Crime Fictions

By Salvatore Di Sante and Arianna Raimondi

Four stories that will bring the reader into mysteries, intrigues, assassinations and action; alongside virtuous, bizarre and bad characters from this and other worlds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Babelcube Inc.
• Release date: Aug 8, 2017
• ISBN: 9781507185667

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Case

Crime Fictions

The lighthouse

Mario was sitting at the edge of the cliff overlooking thoughtfully. Over there the sea was a dark magma mumbling and restless. He remembered the first time he had sat down at that point, many years ago.

And to think that once suffered from vertigo ... Now the height made him no more effects.

When he needed to reflect or when something bothered him, as in that case, he used to go right there, on the highest point, sit and meditate, contemplating the sky and the sea that day after day had ended up to excite him, blending with the thoughts, even with his way of being.

Staring ahead of him in a while he patiently stroked his white beard. The full moon emerged at times from the thick blanket of grey clouds. The intermittent glow made him think of his lighthouse and he smiled. He turned briefly to look at him: the lighthouse stood out very white, almost unreal in that world of darkness; then she looked at her cat Leo, sitting there beside him company. You did not sleep either? Ok, that you cats are nocturnal animals, sleeping all day! It 'true that the moon tonight ago as our beacon? See ... now ... now there is not. .. , he said stroking under the chin and smiling. Leo responded by intensifying melted and narrowing blessed his yellow eyes. What shall we do next? Where shall we go, eh Leo? He continued suddenly sadly, suddenly changing expression, as if addressing the question to the sky or the sea.

Yes, because that was a too difficult question for Leo, his faithful companion for the past many years and Mario did not want to make him weigh his sadness and concern. Leo stopped purring, and as his master began to peer into the darkness ahead of him, as if he perfectly understood the question and all he wanted to said. Even Mario understood We still continue to be together, right? Yeah, I know you will not leave me ... she said calmly stroking him on the head.

Meanwhile, the wind had picked up a rather cold and the sky was getting darker. Leo shook himself and ran several times an ear with his paw. Perhaps it would come to rain. It was the right answer to his question, he thought Mario: could not expect anything good. Horizon in the distance gleamed the flashes of lightning: a storm was approaching. Well, sure enough, she said Mario always thinking about her question. Leo had stretched, and ambled had taken the way of the lighthouse. With the impending bad weather, he preferred to curl up on the bed and wait to fall asleep lulled by the lapping of the crashing waves and the relentless pounding of the rain, with the awareness of being safe, protected by his master and the four walls of the lighthouse , regardless of lightning and the rumble of thunder.

Mario lingered; that evening just could not get to sleep: he knew that soon would come the new guardian to replace it, or rather to take the service, given that he was already officially retired. That lighthouse and the mansion were now his only reason of living, and when the time had come would be like losing a piece of its own. That was now the happy island, a charming portion of the world where cherish the happy memories of the carefree and distant youth and tragic ones that followed. There had been able to carve its own dimension of serenity.

He had learned day after day to make private those long silences of that realm of which he was sole king and subject, except for his brave feline squire Leo. He liked that life and he did not mind the solitude: besides work had its readings, which devoted at least two or three hours every day and Leo company, which still had to take care. It was up to him, Mario would have gladly continued that way forever. He felt his forehead a drop of rain and tilted his head back, looking up.

The Big Dipper was almost all covered, they could be glimpsed just the last three stars of the tail. Mario remembered when Alice went to find him and wanted him to show her the constellations and telling all the fabulous stories that lurked behind the sky: the loves, wars and adventures of the many heroes, gods and demigods. He closed his eyes and stood for a while, to enjoy that memory, that image, as the rain became more insistent. Maybe it was time to follow the example of Leo; and so with tears in his eyes and a slight smile, Mario back into the lighthouse.

The faint light filtering through the chinks of the shutters was enough to make it emerge from his personal sleep. The torpor of a quiet night was ousted in small steps by a new day that began, like so many others before. Mario lazily opened one eye, to take the first contact with the morning and with the world, while the rest of the body was telling him no please, five more minutes. A piece of the roof with its tangle of thick dark wooden beams took shape slowly. He stretched slowly, being careful to stay as well covered, opened both eyes and realized he had woken up. Ok, five