Secrets In The Attic

By Pina Varriale

Book description: Teo and Titti are twins, they are ten and a bit, and they are living with their grandmother while they wait for their parents to return from a photographic safari. However, in the attic also lives Tano the Monaciello, who immediately becomes Teo's friend.
But how will the boy keep this secret friendship hidden?
Titti can read his mind! It's a big mess, and as if that weren't enough, Nerea shows up at the door asking for help to be transformed back into a mermaid.
Mission impossible?
We'll find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Babelcube Inc.
• Release date: Dec 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781071506356

Book preview

Things

RESERVED LITERARY PROPERTY

Before it all began...

Teo needed to take a shower and he couldn't afford to be too careful. He didn't mind if the bath towel was just a rag full of holes: he had to hurry before his grandmother Rosi realised that he was as dirty as a chimney sweep. It was fun messing about in the dirt, but Gran didn’t understand. After all, she was just a poor little old woman forced to look after two pests. He and Titti, to be exact.

Titti was Teo's twin, so they were the same age, ten and a bit. They had always shared lots of things, he and his sister: colds, measles, the same teachers, and... Gran. It was Gran who looked after the twins when Mum and Dad went to Africa to photograph the animals. Of course, sooner or later their parents would return to receive an award or to take part in some television programme. Every now and then they wrote postcards.

Be good. Kisses, Mum and Dad.

They were all the same. Only the pictures and the postage stamps changed. By now Teo had a collection.

He sighed. The cuckoo clock said that there was still a quarter of an hour before Gran would return. The good old woman had gone to church, and afterwards she would stop at the greengrocer's to buy vegetables. Rats, they'd be eating soup that evening again.

Titti hated the soup as much as he did, but she didn't say anything. She gulped it down with an indifferent air. Teo, on the other hand, blew into the dish, slurping the broth from the spoon. Then Gran raised one eyebrow then the other, and stared at him to make him feel ashamed. Titti hid a smile behind her napkin and kicked him under the table.

Idiot, why did you do that? he thought.

Titti's response came without fail.

Because you’re being rude.

It was a nuisance how they could exchange thoughts. Teo couldn’t afford the luxury of keeping a secret. As hard as he would try to hide it in the deepest depths of his mind, Titti always discovered it.

Grandad’s wardrobe groaned again: the woodworm were back at work. They’d only stopped when he opened the doors, surprised and a little bit worried by the intrusion. Teo took a brown towel, rolled it up and put it under his arm. Then he went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He put the towel on the chest of drawers, but it slid to the floor, and without paying attention, he stepped on it.

Hey!, said Tano, the elf.

But Teo didn’t hear him. He certainly wouldn’t have believed that that was not just a simple bath towel. The water splashed cheerfully while Teo whistled, soaping himself up energetically.

What happened to my towel? he said, suddenly, opening the shower curtain. Puffing and panting, he gathered the towel from the floor and began to dry himself off. Up, down, to the right, underneath the armpits, even between his toes, he tugged poor Tano in every direction.

That’s enough! I’ve had it! huffed the elf, slipping through Teo’s fingers like a snake.

The towel hadn’t even touched the floor before Tano had reassumed his normal appearance: a little boy dressed in a tunic two sizes too large.

What a rude boy! he exclaimed, adjusting the hood on his head. What do you think I am? I’m not a rag, I’m not.

Teo’s eyes opened wide.

Gosh! So you really do exist...and I always thought that it was just a legend.

Teo gazed at Tano as if he were a rare curiosity.

Well? grumbled the elf, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why are you making that face? Haven’t you ever seen a Monaciello before?"

To tell the truth, no...

Oh, I understand.

Teo smiled. In reality, Gran had told him about how the houses in Naples (only the oldest ones!) were inhabited by strange creatures. People call them monacielli (little monks) because of their monk’s habit. They have a tunic (too long) and a hood (too loose) that constantly falls down over their eyes. They are about three feet tall and have a terrible personality.

They are moody and mischievous, but if they like you they will even bring you presents. To tell the truth, they are not exactly presents. Usually, they consist of useless stuff: corks, rusty keychains, marbles. Whatever! The important thing is knowing that they like you. Woe to those whom they don’t like, though! In that case, the elf will wake you up in the middle of the night with strange noises, rob your shoes, or hide your stuff. And he’s only happy when he turns you out of your house.

Stop looking at me like that, grumbled Tano. I’m not a rare beast. Besides, what do you know, it’s not as if you’re better than I am. With that tuft of red hair that falls over your eyes and that freckly nose of yours ...mmmhh... Actually, if you think about it, of the two of us you’re the strange one. Believe me, I’m an expert in these things. You’re strange, mate, you’re really strange. And don’t tell me that nobody’s ever said it to you before!

The boy quickly shut his mouth and his eyes opened even wider, round and brown like two chestnuts.

Tano sat down on the laundry hamper and reflected, scratching his chin. He had been waiting years for something to shake up his life, and perhaps this was his opportunity.

I like you, after all...mmmh... I could be your secret friend. You know, I’m a bit tired of being on my own. Always doing the same things. Imagine, I can’t even come up with a good practical joke anymore. What do you say we become best friends? It’s a great idea!

Tano was getting excited. He already could see the two of them sneaking into the houses in the neighbourhood getting into mischief.

There’s just one thing that you really need to know, said the elf. Swear that you won’t tell a living soul about me. I’m capable of getting angry, understand? And when I am furious I become veeeery disagreeable.

Teo became pale and began to stutter incomprehensibly. Ti- ti- ti- ti...

How stupid! Tano said to himself. I overdid it, as usual. After all, was there any need to scare the poor fellow? To remedy this, he put on his best smile.

I don’t want to make you feel bad, he explained. I really would like us to become friends.   Suddenly Teo’s face changed from a greyish colour to tomato red.

I- I’d like that a lot, but I c-can’t he replied. How could I, with Ti.. with Ti.. with Nosey Titti?

Chapter I: The Scent of the Sea

Twelve euro and twenty-five.

Nerea had counted the money at least a dozen times. There was no mistake. There were really just twelve euro and twenty-five cents. An embarrassment! The poor woman had worked all day in the kiosk and these were the earnings: a little bit of measly change.

Nerea sold big glasses of ice water and freshly-squeezed fruit juice to passers-by. Fifty cents a glass. A trifle considering the prices of other goods. A Coca-Cola from the supermarket cost a lot more. Still, people preferred those flipping bubbles to her more wholesome refreshments.

Nerea huffed and blew away a long lock of greasy black hair that had fallen in her face. She dried her eyes with her grimy apron.

What am I supposed to do with this change? she grumbled. "I won’t be able to pay the rent again this month and that witch of a landlady will throw me out on the street. Mamma mia...I don’t even want to think about it. I’ll end up on the street along with those rough alley cats who can’t wait to feast on my poor fin."

Forlorn, she settled herself onto the chair, which creaked ominously. Nerea was too distressed to remember that she was no longer a slim and graceful mermaid. Time, rather the centuries, had transformed her into a great big fat lady with a double chin and bags under her eyes.

She looked bleakly at her purple, swollen legs.

During the summer, Nerea sold refreshments. During the winter she roamed the city as a chestnut seller. As hard as she worked, however, she barely managed to make ends meet. Lately though, things had become even worse. Nobody liked the chestnuts and the fruit juice went off in the glass jugs. Nerea sniffed. A big tear rolled down her cheek and stopped between the folds of her chin.

I want to go back home!

The memory of Megaride, the flowering island, filled her heart with rage and pain. It was Arvo the Sorcerer who had transformed the sea people into