2

From sex to legends

The chats with Never-S-wing-e become more and more continuous in the days to follow, repeatedly Luca has questioned itself, taking also notes on the strange way that this man has to get excited, he even did research on the web, and even "uncle Google", as he calls it, wasn't able to help him; he can't figure out from where starts the real stimulus, because it goes beyond masochism, that man needs to feel like a swine in the hope that is slaughtered. Luca certainly knows that these chats are worth gold for his idea to classify the most bizarre erotic fantasies, so tries to tighten the friendship with him more and more, who reciprocates with enthusiasm. In knowing this individual, our protagonist discovers a personality quite complex, he is a really smart, this is no doubt, he is a graduate, lives in the province of Bergamo and knows everything, he is a kind of encyclopedia, from flowers to plants, stories about the past and mythology, but especially his strong are the legends, and these latest to intrigue Luca, because as a child he was fascinated, one can say that represented for him, what with the passing of the years has become the Eros. His attention so active and the curiosity mean that Mr.Never S-wing-e continues to talk about his stories, and he has even said his real name, Lucio, and for what he writes, seems to be starting to fall in love with the beautiful Sarah, aka Luca:

<<Dear Sarah, you're perfect for my dreams,

I imagine myself enclosed in a fence under a big Walnut while I’m with my nose into the ground to look for the roots or some old walnut that escaped me; when night falls, you and other girls, slowly you come together, although it's autumn and it is very cold, you have all legs in plain sight, I still there grunting as

I usually do, I look at you while you seem intrigued confabulation against me, then suddenly, you are going in to visit me, open the fence and I realize that there is something wrong, I try to run away, nervous, but without giving me time to escape, you encircled me, try hold me, but it is not easy, you are determined, you have to do the rest, you can’t shirk, it is night of 31st October, you were the last to leave the church and how your ancestors you have to make the sacrifice to Diana; you are the cursed Dianare*! You hunted me and with the sweaty legs, then gets on me straddles the most determined of the group, calling itself with an ancient name, Matteuccia, who says she chose this name in honor of one of her ancestors >>

*Dianare (or Janare in dialect): priestesses adorers of the Italic goddess Diana, protector of wild animals, the guardian of the sources and streams, protector of women.

Luca interrupts him, amazed by the strange details:

<<Wow Lucio, certain that tonight you are extremely detailed, you begin to make me want to participate seriously, but that name is Matteuccia, and how do you know all these stories?>>

<<Sarah, let me finish, and please, call me swine, pig, or any other appellation for my true being but not with that name!>>

<<As you wish, but the swine on the farm of my relatives had a name, such as a swine's name was Giorgio but nonetheless ended roast!>>

<<Instead, I'm just a stupid swine and no one gave to me a name, it is my final day, the next morning, that is, November 1st, there is the market for pigs in Capua and a new piglet will resume its course of one year, and before you ask me, it is no coincidence that the market is done at that holy day, the witches sacrifice their animals during the night! The legend has it that they did orgies with goats and cats that were the reincarnation of the devil.

However do not let me lose the thread of the story, you know that your role is more important, you are the officer not to waste a single drop of blood, you have to hold the large copper vessel under my carotid artery, but I continue to struggle and it is hard, the other girls with ropes can tie me, and I am exhausted at this point Matteuccia, with a shiny tip strikes a blow to my throat, you did not expect so much blood that bathes your legs… you know, I'm touching >>

<<Well I don't deny that it's is interesting, but tell me again about these women and their rites!>>

<<Wait, you try to not waste a single drop of my precious blood!>>

<<Certainly you don't fear, I will hold the bowl with both hands!>>

Just as the blood comes out profusely from the throat of the swine, the same way the man on the other side of the monitor reaches its maximum excitement. And as usual he seems to return a normal person, satisfied by his fantasies, for a few hours he will be able to talk to Sarah without making allusions to sex.

<<Thank you dear, you're the only one who can satisfy my cravings, we should meet, maybe you can cook me something, I might buy live chickens and you, would you be willing to kill for me?>>

<<Well I do not know, it is one thing to say, and quite another to be able to cut the throat of a poor defenseless animal! But you know, your stories intrigued me... Think, my relatives live not far from Benevento, and since I do not go to see them sometime, maybe I could use this thing to find out more about these witches you speak! >>

<<Haha, my dear Sarah, you're a little witch, these stories of which I told you about happened in the thirteenth century, you must know that originally, in fact, the potential evils of these women was not framed in a religious sense; it was with Christianity that they was painted as women who have made a pact with the devil, in contrast to the Virgin Mary, they were devoted to the orgiastic rites and bearers of infertility >>

<<Very interesting! You know I have always been fond of esotericism and would love to find out that there are still people who practice these cults in a real way, not kids playing with the music of Black Sabbath! >>

<<Tell me about it, I would sacrifice myself in order to complete their ritual! But if we want to fantasize we could do some research and maybe we could go down together for Halloween, so you could present me to your relatives!>>

<<Go slowly, we know very little!>>

<<In fact I said to Halloween, we have all the time to get to know, or perhaps you're afraid of me? Do you think that I can hurt you because of these fantasies, I've already said, I could never make hurt to a person, then to you who are the only one who understands me!>>

<<I did not say that, I just said that we have to take it slow, you'll understand, Halloween is in three days!>>

<<You're right, you're a good girl, if they are not like you, and be careful, I could fall in love...>>

<< Yeah, right, rather, continue to tell me what was going on and maybe it still happens in those places!>>

<<About the Black Sabbath, it is true, they convince the kids to paint their nails black and put the eye-liner believing to be Satanists, but the name of group derives from the one in that was celebrated during the night of October 31st, the black Sabbath, one of the most important of the year, for the Celts it was the New Year, in that night, the living and the dead could live together>>

<<Interesting, now I have to say goodbye dear Lucio, but we can continue the lesson tomorrow, I have a great desire to find out more about news, it's weird, but this fact attracts me in an absurd way... now, I wish you a good night!>>

<<Goodnight to you too my charming witch of Benevento, and think of me, please!

They close the chat, poor Lucio, he is so taken by his absurd fantasies to the point to fall in love of everyone gives him a straight and do not judge; unlike the others, he never even asked to see Sarah in video, the pictures were enough, and is quite taken by the fact that she listen him, he is not interested to another things.

Despite being passed by very midnight, Luca decides to do some research on the legends of those places, seems to be awakened in him a renewed interest, finally he has found something that not bores him more as the sites with the classic naked bodies and rhythmic movements.

This strange man seems to have directed to a size that really interests him, over the unknown, the fear associated with the risk of being part of something to whom he can’t give a rational explanation... all this leads him to look for a news entire night. Unfortunately, blogs and pages on social networks are just a gathering of those depressed guys which cut their arms invoking Satan and praying to God that does not appear. Luca is not discouraged, though did not find anything interesting, has clear ideas about it. It's almost dawn, not having much to do the next day, he decided to put himself to sleep, moreover, for him the university is a way to not be considered as the unemployed, let alone, attends jurisprudence, nothing more boring for one like him, so much so that every day looks at those block notes on the desk and thinks, "I will start tomorrow! " and inevitably a thin layer of dust covers them until he enters his mother to give a clean unleashing his protests.

Now it is best to rest before continuing to do something really important, wants to go to the bottom of the matter, for no apparent reason is convinced that the Lucio's histories are not just legends, but believes that there is still a subculture on the arts demonic and he has to find out.

He's certain that with a clear mind he able to have the right answers from the web.

Chapter 3

Signals in phase Rem

Our protagonist falls asleep right away and, as often happens, without realizing.

In his mind overlap the images seen on various sites linked to stories read and those told by Never S-wing-e, usually Luca is not one who dreams much to the point that can’t distinguish this dimension, so that everything is clear.

He's standing in a huge open space that seems a stretch of the campaign, there is a strong cold wind that passes through the branches of the trees and seems to whisper his name, the surrounding scenery is bleak, he looks around and notes an old bridge, beneath it flows slowly the water of a stream that moonlit seems sparkle. He approaches to that stream, when a few steps, the earth seems to open before him, creating a huge chasm deep perhaps hundreds of meters, the feeling is of being on the brink of a precipice, barely manages to stay balanced, the first thing that comes to his mind is not to look down, but he feels strange verses come from there, a sort of grunts, and when he decides to look back down, sees climb a group of women which moving in a way particularly jointed with angry expressions; to his surprise, when they emerge notes that are far from monstrous, rather they are very beautiful, they will be about ten if not more; a dream like this, few years ago, probably it would have excited him to die for! Now it seems to be scared to death as, he starts to run away, can't see them, but he feels their breath on his neck like a pack of hungry wolves chase him. Luca finds refuge behind the trunk of a large Walnut tree, the woman, who is in front of the other, raises a hand to indicate to army to stop, pointing the finger at the tree, suddenly he realizes to be inside a fence, a wooden fence that does not allow him to go out, he reconnects that he is the protagonist of the erotic dream/sick that a few hours earlier had told Never S-wing-e; and he certainly does not intend to stay there and to wait for his end.

He leans back and the women seem to have disappeared, then he perceives back their presence behind him. They grab him and drag on, then a flash of light and is located below them who celebrate in an orgy of blood, specifically with his blood, he squirms and screams:

«No, you go away, I'm not the beast of sacrifice!»

«Luca, wake up to heaven's sake, what's the matter!»

Without realizing Luca grabbed the shirt of his mother with two hands, pulling strong, to the point of scaring the poor woman who only wanted to wake him up for lunch, worried by his screams as he slept. When the boy is aware of what he was doing, he turns to her with regret:

«Mom, fucking, sorry, I did not want ! »

«Do not swear, and holy God, you've scared me, tell me the truth, you use drugs?»

«No ! What you tell me, while wanting, are three days that I don't set foot outside the house, and also the supply of drugs would be hard!»

«Then we should go to the doctor, because you must have had a really bad nightmare , then you grabbed at my neck with wide eyes filled with rage! These are things that should not be ignored, otherwise you could do worse without even realizing it!»

«Come on, it was a nightmare, what do you want it to be, now leave me alone, I go down for breakfast a few minutes!»

«Breakfast? It's two o'clock in the afternoon, if I had not come to wake you up, for sure , you'd come down for dinner»

«Anyway I get off in a while ', certainly when I wake up I'm not going to have lunch»

«As you wish, but after you let me clean your room, it looks like a pigsty!»

He doesn't even responds her with his classic dissent to the request of the mother, rather repeats in his mind: "pigsty", this word seems appropriate more than ever right now, in a moment he remembers the whole dream and reconnects everything to the stories of the mentally ill, Lucio. Unconsciously his mind drew up that fantasy transforming it into a dream from the details very clear, this thing creeps into his head like a germ, Luca begins to believe more and more that there is something beyond the legends, and for some hidden reason he feels involved more than normal.

He needs a hot shower, the water that massages his head seems to dispel the fears of that nightmare and again puts his brain in a "researcher" modality, then he dresses and goes downstairs where his mother is waiting for him to serve whatever he wants his little prince so he start the day in the best way!

The expression of Luca, to say the least sullen, makes it clear to the woman that he didn't really want to tell her what he was dreaming, he opens the fridge and takes the milk pouring into a cup that puts in the microwave, so takes out the cup and puts a generous amount of coffee from the machine before sitting, then looks at her and asks:

«Mum, where lives exactly Aunt Rita?»

«Cerreto Sannita, in the province of Benevento, you've been there at least fifty times , do you not remember? »

«The last time I was there, it has been about six or seven years ago. Well, I still remembered it was in Campania, but I didn’t know the precise area, that strange coincidence, just last night a friend of mine told me about an old legend about witches ... »

The mother interrupts him;

«Of course, the witches of Benevento, and I would not call it just a legend, when I was little girl I have heard of facts related to them, do you remember the barn behind his grandparents' house where he now lives Aunt Rita? Often we found horses with braids in the hair, it is said that they were for mark their passing,

I still remember the rhyme that your grandmother told me when I don't wanted to sleep:

Ointment, ointment

take me to the walnut of Benevento

above the water and above the wind

and above every other bad weather ...

This was their ritual to fly and move to any place, do not think it was his fault, but once, I have been “pressed” from one of them»

«What it means pressed, excuse?»

«While you're in bed, suddenly you can’t move, the breath becomes short and you have a strong weight on the chest, you try to ask for help but you can’t make a sound, it is a terrible feeling! Once, when your grandmother was in corridor with the lights on, I saw the witch very well, the rest , she was just a few feet from me, I couldn't scream, neither move, just thinking about it makes me goosebumps!»

«Okay, but how it ended?»

«Your grandmother did not notice anything, continued his things going in the kitchen, I am terrified for a moment...»

Suddenly she bursts into tears, Luca had never seen a change in mood so fast of his mother, who had always been quiet, and had never told something to the boy. He gets up, approaches and with care:

«Mum, what's up, you feel good?»

«Yes, it's just that I did not remember that feeling since I was little more than a child, the thing that scared me the most is the memory of his face!»

«What face?»

«When your grandmother walked away from the door of the room to go to the kitchen turning on the light of the corridor, as she usually did, at that moment, I saw the face of a woman that she was on me, and she tried to breathe my air putting her lips on mine! Fortunately, a little later your grandfather returned and closing the door with force, he has meant that that "bad woman" slipped away from my bed like a thin fog passing through the cracks of the window! »

«Wow Mom, you've just told me your Sapphic dating !»

«Do not joke, it was terrifying, and even today when

I think about it scares me to death!»

«I’m joking, I try to calm you, but you know, I do not believe in these things, although intrigue me, however, I was thinking of going to see the aunt for a weekend, what do you think?»

«Well, if you had asked me without making me remember those bad stories, I would have immediately said it would be a good idea, because you never do a phone call to your aunt and she who care to continually send you money and gifts!»

«It 's true, but you know I do not like talking on the phone, if they learned to use the chat, Skype least, for sure we would feel more!»

«Well, good idea, you can go to your aunt and arrange her computer, then you explain to her how use a chat, so you have a good reason to go!»

«Ok, but I do not start tomorrow, I have to get organized and do research!»

«Searches for what?»

«My research for the university!»

«Luca, I ask you only one thing, you stay away from the legends, as you say, they are old rumors, maybe they used to scare us by small»

«So much the better, if they are legends why you worry?»

«Because I am still scared!»

Luca gives her a kiss on the forehead trying to calm her before returning to the room and put to PC.

He's convinced to investigate, now he is certain, of course well aware of the character of the mother, who never gets upset, she has always a smile for everything, and that strange change of mood make him suspect that she hid a large slice of the real story. As soon as the mouse moves on the screen, the usual bunch of morning messages among them those of Lucio with the nickname Never S-wing-e, directed to Sarah. Luca doesn't want to respond, rather starts searching on Google news about the various Halloween parties in the area of Benevento, but not only, also opens up some sites, well known to him, to see if there might be even a few meetings of swingers or else, the night before Never S-wing-e had spoken of orgies, maybe this could be just the place to find the so-called "witches". In the search criteria he writes: esotericism, fear, satanic rituals, orgy gang bang and more; Also browses profiles of girls who call themselves "Dark", but it is not easy, the inhabitants of those places are very simple, or at least he is beginning to think that if there were young people who practice the witchcraft certainly they would show so easily on the web. He decides to ask again to help his friend Lucio, who seems to be online, but as soon as Luca sends a message in the chat, he answers quickly;

<<Hello Lucio, last night I enjoyed talking with you, to the point that I'm thinking about going down to visit my relatives>>

<<Wow, these are the messages that I like to receive ! I could come with you?>>

<<Maybe, but then we talk about it, now I need you to tell me other things, for example, yesterday I had a strange dream and the details were pretty much real, and I would like to talk to you!>>

<<Ok, but now I am in the office, please you contact me this evening at 9.00 p.m. okay? A kiss>>

<<Ok, tonight>>

Meanwhile Luca are realizing that even on the web is as if there was some closure regarding this matter, he has found various items, but all historians, all seems to have stopped around the middle of thousand and six hundred.

Chapter 4

From 9.00 p.m. to 3.00 a.m.

Obviously Luca spends the whole afternoon immersed in his researches and listening music, specifically Metal, starting from the Black Sabbath, one that arouses more his interest is the song of the same name of the group, where the voice of Osbourne is accompanied by the guitar notes, those damn notes that in the Middle Ages were banned because the people believed that they served to invoke the devil. To the point of thinking that if Ozzy had not become that old man who walks into slippers in his mega home, perhaps the mystique would be credible, but television has negatively exorcised this too! All sheets that Luca had scrawled about how to set up the website based on erotic fantasies, now lie in the basket under the desk, he seems to have realized that those investigations go well beyond the classification, there, it takes a psychologist, and in the case of his new friend, a psychiatrist. New pages with new content have cluttered the space next to the keyboard, he notes every news that is about these legends, he even made a drawing that depicts a woman lying on a bed with a figure resting on her chest as told his mother, disturbing, like the other drawing, women dancing around a large tree invoking some kind of demonic deities.

He begins to think to write a novel about these legends, it is as if he had turned on a light bulb, on the other hand, he lives in the era where the stories of fear have made room to film confusing, and the horror of vampires has turned into stories of young girls repressed, where the only ones that are courting them are the ones that should make them to shreds as in any self-respecting horror story!

Now it's almost time, 9.00 p.m. , and unlike the other days, now Luca aka Sarah counts the minutes that are missing for chat with his new friend to find out about something else. As promised, Never s-wing-e connects with his proverbial precision, even in ten minutes early, and his icon on the screen illuminates green beginning the conversation with the usual phrase;

<<Hi Sarah, have you thought me?>>

<<Rather, let's say that I've been waiting !>>

<<Well, it's a good step forward, do you want to hear my story?>>

<<Yes, but I would that your story was focused on old legends of the witches of which were talking about yesterday. Fascinate me a lot, then being of those parts, my relatives live in the area of Cerreto Sannita in the province of Benevento, you know?>>

<<Wow, you know what is said about that place? That's where San Michele buried the devil after defeating him, and it is also said that the hole dug in the fall of the evil one, was the haunt of witches!>>

To Luca freezes literally the blood in hearing this story, which is so similar to his dream...

<<Damn, and now where is this chasm>>

<<Dear Sarah, it’s a legend, I don’t think that San Michele has defeated a demon literally true inserting it into a pit! You're beginning to believe much in these things, why?>>

Luca hesitates a moment before answering, but then he thinks that this disturbed man can somehow help understand:

<<Because last night, after we said goodbye, I had a bad dream, and also strange, I was in the countryside and suddenly it opened a massive hole in front of my feet, from which some women came out trying to attack me, and I hid behind a large tree, and next there was a river with a bridge shabby…>>

For a few minutes Lucio does not respond to the message, it seems as if he typed something and then delete before sending, it can be deduced from the fact that on the bottom of the chat screen appears the word "Never S-wing-e is writing"... leaving eagerly waiting Luca, who in the meantime continues to close the windows that open on the monitor with various

<< Hello, how are you…!>>.

Meanwhile he browses some profiles of girls living not far from the house of her aunt, and his attention is captured by one, perhaps for the strange nickname, "Iseefarbeyond" and thinks: "She will be one of those who believe to have some supernatural power, so much the better! "

Then without thinking much sends a message:

<<Hello, we know each other? Would you like to chat a bit?>>

Well, certainly not the typical approach among girls, so much so that as soon as he wrote soon after worries about being discovered. But now it's done, instead the girl responds with a way of doing that it could be defined very spontaneous;

<<Yes, why not! but if you want to chat with me, remember that I see far beyond!>>

<<That's right! Just your nickname convinced me to contact you, why this choice? What does that mean?>>

<<None of that, for joke, or maybe because I have a strong ability to understand people!>>

<<Damn, you're a kind of sorceress?>>

<<I do not like to be defined as well, but often I happened to know in advance of the things that often, not be something beautiful! I don't know if I can call it talent, when I was a little girl, this thing frightened me, then growing up I got to talk to other people, some of them very prepared on the subject, and helped me to develop the most of these features >>

<< Well, you seem like a sort of Xmen! Excuse me for the joke, but I'm just happy to make your acquaintance, it is very often difficult to find interesting people to chat, and especially who have something interesting to tell >>

<< Funny joke on Xmen, I never thought, because

I watch little television, but I'm not at those levels,

I don't try to save the world or destroy it, anyway my name is Giada, and pleasure to make your acquaintance Sarah; then when you think to come here in Benevento?>>

<<I was thinking of going to visit my aunt and I thought, maybe best to do some interesting friendship! I hope soon, I have to knock off from the study and would like to dedicate myself to do some outdoor activities, maybe discover something mysterious, for sure there will be things to see, for some time I'm lover of the legends, so you can imagine ...>>

<<Well, it depends what you mean for mysterious legends, they abound here, I guess you're referring to stories about witches, and I do not want to disappoint you but as they say in our country are just rumors, and there are nice places to visit, but you do not expect something, the key points of those tales are not only to Malevento, but a bit scattered throughout the Campania and beyond!>>

<<Why do you say Malevento?>>

<<So, you tell me about the legends and stories of witchcraft, and you don't know that the Benevento's city formerly called Maleventum? Probably just because of these rumors! >>

<<No, actually I did not know, and perhaps this is why I contacted you, to give me a hand, I also have a friend, ehm friend is a big word, however, he is very experienced in the field!>>

<<Well, anyway dear Sarah, now I must leave you, it was a pleasure, let me know when you are going to come in my city , maybe we'll get a coffee, ops I forgot, if you can at the end of the month, I'll participate in a Halloween party really unique, and there you'll see people dressed as witches and wizards, but I warn you, and do not judge me, often those types of parties ending with a few clothes...>>

<<Funny, I do not believe it but it would not be the first party of this kind to which I participate!>>

<< Good night, see you soon! And if you want, you can also bring your friend t! >>

<<Trust me, I do not think that is the case, he is a strange person with particular fantasies...>>

<<Better, boring people with their moccasins signed which would be willing to go hungry as long as they wear them, and that, at most they can talk football, to me and to my group just not interested!>>

<<I understand, but it is better to come alone, goodnight to you!>>

Luca can’t help but think how her new friend Giada is interesting, shame that he have not known her by his real identity instead of hiding behind his Avatar Sarah, this girl seems to know the events and even a little more, in talking with her he had completely forgotten chat with Never S-wing-e, in fact as soon widens the screen, there is a very long message from the man.

<<Sarah, your dream to say the least scare me, so much so that reports actual details of those legends, and also stimulates my imagination... But now seriously, that you dreamed, most likely it is the river Sabato, a meeting place where witches celebrated their Sabbath, and most likely that bridge is the so-called "Janara's bridge ", from which they hurled in the air, however, it is said to have been destroyed during the Second world War, although there isn't evidence, it may be buried in those areas! And before you ask me, Janara is the term that is used for the witches, the Adorers of Diana. What leaves me more perplexed is the fact that you have dreamed of such things, believe me, for years, I am passionate to those legends, hoping to dream that those women were taking advantage of me "as their sacrificial beast" but nothing to do, I had to satisfy my fantasies while awake.

Instead about the Walnut, that plant was made to cut in the seventeenth century by St. Barbato, but it is said that it was reborn several times in the same spot, and today the traces were lost. That excitement Sarah,

I knew that would be interesting to meet you, but never to this extent! We need to investigate this thing, we could go to Benevento together? Hey are you there?>>

After reading the entire message of Never S-wing-e, somewhat perplexed Luca decides to answer;

<<Sorry but I was down in the kitchen, listen, I will go with my parents, and probably I'll not meet these witches!>>

<<Maybe, but tell me, your relatives still breed animals?>>

<<Well obviously, I believe a few weeks ago I heard that soon they would have to kill the rabbits, often my father brings them frozen ,because he goes there for work, and goes to my aunt's home to get some of genuine things like eggs, chickens, rabbits and vegetables. Usually I weigh a lot to go there for the holidays, but all these stories have renewed in me a certain passion...>>

<<Wow Sarah, so I get excited, maybe I could come and see you for a few days and if you like, you could kill some chicken for me, or some cute bunny, what do you think?>>

<<Haha, sure right!>>

<<Do you like provoke me, you seem almost a witch, but in reality you are afraid of me, like all the others!>>

<< No, what you say, I have not at all afraid of you, but as I said, I'll be in my aunt's house, and how

I introduce you? Look, my relatives are southern people, they will not believe to the story of older friend from Bergamo >>

<< So, you could say that I'm your boyfriend!>>

<<Well, to have the status of boyfriend you should have a maximum of thirty years, instead how old are you?>>

<<Forty, but this makes me a mature man and seriously, your family will love me!>>

<<Seventeen more than me! They consider me as the small of home. Anyway , maybe I send you some pictures in the company of my domestic animals, if they still have the sow maybe I ride for you!>>

<<Are you kidding me? I'm tired, I go to bed. good night>>

<<Are you offended?>>

Probably yes, because his status on chat now is set to offline. To Luca this may appear as a problem in less, ie, this crazy gives him a lot of news, but how he can explain that he is not a woman? It might also be helpful a person well informed of the facts, but let's face it, this is a mental patient, and then he is going to go from his aunt and uncle, two dear people who must not be exposed to risks, over the years, he has learned that it is always better not to mix his passions to the family.

Chapter 5

Under the rain and wind

Giada in the mind of Luca seems to have left her image as a poster attached to the walls, and this thing is strange, come on, he is one who attends dozens of girls in his spare time, he is not one that "falls " with a girl seen in pictures, instead if she was a man on the other side of the monitor? As in his case, of the rest, and then with both her than with Never S-wing-e, our protagonist would have the same problem, because lovely Sarah does not really exist!

The window of his room that he always leaves open, tonight, due to the sudden bad weather, it begins to make noise with its constantly open and close; Luca as annoyed, has no desire to get up to close it, are beyond 3.00 a.m., but the strong storm starts to be annoying, and the last time he has avoided to close, he has had his mother between feet for the whole morning following to remove all the water from floor. As soon as he approaches, a violent blow, a sort of shock wave, those who you believe to occur only in the movies, however, feels pushed back by a force unheard, falls to his fortune with his back on the bed, incredulous , he faces again that force of nature convinced to be able to close that window, in fact, this time, he can lock it with a good determination.

Luca closes the window and heaves a sigh of relief, when suddenly on it begins to feel some annoying noises, one squeak louder and louder, as if they were scratches, he backs away sitting on the bed resting his back to wall; usually he is not one that scares that much, but he knows that those sounds can’t be caused by rain, then slowly back he puts under the sheet covering up to the neck, remains firm to look in that direction, can not realize what's going on; then he sees a thin transparent smoke that passes through the cracks of that window, it looks like a thick fog that covers the entire floor of the room slipping in his direction. The blood freezes him when his bedsheet begins to move from below, at the height of the feet, something or someone climbs on him.

He feels that a caress him grazes the ankles, and when he is aware that on him there is another body, he is literally petrified with fear, knows that soon the face will emerge and already savors the fright; but to his surprise the head that comes out, touching his chest, is that of the girl who a few hours before he had met in chat, Giada, despite he continues to shake, it is impossible that she is there with him, but that scene is too polished to be a dream, she puts her finger over mouth as if to tell him to remain silent before going back under the sheet and slide her mouth on his body causing him briefly different types of creeps, emerging then with the face completely disfigured, monstrous, blood seems to scroll through her eyes, skewering the nails on the chest of Luca, making strength to pull himself up and poses both knees to the chest, the weight is unheard of, he begins to feel the crunch of his ribs, he would scream, but he can't, he links to the feeling that told him just before his mother, the very same sense of oppression, suddenly this woman, or damned creature attacks her putrid mouth to Luca's lips, sucking as hard as possible the air from his lungs; after a while when she seems satisfied with a hand grabs the neck of the guy holding it still, and the other makes it slide down her nails sinking into his scrotum causing excruciating pain, after approaches his ear:

«I'll have to take your soul if you keep putting it off, come quickly, we are waiting, we will take you by the hand into the abyss! You don't t forget to bring your friend Swine or you will not have a tomorrow…»

After saying this phrase, she descends from the chest of the young, who begins to catch his breath and she totally naked, now showing her perfect silhouette, moves with a light step like that of a cat, goes towards the window turns and looks at the puzzled Luca, still trembling with fear, and she throws him a kiss winking with her hand then climbs with both feet on the windowsill and falls into the void with a big laugh.

Luca terrified instinctively runs to the window, overlooking with the entire torso leaning enough to risk ending up below while the copious rain wets his back, but there is no trace of her, except the echo of that demonic grin in the sky; part. So, he closes the window, and starts rummaging in the drawer under the desk in search of the tape, he finds only one thin transparent, suitable just to fix a piece of paper, takes one of those dusty notebook from the desk and then ripping the sheets placing them together with adhesive tape around the entire structure of the window, convinced that this will also stop the entry of a minimum breath of air, and then the return of the one who had attacked him. He returns upset and sore to bed. Strangely, his room looks like an oven, certainly this year the climate is hot and it is beyond the seasonal average, but after a downpour like this, the temperature would have to go down, he thinks, but instead, there will be at least forty degrees in his room, to the point that he can't to breathe, looks at that window closed and the sheets snatched from notebook seem to move as if breathed, he gets up suddenly and runs to the bathroom, also this room appears to him boiling, as well as the water that flowing so hot at the point he can't get wet his hands. He takes off all his clothes, and naked returns to his room, he would like to get back under the sheets but that woman terrified him, and probably caused a high fever for the infernal heat he feels, he is concerned that she has infected him with those filthy lips, or dirty hands. The only solution that comes to his mind is to go out into the street, thinking that maybe the rain could cool his body, so he goes in the avenue like a beast, luck that all the lights of the houses are off, but the damn time has subsided, it's not raining , so he tries to cool off in a puddle of water, not the first time he finds itself on the street at that hour, certainly not naked as in this case, but the strange thing is that the neighbors' dogs do not stop barking putting him on the run to avoid being seen, and those who are in the street begin to chase him with respectful do, complaining, howling, while he continued to pant from the heat that continues to feel under the skin. Finally he arrives in the small square, where there is the fountain, the water is putrid, greenish, full of waste but during this night to Luca it appears as a Jacuzzi filled with ice water, without thinking literally he throws in those twenty inches of slush, happy to emulate the blonde in the Fellini's movie "La Dolce Vita" *.

*La Dolce Vita : is a 1960 Italian film, directed by Federico Fellini. It is one of the most famous films in cinema history.

From his body seems really exit steam, like a hot lapillo. When he feels refreshed, notes that it is almost dawn, rushes towards his home, taking care not to be seen by anyone, chased by a multitude of dogs, and fortunately he hadn't closed the door behind self, so he enters and slowly goes upstairs, collects his clothes in the bathroom and returns to his room, he throws himself on the bed, it almost seems as if he had forgotten what happened a few hours before, and finally falls in a deep sleep.

Chapter 6

Ready to go

Luca opens his eyes and sees a bright light coming from the window open, covered only by the bedsheet, he sees the mother and another woman who give a lot to do to clean his room, he has a dry mouth and a bad taste probably due to that torpid water of the night before; he covers his head with the pillow:

«What's up, fucking outputs, are still in bed!»

«Arise, are the two of the afternoon, and Mrs. Enza has already done cleaning downstairs, we waited that you woke up, now hurry up, because in the short she must go away and can’t come back tomorrow, there is a total mess in here, how you came to mind to attack those sheets to the window!»

«It was cold last night and entered too much air, but then it's my room , you exit to the misery!»

«Nothing doing, Luca, get up, here a few things need to be changed, your father back tomorrow, after a fortnight, and said that he would go relatives for All Hallows, so I want to leave all in perfect condition»

«But you're doing it now, it is not the same? Then heck, how many times have I said that I clean alone my room! And anyway, even wanting , if you don't go away ! I can't get up »

«Why do you sleep naked now? And then I see as you keep it in order this pigsty!»

«I sleep naked when it's hot!»

«But you said that it was cold!»

«I'll know what I said, but rather or outputs or I'll have to show to this lady here my whole body!»

«We go out, we go out, but you get dressed!»

As soon as the two women are out of the room, Luca dresses quickly and sits at the Pc, without even warning his mother that he did, the rest do not need it, because the mother goes again:

«I see that you have already started work, for once,

I would like to see you browse through the books of the university! But then do you want to have breakfast?»

He no answer to the classic questions of caring mother who begins to clean and organize on the shelves, followed step by step from that woman which washes floors around the feet of the young.

He opens the profile of "Sarah" and sends a good morning to Never S-wing-e, Luca wants, somehow, be forgiven for the night before, and must invent some excuse to get him to come down, maybe tells him to reach him, and once there, he will find a way to reveal to him that Sarah never existed. But has to deal with the sagacity of that man, then thinks to propose to him to go with Luca, Sarah's younger brother; "It sounds complicated, but it can work!" he thinks.

The chat of man is active, but he doesn’t find the classic messages of the man ; "Must feel really offended..."

Nevertheless, Luca is certain that it will not take long to recover the relationship, because Lucio knows that Sarah is the only one who can figure out his fantasies and then he is clearly taken from her! And our protagonist, of course, he does not want to be the sacrificial victim, then intends to do what that demonic woman said…

However he can't realize how that witch has found out where he lives, but this does not seem absurd, now the network is everything, it's sufficient browse photos to find points of reference, what lets him in a state of terror is how she managed to get there from a south's region in few time ! Moreover, in his way of "come and go" she has revealed her evil nature, this makes him feel under siege, seems constantly look around; her nickname already explains everything "Iseefarbeyond", but she has seen over the imagery in this case. Luca however seeks to take the good from the affair, that witch has made a specific request, she wants to make a sacrifice, and Lucio seems to be the perfect person because he dreams of being mistreated and maybe massacred by beautiful women and hungry; In fact, the phrase that most resonates in his mind is always the same;

"I have to take it with me, be my anchor of salvation!"

So is preparing to write:

<<Lucio, what happen, do not give me good morning? Perhaps are you angry? As you know the night brings counsel and now I know how to do: I leave for Benevento with my parents, and you could reach me with my brother, his name is Luca and he should leave tomorrow, Saturday October 31st, perfect right? So, we will spend the Halloween party among witches and sorcerers, it is not bad, what do you think?>>

Lucio takes a few minutes before answering, despite being online, then hesitant;

<<Well, what to say, I have to check my schedule, and fix some things, the rest is tomorrow, I do not know if

I have time to get organized... but thinking about it, it is a special night and I'd spend it with you! Another thing, how I show up to your brother?>>

<<As a friend of mine who comes to spend Halloween in Benevento with us, in this way we can spend some time together and know each other better, what do you say?>>

<<Ok and to be honest, I'm very excited about it, you know that even in ancient times October 31 was the day when witches celebrated one of the most important Sabbath? Maybe we could be involved in something really interesting, or at least make some sacrifices of animals to worship the ground>>

<<I do not know, actually knowing the area, I think it will be one of those get-togethers between old friends, some of them will bring also their children and it will be less fun than we imagine>>

<<Ah, no! Do not tell me so, you let me pass the enthusiasm rather tell me that I can fulfill my dream to see you dressed as witch with your friends while you abused me like a real swine…>>

<<Maybe, look that then it ends that you come slaughtered!>>

<<I hope so!>>

<<Okay, Lucio, we talk about it tomorrow, now I'm tired, last night I had a terrible awakening, say a nightmare is the least, believe me. My mother is calling me, to soon! >>

<<Ok, my sweet witch, at tomorrow, I wish you a good trip, please you begin to inform about how many animals there is in the farm, so you have something really exciting to tell me!>>

<<It's not really what interests me now, but I will count them myself! Oh I forgot, soon Luca will contact you for the trip>>

<<Ok, thanks for having me informed, but I never accept friendships of boys, then especially with this nickname, rather let me call, this is my number, three times three, nine, seven and five, a three and then repeat! You can use this number when you want! Now

I say goodbye, see you soon!>>

Just as Luca imagined, did not take long to convince him, that man is suffering from something that precedes the status of the serial killer for what he says, and certainly he could not pass up an opportunity to meet Sarah and satisfy his fantasy.

The plan seems to work, short Luca will contact him to organize the trip, and then needs to think of a way to explain why there is not Sarah, a beautiful enigma, but certainly he doesn't want to risk that the witch come back to visit him during the night ; so he takes the phone and dials the number. The man responds immediately , it is the first time that our protagonist hears the sound of his voice, he seems as if trying to speak in a voice more hoarse than usual:

«Hello Lucio, I am Sarah's brother, Luca, I know that you talked about me, are you agreed if we go down together?»

«Hello Luca, yes, we talked about this just a few minutes ago, Sarah told me that goes with the car, but are you sure to go with the train?»

«Do not worry, however, in any case I would not be able to go now and then I do not want to travel with them»

«So ok, we reach them tomorrow, if that's okay,

I already checked the train schedule, and that for Naples starts from Milan Central Station at ten to seven, once there, there is the regional train for Benevento»

«Great, I'd love to, actually stations make me very nervous, but since I've already done most of the work, dear Lucio, already finding all the information of the trip, for me it is fine! Well tomorrow is October 31 and I could do other committees here, so to get off on the morning of November 1, but for what I understand there will be a fun party do not miss? Then last night

I felt a warm unnatural, to the point of needing to go into the streets, it had never happened, better not to think about it...

«But what happened at your home, your sister told me that he had had a nightmare!»

«Oh really? I did not know, she did not say anything...»

«Continue anyway, sounds interesting, especially before this trip to Maleventum! Moreover today while

I was thumbing through my old notes to tell some story to your sister Sarah, I found news about the wolf man, I tell you now do not expect sharp teeth or hair all over the body, nor transformations, actually it tells of a high fever, called "sore moon," you think that the man infected tried hellishly hot, and was forced to go out to find relief. Then on the theories of contagion, tell of a man who becomes a beast at the touch of the lips of a Janara! Let's say that was a spell of witches to make men their slaves»

This story brings Luca into a state of anguish so deep that he is unable to say a single syllable on the phone, feels that every hair of his body vibrates for the fear.

Look at the time on the monitor, and now it's five o’ clock , the only thought is that in a few hours will drop again the darkness, if it were real the legend he is talking about the man on the other side of the phone, what has happened makes sense, and this night could try again the dreadful feeling. Nevertheless, he can’t tell anything to Lucio, then turning a bit on the question:

«Interesting, my sister told me that you are a full of news!»

«Ah, so she described me ? As a kind of vocabulary?»

«Let's say an encyclopedia, but she told me how a source of pride, something very interesting in your person. Culture is not a trivial matter and I know that make much leverage on women

«Not in my case, believe me, I am one of those who is always looking for something more, to go further, and often this scares women»

«I understand, but tell me more about the legend of the wolf, because I know it is not my case, but I had never happen to leave the house in the middle of the night just to refresh my hot spirits!»

«You see that you are brothers, you speak in the same way and you are moved by the same curiosity, and as

I said to her, these are just legends, in spite of myself, because to be honest it would be nice to live some kind experience. However, you ought to be possessed by a witch, or at least "pressed" that is, when one of them rests on your chest removing your breath!»

«Yes, my mother told me when she was a little girl had a similar experience!»

«It is for years I have not heard this term, it is said that witches prefer to fly on stormy nights, the most unbelievable thing is that you think that guide a broom straw but turned off the shoulders, ruining the macabre scene, because it is reminiscent of the Epiphany! Actually I like to believe the legend that they become like mist to be able to switch between the cracks of doors and windows; if I am not mistaken, there is a nursery rhyme that goes:

"Under the water and under the wind, in an hour

I come and go under the Walnut of Benevento!"

It means that they were able to get anywhere they wanted in less than an hour, maybe for us tomorrow this shifting system would be useful, instead of doing almost eight hours of travel by train! However dear Luca, I salute you and tomorrow morning we will meet in person, do not worry about what happened to you yesterday, it will only alteration caused by these seasons which have now lost their usual climate and switch from cold to hot in a few hours»

«All right, thank you and do not worry , I will be at the station for the six-thirty, so we will meet just arrive your train from Bergamo!»

So they conclude the call. The legend that said Lucio have very concerned young Luca, because it corresponds to something that really lived a few hours earlier, so still puzzled leans against the window sill looking out, almost to fear the arrival of dusk.

Although the mother has arranged everything, he takes the bag and begins to pull out all the clothes from the drawers putting a part in it without any care.

When he looks at the monitor notes a message of Giada, a classic greeting, nothing more...

<<Hello Luca, how are you?>>

He prefers not to answer, has the impression that she had heard what he said to Lucio, approaching the desk being careful not to get in front of the keyboard, almost with the fear that she could see him despite not having activated the webcam, turns off the computer, he has no plans to revise the woman for now;

"Better not, one thing is to be in his presence during the day when I am in the company, with Lucio, the swine to sacrifice, and another is to find again that witch in my room tonight" Luca thinks.

The mother calls him for dinner, for him it seems a fortune at this time, he runs to the downstairs and finds his father sitting, ready for dinner;

«Hey Dad, Mom told you that tomorrow morning

I leave for going to Aunt?»

«Not really, I'm just back, and you do well, but if you waited until Monday, because I have to go back to work in Campania, you would have avoided making the train journey»

«Never mind, rather I took a chance because my friend comes with me, so we make the journey together»

«How could I tell your father if you gave me the news as something hypothetical?»

«True Mum, but you know how I am, if I think about it for other two days I will not go more, and I want exploit the occasion of the feast of All Hallows to spend some time with them! »

«So I must warn your aunt, but you do not get involved in silly Halloween parties!»

«Even with this history? Imagine what they will do there to celebrate, at most a country fair with red wine and grilled, so greetings to witches and evil spirits!»

«Anyway... you do as I say and not appoint more witches in my presence! I repeat, it's better that I warn your aunt Rita so she will came to pick you up, her house is at 35 km away from Benevento»

«Do not worry, I make a call to her when I am going to arrive by train, however, is not the first time I travel, fuck, I turned half of Europe, and you worry that I go at Benevento, among others, the most boring place in the world, you're putting me anxiety atrocious!»

The father with his hand indicates to him to stay quiet, almost as if to say "you know how is your mother"!

Luca just end up eating, as usual, he doesn't entertains much before returning to his room, but when he opens the door finds the PC turned on again with the chat screen of that girl on the monitor with the number 6 written to infinity, as if she was asleep with the finger over the keyboard, then the cursor blinks a few seconds and it appears the phrase...

<<So are you there!>>

As if she had seen back in the room, the small monitor speakers emit a continuous noise, it seems that the other side there is a strong wind, but by Luca instead the atmosphere is quiet, fortunately, the window that he had sealed now is opened and shows a quiet evening, then he reconnects what Lucio had said that "witches prefer to travel in the evenings stormy" and this reassures him. Nonetheless, the room looks warm again, he has the feeling as if the walls are restricted causing a strong sense of oppression to the point to miss him oxygen, in fact, the air is thin and hot.

He hears the voices of parents who are still down at the table, like every time, when the father returns are usual to spending a long time to talk about the various events, but tonight, it seems as if they were arguing heatedly, indeed to be honest , it is as if they were growling like wild animals, at a different time, Luca would not lose a minute, he would precipitate to appease the situation, but now, he really wants to lock his door, to a suddenly he hears footsteps on the stairs, they are heading to his room and they have no good intentions

«What the fuck is going on!»

Screams while giving his fists on the door, he feels like prey in a cage, that window and the six or seven meters that separate him from the ground seem the only way out. He does not think twice, takes the bag he had prepared for the journey and throws it in the small garden surrounding the house, the impact is not violent because of the ground and then it is only one bag with clothes, but in any case, he must be quick, now he hears the nails of those two beasts with intentions apparently appalling that start to squeal on the door, and before long he throws down. So, similar to how did that woman last night, Luca salt with your feet on the threshold of the window, has vertigo but the survival instinct takes over, especially not when the shots on the door of his room start to get really strong enough to shake almost the plaster around it, goes down clutching his hands to the threshold before letting fall.

The fall lasts a moment apparently infinite, and to his surprise the impact on the ground is soft, he lands with both feet firmly; then looks in the window of the living room and sees parents sitting at the table, as he had left them, while they sip wine and smile sweetly.

Confused looks up to his room and notes that the monstrous shadows move inside and devastate everything

The heat is stifling, begins to run as fast as possible, out of breath but has no intention of stopping, the central station is only a twenty minute walk from his house, and running in this way, he will soon reach, there, he will be able to find refuge remaining hidden in the bathrooms until it will not be the time to take the train.

Until now, Luca was able to fight the urge to undress to find relief, but his clothes are completely wet from perspiration, in the cool night seems as if his body "smoked" for the condensation that emanates. Turns the corner and finds himself in a dark street, narrow, his labored breathing is amplified by the surrounding walls, rests the bag to the ground and begins to undress, without realizing that in a corner, sitting between the cartons, there is a homeless man who looks scared initially, then raises a hand pointing with the finger:

«You, infernal creature, you're cursed , go away!»

Luca looks surprised, he did not expect that man there, feels spied in its intimacy, seems to find a quick solution to the problem, after all, thinks, that man is a rejection of society and no one will hear his lack, then slowly goes towards the poor senior, to which the only thing that come into his mind is to pray and to rummage beside him, taking two pieces of wood making a cross he shows them to the young , continuing to pray and with closing the eyes, perhaps with the hope that that beast disappears. Unfortunately for him, this does nothing but increase the desire of Luca to overcome that limit placed on that cross that he had always considered nothing more than a relic of bad taste to hang on the wall.

Luca is incredulous for what it is happening and especially feeling a strong need, something that is far removed from any logic, in fact until a few days before, he would not touch a bum even if forced, but now in his mind is strong the need to detach with bites the jugular from the neck of that man.

His anger is second only to his inability to understand what is happening, what is going to do like a vent dictated by its current state, seems to be pretty, moved by the desire to taste the blood of another person.

The contact with that smelly man gives him the nausea, but it's sufficient to snatch the first piece of meat from the neck savoring the warm blood on his lips as if vanish all other smells, he feels transported to a place of immense pleasure, all this goes far beyond his obsessive research done to date, the silly pleasure of the flesh understood as only a sexual relationship.

Shortly thereafter, the feeling of heat seem to stop, then he is reflected in a water's puddle and notes that his face is covered with a mask of red blood, as well as most of its body, he tries to recover all his clothes, using the water stagnant to clean itself, before taking a shirt and trousers and try somehow to compose himself. Luca seems to be back in himself, knows what he did, but did not remorse, is simply very tired, takes his things and heads towards the interior of the station, he rests the bag putting his head as comfortable as possible, and lies down on the cold marble bench, which, at this time, brings relief to his body that seems to be full of hot lava that is going to cool gradually, so the young very slowly manages to fall asleep between sounds and noises of the station.

Chapter 7

Tears of the Sun of October

The bustle of people is incessant all night, now there seems to be a crowd of people at the station, the rest, being Saturday, October 31, many people try to not miss trains and connections maybe to go to find family and friends for the holiday of All Hallows, and like so many ants, the people move frantically from side to side waking up the young bewildered, which continues to rub his eyes, his strong headache makes him feel as lost, feels pain almost anywhere, but especially that flavor, that lousy taste on the lips that reminds him that the last night was not one of classic and quiet .

At the contrary, he has the shirt unbuttoned with some large blood stains on the body of a brownish color, just a moment to remember what happened, and looks around nervously begins to compose himself, it was not sufficient the cleaning last night in that putrid water of a puddle; the fear of being recognized as a murderess attacks him, looks at one of the clocks in the station and he notes that are six thirty-nine, goes toward the train, looking at the scoreboard and sees that he has arrived just before of his train that seems ready to starting, no time, he had thought to give himself a cleaned in the bathrooms , but will have to settle for those on the train.

Luca does not even thought of having to make the ticket, climbs directly and as soon as enters goes to the bathroom, but it is closed, tries to push the door firmly with both hands, shaking the handle but nothing, notices a presence behind him when he hears an awful smell of breath combined with coffee, feels bothered by feeling of breathing down his neck, he turns and sees behind him a man of small stature, somewhat stocky, with curly hair and thick, the face of fresh shave with that veil that seems shiny slimy; dressed as a mid-level employee, a brown vest with zipper, to those taken in the malls of microfiber that would look like the reindeer, his tie neatly knotted to a shade of brown slightly clearer than the jacket and shirt with the collar literally consumed in the lapels. The man is still, motionless, observes without saying a word, seems that it is there to sniff the young with the ecstatic expression for the acrid smell of blood mixed with sweat.

Luca looks at him and gives him a nod as if to say; "the door is closed, it will be occupied!" convinced that this man clumsy, like him, is waiting for go the bathroom. Instead he seems to be only interested in him, to the point that he steps forward leaning literally to the young, who without thinking responds with excessive and somewhat justified nervousness, calling the attention of the other present giving it a boost:

«Fuck off , this is not the morning right!»

In fact, it is not the right one, but the man is not discouraged that much, remains unmoved, almost showing pleasure in receiving the vigorous contact, then smiles as she looks into the eyes of the boy;

«Are you Luca? Do not be nervous, it was a joke, I’m Lucio, the friend of your sister Sarah, I just wanted to find out if you could recognize me!»

Luca was convinced of having to search that Never S-Wing-e for who knows how long before meeting him, distracted, he did not recognize him, the rest, he seemed much higher and in his profile picture, the fact of having jostled him, the young feels almost embarrassed, he is not an aggressive person, at least until some time ago so he thought.

«I'm sorry, but I have to go to the bathroom and I was completely focused on this lousy door that still does not open!»

«Move over, let me try!»

As soon as the man touches the handle, the door opens easily, Luca remains amazed while his friend indicates to him to enter with winking glance, then approaching, he whispers:

«Rinsed as well, but not remove this intoxicating scent off me!»

«While wanting, with the size of toilette will be virtually impossible! I'll join you soon, where are you going to sit? »

«Do not worry, I’ll wait you here, , oh I forgot, I have done also your ticket second the provisions of your sister!»

Luca makes a strange expression, he did not remember having said this to the man;

«So she told you so? Strange that she did not say me anything!»

Then he closes the door and thinks that he has to do a lot of attention to this man, he is always that maniac known online with a passion for slaughter and with the dream of being a beast of slaughter.

He looks in the mirror and his face shows a pale complexion that transpires a veil of anguish. He does not focus on the details, rather expects to fill his hands with water to rinse the face profusely, wetting also his neck and then unbuttoning his shirt and almost as in a shower begins to rub his chest using what remains of liquid soap in the dispenser.

The train starts, slowly moving away from the station and finally the journey to this bloody orgy for Halloween becomes more and more real. Luca passes the water on the hair and then reopens the door, and notes that waiting for him there is the smile of that man, which directly indicates to follow him;

«Come, follow me, we go before to the dining car, I think you need a good breakfast, right?»

«Well I would not mind , to remove this flavor of mouth!»

«What flavor, sorry?»

«Never mind, yesterday after eating at home, I did revelry until late»

«Well I hope the party for Halloween in Benevento leave us the same scent on the skin!»

Lucio stares into the eyes of Luca, then winks, as if he knew of the macabre happened.

As soon as they arrive at the bar, the gurgles of the stomach of the young are felt, hunger seems doubled, he takes two croissants, he chews the first and holds the other hand, Lucio looks smug while Luca eating greedily those treats.

Once finished when he seems to have slightly appeased his appetite, did not have time to take his wallet when his traveling companion pays quickly:

«You should not pay, because you have not even eaten, it was up to me to pay breakfast!»

«Are you kidding maybe? I had specific orders, I have to cater to all your requests! Consider me your slave, you can do with me what you want, and I'll always be here to obey»

«I do not understand the history of this specific request, do not remember...»

«Of course, we talked about a few time, Sarah gave me specific directions, and I repeat, you can do with me what you want! »

«Listen me, Lucio, you look like a nice person, but I have no intention of doing what you want, as you say, we will make this journey together, if you want , you can tell me a bit of stories about what you know of the legends of Sannio and Benevento, this is enough, I do not need nothing else!»

«Obviously, I'll tell you everything I know, but it will not be easy keep up with me, you could get bored, and especially it's important that you have the mind opened to hear the stories from my lips!»

«I imagine, not scare me anything, I've seen many things, I live together with the seven deadly sins!»

«Allow me to doubt it, dear Luca, people think to know how is to sin, but in reality they have only an idea, for example, you’re hungry, your way of eating in a manner so voracious, to me, a lover of sin, causes a shiver of pleasure, but can we really define sin that of gluttony of a hungry man? No! Are well other sins of gluttony, for example the need to feel a certain flavor in the teeth, the craving to discover what it is like to taste the taste of the forbidden, something that is humanly far from what we have been taught in the so-called moral of the company! Only to tell these things I've a great desire to ... but let's go to sit, follow me»

The awareness of Luke about the serious mental disorder of his friend has become certainty, but despite this, he is fascinated by him for the way in which he expresses himself, then he could also give further explanation of what happened on in the last two nights, previously Lucio had already defined as a kind of lycanthropy caused by the touch of a witch, although not aware of the visit he had had the night .

Reached their armchairs they sit down, Luke prefers to stand next to the window, the friend of course for his sense of submission , agrees, once seated, what is called his servant, puts a hand on his thigh, going more and more towards the 'tall, the boy stops him and with decision:

«Hey Lucio , what the hell do you do!»

«Do not worry, I just want to make you relax!»

«You make me so angry as a beast... don't touch me, but then you were not here to reach my sister?»

«You're right, I respect your choice, I'm sorry, it's just that I cannot help but revere your smell...»

«Well, venerates what I tell you, I repeat, do not touch me, you remain there, good and quiet, even hand me my purse!»

The man gets up and takes the bag of Luca which leans it on his legs without even opening it, like to cover itself , then open the zipper and pulls out a sweatshirt to rest your head, and seems to have lost the enthusiasm to hear those stories.

Lucio smiles to the fact that he used the bag to protect his intimate parts;

«Does it seem like an overreaction? Anyway I go for a walk, maybe I find someone more sympathetic than you!»

«Go! In the meantime I rest!»

Chapter 8

Welcome to Maleventum

Waking up to destination is the dream of all, and even though there were noises and various stops, the train has almost reached its destination, to Naples to be exact, there, they will take the regional train to Benevento.

Luca opens his eyes and looks around, the wagon is half-empty, and his traveling companion is sitting on the other side with his head resting on the window; he seems embittered; the young gets up and shakes the man's shoulder:

«Hey buddy, all ok?»

Lucio turns and has his eyes full of tears, nods in approval sense while wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket:

«Yes I'm fine, thank you for your interest but my tears aren't of sorrow, indeed, rather they are of envy, I looked at the ruins of the old abandoned factories, the overbuilding shameless of men and I identified myself in sadism so impulsive, in raping this land...»

«Not offend buddy, but I think that you have a problem! »

«Problem? I would not say, rather, I find solutions to problems in a theory, it is simple, consists to change the perspective of things and events, the human being is a machine of destruction perfectly thought out that, after all, gives to his wrongdoing always a justification and finds a circle of people as support, this does not seem a paradox? The worst tyrants in history had a plan that they felt right from their point of view! I try to interpret the plan and to relive their emotions, I guarantee the feelings are of pure enjoyment, especially those based on the suffering and destruction!»

«I understand your theory, but I repeat my statement! »

Never S-wing-e responds with a smile, knowing that it could not be different the vision of the boy; then looks again when the train begins to slow down;

«Let’s go Luca, we're almost there»

«All right, we are already in Naples? »

«Yes, these new trains are fast, but it is as if you had made a journey through time, you slept for three hours! Now get your things, and as they say in my part: you see Naples and you don't know if you review your wallet!»

«Haha, it is not so the saying, and then it's a terrible cliché, I have been several times around Naples when I was younger and it is less dangerous than Milan, believe me! Well, sure if you go to the search, here, all are crafty, but otherwise, just you don’t touch, San Gennaro, Maradona and Totò* and they are great buddies!»

«Good thing you began the speech accusing me of stereotyping the Neapolitans like thieves, and then you forgot the pizza and the mafia! »

«Look, now the train is stopped, we go down!»

Off the train and quietly, they make their way following the billboards to orientate, suddenly Luca hears to pronounce its name:

«Luca! Luca, where you go, I've come to get you! »

The young turns and notes that there is his uncle Michele, the husband of Aunt Rita:

«Uncle, what are you doing here, I did not even telephoned, we wanted take the train to Benevento!»

«You're crazy, those who wanted to hear then your aunt and your mother, among other things, also told me that last night you went out without even greet her and she did not remember if you had arrived at five or seven o’clock, so I’ve been waiting here for four hours, you could make a call!

*The most beloved simbols in Naples: San Gennaro is the patron Saint of city, Maradona is the player who made famous the football team of the Naples, Totò (Antonio De Curtis) was the symbolic actor of comedy in the areas of Naples

Anyway, give me the bag, I carry myself, he's a friend of yours? Your mom not told me about him, but a place for him at home we find it! »

Lucio, or rather Never S-wing-e, looks intimidated Luca's uncle, almost trying to hide behind the shoulders of the young, who moves to show the man to his uncle Michele; which is approaching, after having put the bag over the shoulder, reaching out a hand, Lucio hesitates a bit, but soon after:

«Good morning, Mr. Michele, I'm Lucio, and do not worry I'm going to go the hotel, I do not want to cause trouble because between Luca and Sarah, I don't think there will be other place for me! »

The uncle looks at him curiously and before answering about who is this Sarah, Luca intrudes:

«Come on, Uncle, we talk about it in the car, and Lucio not worry, there's always room at the farm of Uncle Michele and Aunt Rita»

«Fair Enough! Then if you are Luca's friend, I can’t let you go in hotel, rather put myself to sleep in the barn of pigs and I give you my room!»

«Too gentle Mr. Michele, can I sleep there?»

Lucio asks

«Not exist! » the Uncle Michele answers to him, then turning to his nephew«Luca, it is from several time that you do not hear your aunt, but your mom told you that we put on a kind of pig farm, the sow gave birth fifteen swines last summer, I have fixed the old stable and now looks like a pigsty luxury!»

Reached the car, after having put the luggage in the trunk, they leave for Benevento, or rather Cerreto, where there will be the aunt and definitely a big table laden; the rest , they will come in time for lunch, let alone, she does nothing but cook all day, even as a little boy, she had become his nightmare, in fact, when he spent with them the summer, the aunt had a habit of asking him what he wanted to eat for lunch, just wake up. Luca remains silent for the entire route, looking out the window thinking that he is there with a task: "Sacrificing" a man with a mental problem that would not have imagined, and to think that the his initial idea was to participate in another and maybe huge orgy. Lucio instead meanwhile has melted in the chat with the friendly uncle, who boasts of his property and animals, not even he notices the huge amount of questions that Lucio asks him about the methods of killing regarding the poor animals on the farm, the rest, for uncle Michele it is normal, it does so for a lifetime, and even amused by the ingenuity and enthusiasm of man, to the point that, occasionally turning to Luca repeats the same phrase: «Luca , your friend is really sympathetic!»

The ride goes fast, after just over an hour, they are out of the gate of the estate, the day is gloomy and the sun, hidden by gray clouds, makes yellow the surrounding atmosphere. While following his uncle to the parking lot, Lucio pulls the shirt of Luca, who turns to him and notes that his friend has an excited expression on the face, as if he was going to an amusement park.

«I hope it does not rain, for the party of this night!»

Exclaims Luca looking at the sky, the glance of Lucio is relaxed and happy while watching the chickens as if it were the first time he sees them. Strangely the aunt Rita does not come out to welcome the arrival of his grandson as he always did whenever he went to visit her. Luca notes this particular, and thinks that maybe, she will be angry because he didn't call her .

Meanwhile the uncle parks the car in the middle of the garden, then he opens the trunk taking the bags of the two, and starts towards home, Luca follows him in silence, he is still thinking about what to say to Lucio about the absence, indeed of his invention with regard to his sister Sarah.

As soon as they cross the door that goes into the kitchen, there is his aunt Rita of shoulders, she not even turns to greet the nephew, "Typical of when she is angry!", Luca thinks, she wields a large knife with which is cutting the vegetables, but unlike the usually, she seems as if trembling, her behavior is very strange, to say the least worried, anything but angry as he thought the young man, and she does not speak, with eyes she looks and indicates toward the pantry door. Luca does not understand, she shakes his head as if to say, "What?" he has never been so welcomed by both. Suddenly, he hears a noise before, then looks the door that his aunt indicated and with great surprise of the new guests, enters a girl exclaiming:

«Surprise! You thought that I was not here, brother!»

Luca stays put, that witch that few nights before had changed his destiny now is there, and she called him "brother", almost as if they were in agreement with that plan, but especially how did she know the aunt's house.

Suddenly the girl throws to his neck with a warm and familiar embrace, then approaches the boy's ear and with a small voice whispers:

«You're happy, I'm keeping the game, good puppy, you've made as I told you to do, and you brought the beast to sacrifice...»

«How can you be here, do not touch my aunt otherwise...»

«Or else what? Do not worry, if you're good, she will not use that knife on herself ... ohm that smells good,

I know that my puppy did his first snack; do not worry after this night, you will come back to eat only those greasy snacks; Obviously if you want!»

«Of course I want and you're damned!»

«Big words, now we pretend to be brothers!»

Then with a big smile, she turns to Never S-Wing-e ;

«Lucio, finally we meet, give me a kiss, tonight, I do not know if Luca told you, we will make a Halloween party that will be unforgettable! Music and fun for the whole night! »

«Yes, he told me too, so I'm over here»

«Believe me it will be fun, dear, you're the guest of honor!»

The boy looks at her aunt, who seems absent with the glance once again toward the sink while begins to cut vegetables; then enters his uncle, looks at that girl, did not expect her to be there of course, senses something is wrong and makes a bounce as if to escape to the outside, but that witch goes behind him towards the door holding it closed, looks the uncle in a way so intense that in a few moments the expression of man becomes compliant, while agreeing with head movements to silent requests for her.

The uncle Michele goes towards his wife and rests a hand on his shoulder and without turning around but mostly without show even a shred of enthusiasm that in first moment exuded from every pore:

«Go sonny, show the barn and the pigs to your friend!»

«Do not worry uncle, I accompany him, you continue your things here with aunt Rita!»

Giada responds with familiar tone while he obviously continues to nod, giving her reason to every request.

Then she takes with hand the guys that follow her at a fast pace, Lucio seems amused, while Luca makes first resistance, but it takes little to convince him.

They circumscribe the house then going to the big wooden hut with asbestos roof, from where come the grunts but especially the smell, it seems that Lucio breathes deeply the air in ecstasy .

Giada opens easily the little iron gate and on both sides there are fences, but stops suddenly, it seems as if she could not cross the threshold, tremulously indicates an old straw broom leaning soon after entrance and turning to Never S-wing-e she exclaims;

«Remove the broom from there! Is not there to clean! »

Obviously the servile man jumps almost slipping on the floor, grabs the broom and breaks it leveraging with knee and she still;

«It's not enough! »

So Lucio, as if he knew what to do, pulls out of matches from his pocket and lights one by putting it in the middle of the strands of straw broom, that being dried naturally burns in a flash; the view of the fire seems to annoy the animals in their tight fence, the girl smiles satisfied and takes a few steps forward:

«It 's amazing, how is big this pig! »

With two fingers she caresses the pig's nose, then takes the hand of Lucio and puts it on the pig’s head, he's afraid, or rather trembling with emotion, Giada seems amused by this provocation. She crosses the gate of the box where there is the pig , and balancing on the best point where to get off, on the other hand, with her slender body she can easily get off the side of the pig, and then pulling up the tight pants up at the knees and salts on the animal, that however irritated, has no chance to escape.

«So what do you think Lucio, do you like as I ride ?

I would have here that beautiful knife... but do not worry, we put off all at this evening, now we do not waste the blood! »

«Do it anyway, please, I recover the blood! »

«Greedy, you have to wait for this night, I guarantee that you'll see a lot of blood! »

The eyes of Lucio at this vision seem to come out of sockets so to become swollen and red for the adrenaline accumulated in watching that damn woman as she continues to provoke while rides the animal moaning as if she felt pleasure, then descends from the back and gives some loud slap on the thighs of the beast, then slips her hand almost touching the genitals of the big pig.

At this point, Lucio can’t resist, the legs do not hold it, he folds on itself before collapsing to the ground almost unconscious. "Poor mental ill " Luca thinks while watching the scene from a distance; although that movement of the girl did not leave unmoved even him, believed he had seen sex in all its forms, but this thing goes far beyond reality, somehow manages to figure out the cravings of his friend; that witch is sadistic and evil, then she explodes in a big laugh when he realizes keep them even more in hand:

«Haha, I see that you are beginning to get into the spirit of the party tonight, right! It will be fun, hey Luca , maybe would you like to see me while I have sex before sacrificing the pig? »

The boy remains silent and looks down to the ground, instead Lucio looks from below, moves his head up and down, nodding.

Giada comes out of that fence:

«Now we go to lunch, in less than two hours begins to get dark, and the "pit" is not very close, and can be reached only on foot, oh I forgot, you will wear the masks for the occasion»

They move away from the pigsty and return home, the acrid smell of the place seems to have filled the nostrils of young Luca, yet the scent knows him for a lifetime, but today the repulsive stench has taken on a different connotation.

Despite having been paying attention not to touch anything, he feels the need to wash the hands before eating, instead Giada sits down and begins to break bread and eat it as if she did not eat from a lifetime; Lucio remains stationary for a moment before sitting down, she turns and takes him by the wrist inviting him to sit down.

The aunt does not take part in the banquet, and even the uncle, who seems to have completely lost the sympathy and hospitality, now he is rather annoyed, and frantically he wanders cursing around the room, while the two continue to feast like pigs. Luca goes to the bathroom followed by the look of that witch until he closes the door, and also well beyond he feels observed, bends in the sink and begins to wash his face, takes off his shirt and passes the water everywhere, but once again it not seems to be enough, so even if hungry, do not think twice to open the shower.

When he decides that the water may be enough, he looks at his clothes on the floor and notes the filthy as ever, the rest, wearing them for two days; it had never happened in his life, let alone after a trip and what happened the night before. He collects placing them in the washer, has no idea how to be used, only thinks that must sterilize them as much as possible, select a wash cycle at high temperature, does not care at all if his clothes can be damaged. Then he takes a towel and puts it around his waist before going out and head to the room where the uncles have always hosted him, they haven't had children, and for this reason, call that: Luca's room, because it is reserved for him every time goes to find them.

«Do you not want to eat? Look that this evening, the party does not start before midnight, so you should eat little brother»

«I'm not hungry, and do not call me brother!»

«As you wish, worse for you, it means that there is more food for me and my swine!»

Luca does not give listening to her words, continues to head towards the room down the hall, just open the door of the room, he notices that his aunt had mounted a second cot, probably to accommodate his friend, the thing annoy him, because that crazy who eats avidly at the table, is not his friend and he has no intention to host it, but then thinks that this man will not come back from the party.

He opens his bag and begins to dress in a hasty, repeatedly has been attracted by looking in the mirror but avoids, has the feeling to see the beast that the night before he mauled a man. Starts to get darkness, the dark clouds that covered the sun seem to anticipate the night for the little light that filters through them, then he hears the shots that are shaking the wooden door, is nothing more than that girl who knocks;

«Hey Luca , can I come in, I'm Sarah! »

Without even waiting for an answer, she opens and enters, closing the door behind him.

«And if I was naked? »

«Imagine, brother, how many times I've seen you naked, and the other night we were also in the same bed, I should be shocked now?»

Luca pounces on her with eyes blazing with anger, no longer has a minimum of tolerance towards that woman that until now has kept him in check with his threats, puts the hands to her throat, for the first time seems conscious of wanting to use the renewed strength and lust for blood transmitted precisely from this witch!

«Shut up witch! And do not call me brother, Christ! Indeed, you do not call it any other way! I do not know how you came to this house, but go away from here, my uncles have nothing to do with you ; I brought the victim you wanted»

She does not try to break free, indeed, does not even wincing;

«Too simple, I also need my little dog tonight for the Sabbath,

therefore, you keep this your anger that later we will have fun, and to be honest I hope that you'll have more passion in doing it, otherwise, it is disappointing! Regarding your uncles , do not worry for now I have no intention to hurt them, but I notice a certain depression in the eyes of your dear Aunt Rita, who has more desire for me to use that knife on herself, and maybe on someone else. Now put your shoes that before long we go out, we will wear masks, it is Halloween and then passing through the countryside we will arrive up to the Walnut where the others expect us »

Then Giada opens the door and goes in another room, as soon as she comes out, Lucio enters with some enthusiasm without even realizing the state of concern of the young;

«Wow, I have to thank you, Luca, I know you should not say this because we barely know, but there's something between me and Sarah, I can feel it! But you realize, if we got engaged, think, how many things the three of us could share ! Excuse my enthusiasm, but I'm over the moon! »

«Save your breath, you seemed a most intelligent person, but not enough to let you bewitch by glances, here is exactly the right word! Now you change your clothes and try to keep our feet on the ground! »

«No, she does not want me to change, said that the smell of the barn is perfect for this night! You realize, wants to make a game that reminds my passions hidden! Sorry, sorry, I forget that it is your sister ... »

«Never mind, but Christ , you stink! »

«You don't name him, tonight we are thousands of miles from him, maybe tomorrow we will repent!»

«That's right, maybe there will not be a tomorrow! »

«What do you mean? »

«No, rather I think we should not getting too involved in this party, believe me it is not the first, in the past I have taken part in some about eros and perversion, but I think this goes far beyond ... »

The voice of Giada interrupts the speech from the other room:

«Then let's go! »

«It's better hurry up! That temper your sister, I love her!»

Luca nods, while Lucio goes away, then begins to rummage in the drawers and at the bottom of one of these he finds an old paper knife that as a child he had filed down to make it sharper, all this secretly by uncles.

Sticks it in his pocket and quickly joins them, sees the girl already in the doorway looking forward, wearing a kind of black ankle-length tunic, with a knotted cord skin to life, her hair tied in two braids and face sprinkled with white makeup with lips that stand painted black, as well as the eye-liner to emphasize her blue eyes.

«Before crossing the door you wear these! »

She gives to two of disturbing rubber masks that look like pigs deformed.

«Sorry we can’t wear them when we get there? They are rubber and we will sweat like real pigs with these!»

«No, you put it now, do not waste time! »

Lucio obeys and wears the mask, obvious wants to please his owner, which with him is not satisfied that he is only masked, indeed makes him also wear a collar with a leash, those to dog training, so that if he had not obeyed, in that case she could yank and maybe strangle him at will.

They goes towards the home's gate, Luca takes a step back, he did not see his uncles before going out and has fear for their safety, maybe he should think about it before, because when he looks toward the house, remains petrified on seeing two ropes that hold up to the porch and notes the two bodies dangling purple still kicking before dying.

The instinct to rush to rescue them is strong, but cannot go back, he is as it were chained to that witch who looks at him, smiles, winking and with a hand gesture invites him to follow her. He can't resist and with eyes full of tears turns his glance towards the ground, continuing the path.

Chapter 9

Your death, my life!

The macabre walk in the fields seems infinite, suddenly begins to rise a cold wind and sharp whistling through the branches of large trees surrounding a sudden, it begin to glimpse the rays of light coming from the moon reflected in a course water rushing on the left side of their journey, is at least a few feet below them, to divide them there is a steep and dangerous descent. Giada , the cursed witch, indicates to Lucio to kneel for sit on his back, then tells Luca to remove his shoes:

«From here on we proceed barefoot, knotted the laces of your shoes together and throw them on that tree! »

The girl tells to them;

«Are you crazy, is the only pair of shoes I have, and the ground is full of stones! »

Luca answers lookingthe route, Lucio as a fury goes against him, in defense of his mistress, pushing him off the cliff that flanks the river, while the young rolls, he looks the amused expression of girl who caressing the head of that man which pathetically simulates grunting like the animal who plays.

The fall ends on the bank of the stream, Luca remains motionless for a few moments, he tries to remove the fetid rubber mask from his face, but he cannot, on the lips feels the sweet taste of blood, thousands thoughts pass in his mind: "Maybe that witch has decided to leave it there, maybe you no longer need his presence, she can continue with his sacrifice without him…", but after a while sees them coming from a small street mail a few tens of meters ahead, the woman in a tone of mockery;

«Stupid, I'm bringing you to the ends of the world and you worry of your stupid shoes? The rite requires to purify our feet in the water of the river Sabato, and as we reach the party we have to denude, at destination appropriate clothes there will be given, as well as tradition . And you stop trying to take off the mask, it is useless! »

Said this, as soon as the witch touches the water, it becomes dark and putrid , then she takes a step back and indicates to the two to come in, then turning to Lucio:

«You beast, take me in your arms, we have to cross, the big tree is across the river! »

Obviously he obeys immediately, she tells him to turn around and in a manner little elegant, she puts the legs on his sidewalls going up on back and both arms around his neck, to the point that man is almost hard to breathe; but nevertheless he begins to walk in the cold water.

«Be careful, beast, do not make me squirt even a drop of water, and worse for you if you stumble!»

He nods and with obvious effort manages to keep standing.

Meanwhile Luca looks them, he was greatly impressed by the reaction of the water at the touch of that witch who obviously for some absurd curse, she cannot dip itself, then he thinks that it might be time to put an end to everything, but just as he is about to leave in order to make them fall, has the feeling as if around him there were thousands of evil eyes, someone ready to shred him to the point that feels as if the woman was the only salvation for him and his safety.

So the rationality takes over, bows his head and begins to get in the river first trying to understand where it is better to pass, he realizes that a place is as any, and now has lost too much time, the other two are already on the other side and Lucio tries to climb out of breath with that witch clinging to his back, but for how he moves, it will be impossible to overcome that climb. Luca exceeds the stretch of river and reaches them trying to help that man, then the young notes that the witch is descended from the man's back, both looking straight ahead, their eyes are lit by orange flames of a huge fire, she undresses completely, throws her clothes on the floor and starts to run towards it, as when the insects are attracted to light the neon, when they finally are arrived, there are a multitude of "bodies" that dance, under a large tree, then Lucio exclaims:

«Here's the Walnut!»

The shrub overlooks the valley, hanging on to it seem to be the carcasses of people, which are pierced by lances that with extreme violence some men hurl. The remaining crowd moves around that big fire, as if to emulate a tribal dance.

Lucio is totally naked, showing his clumsy body without any embarrassment, prejudice wearing only the mask that suits him so much, he launches into the fray bellowing and grunting. Luca remains dressed and slowly tries to maintain a certain distance, continuing to think about: "Maybe they make the sacrifice of that man that I brought, and they let me go".

Suddenly, the ground begins to shake more and stronger, to the point that Luca loses the balance, below his feet sees come out a strange stone chips, which rises as high as to form a bridge, seems to be the same structure of his nightmare, the earth trembles still attracting the attention of that orgy of people, then Giada turns screaming:

«The bridge Maleventum, finally it has resurfaced!»

The whole crowd turns in that direction, not realizing that the leakage of the bridge has created a huge chasm, a pit scary, the first to run ends up inside of it accompanied by desperate cries, the light that comes out illuminates the faces disfigured and frightful of those people, but when they move away from that point seem to be men and women of a disarming beauty, Luca tries to hide itself in the shadow of the accumulation of stones to prevent to be dragged into the fray, from that perspective he feels safe, it seems that the crowd can’t see him, but he notes that all those people stop suddenly and they start sniffing the air as if their interest was another, he warns attendance behind him, beautiful women dressed with a few strips of cloth, who opening their huge jaws, their screams cause him to flee as fast as possible, he runs towards that big tree, hears their sounds as if they were dogs hungry and eager to shred his body. As soon as it reaches the Walnut slows and passing between the bodies dangling and dripping blood, touches the foot of one of those carcasses which with hoarsely, choked by a noose exclaims:

«You've tied me to this family, cursed wolf, I was hoping that my hard life would end at least in order to have eternal peace, instead you, beast, you've sent me to hell by that dark alley! »

The boy already terrified did not expect this man, the tramp of the station, to which had torn away the soul with bites; at this vision he falls and notes that all those bodies hanging are looking towards him while he is on the ground, among them his uncles, in particular his aunt Rita so loving towards his grandson, turns to him with a desperate sense of reproach:

«Did you bring the evil in our house, we have fought a life against these damned witches, which in the past had brought infertility, and as soon as we dropped our guard, you have offered us to them ! »

«I swear aunt, I did not do anything, I'm sorry! »

«The apology will not save us, rather than you try to end this slaughter! »

«Why, I do not know what to do! »

«The sacrifice, the sacrifice of the soul cursed could stop everything! »

Now our protagonist seems to understand what to do, climbs on the tree and starts looking for that man, Lucio, rather realizes that orgy of witches are beginning to surround him, seems to relive that awful dream, for his misfortune is going through what must have been the fantasies and maybe a desire of the man who he brought there in the conviction of save his life.

The only way to escape that comes to mind is to continue to climb the tree, the rest, he is a skilled climber, and it works, those damn people seem not to be interested to him, Luca panicked rises higher and higher until the branches do not become really thin, looks down trying those witches, but doing so from that height feels a strong sense of vertigo, then tries to sharpen the view to get back to that wicked woman and her sacrificial beast, but no trace of them, from that place he can see clearly the huge moat, it seems to be lit, on the walls of it there are bodies locked in sexual acts, whose groans seem to reach the ears of the boy, those figures remind him of the designs illustrated by Doré in the Divine Comedy*, but in this case, instead they are alive and increasingly more bloody.

*Illustrations of extraordinary value, made by the artist and lithographer Doré, in the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.

The most shocking thing is to see Lucio, sitting on a kind of throne made of twisted roots, he who would have to be the sacrificial victim for this violent Sabbath, appears now revered as one who was driven from San Michele and buried in what looked like a mythological pit. Somehow during this night the chasm has opened, bringing to light the evil.

«Dear Luca, how do you want to call me, Lucifer or Lucio?»

Replies loudly his traveling companion as if reading his thoughts.

Luca loses the balance, the branch beneath him gives way, and falls while trying to cling to the branches below, while slowing the fall, the impact on the ground is strong to the point that for a moment remains to the ground unconscious. The disfigured face of her aunt in his mind causes him to wake up suddenly and around him sees dozens of women, gets up and instinctively begins to run to escape the damn crowd, feels their presence even while escaping, he hears screams, groans and grimaces. He stops, his escape is stopped when in front of him, there is Giada, the Witch, with whom he believed to have a covenant of life, who looks at him with an amused grin:

«Then Luca , are you willing to sacrifice you? Do not think that gives me joy to definitely take your dirty soul, but you went in search of evil and you did come across our Lord of Light, which he found very interesting your own person, with your sexuality sick, the desire to discover, know and especially sin... he could not help but to convince me to meet you, I was incredulous but as usual he was right, you do not believe that these rites require virgins, here we require sin and you, my dear, represents fully one of today's society!»

Luca terrified seems to have realized the fate that awaits him, remembers the words of her aunt and only now understands that the soul by sacrifice was his own.

Despite this, he would escape, but a strong push behind his back does fall to his knees and in front to him there is Lucio or Never S-wing-e emerged from his bloody pit, which with a gesture invites the witch to join, she is ready, puts under the neck of the young man a big bucket of copper while that demon gives guidelines on how to place the container then slowly pulls out a shiny knife and puts it at the neck of their victim making profusely gushing his blood.

Everything comes to an end, the latest reflection of the poor Luca is about the huge amount of blood that comes out of the neck like a river in flood, his eyes close with the image of that Lucio and its witches who sprinkle the body with his blood, almost like a "magic ointment" that seems to make those evil light as air.

And then that feeling of being dragged by the ankle and tied to the large branches of the Walnut among the myriad of bodies ...

Soon the darkness gives way to the first rays of the sun and those damned souls disappear in the branches, carried by the wind to who knows what other hell.

It's the dawn of the new month, of festivity of All Hallows, the end of the cursed event.

The end