Chapter 3 [Pact]

•Palermo, Italy•

"Santo!! Please walk a bit faster!" Antonio turned around to bark at me.

We were slowly approaching the 'Scola La Pasta' restaurant where Antonio's cousin, Guillermo was presently working.

I grumbled in my heart because it was barely 7:30 am, and we had been walking for ten minutes already.

PS. That does not make me lazy alright? Just the same way you wake up lazy on some mornings, this is one such morning for me.

"Hey! Antonio! I am walking as fast as my legs can carry me alright!"

"Well put in a little more speed, or we won't make it in time for our job interview at the 'La Cozza Infuriata' restaurant. You know how much work Guillermo put in to secure us this slot and..."

"Relax man. Eish! We would make it there before 8:15 am." I assured him but a bit distrustful of my words.

"Not in that snail-like walking pattern, we won't!"

I mumbled some swear words under my breath.

"What did you just say?" His harsh tone interfered with my thoughts.

"Nothing— just nothing!"

He did not seem convinced because he stood gazing at me somewhat puzzled for longer than a minute before looking away.

"Well, that is up to him!" I concluded in my heart.

But I knew he was right, and I really had to quicken my stride.

**

He pushed open the door of the 'Scola La Pasta' restaurant and I pranced in, some few seconds behind him.

The atmosphere was seemingly friendly with people eating cheerily and having small talks over breakfast.

"Why? My brothers! Santo! How do you feel about your fourth morning here in Palermo?" Guillermo's voice was a bit growl but still had a sting of cordiality to it.

"I feel optimistic alright!" I began my response, "The day is bright and promising. Who knows? The 'Big Guy' above might decide to smile on us today..."

Antonio barged in on my speech by stroking me on my shoulder as he spoke, "Now! This is the vibe I expect to get from you ALWAYS. Haha!"

I shrugged from off him causing him to laugh boyishly.

Guillermo ignored our puerile tactics and proceeded to handing us each a menu, "Here are two menus! You both should pick whatever! Don't worry! It's on the house."

I made an eye contact with Antonio signalling that we shouldn't go overboard with our orders. He understood fast.

I spoke first, "I will have a cup of caffé latte with fette biscottate."

"I will have the same but with espresso instead." After speaking, Antonio took my menu in his before letting Guillermo have both.

"Alright then! You should be served in let's say", He took a peep at his wrist-watch, "Five minutes! Is that alright?"

Antonio and I nodded simultaneously.

Guillermo called out a name I think Rosetta, a junior staff I soon became aware of.

She stood beside him as he spoke, "Please get these ready for my brothers. They are in a hurry to head somewhere."

I watched her drag her feet lazily as she took the menu from him.

"As long as my belly is satisfied, who cares about her grouchy attitude? Pfff!" I bluffed in my mind.

**

"OOo! Antonio why would you insist we took this lonely route home anyway?"

"Because it would get us home faster you moron!"

"Alright! Alright!"

As we got closer to a deserted block, we heard three gunshots that spiked our adrenaline pumps.

"Bloody mafias!!" I cursed in my mind.

"Quickly let's duck by the corner!" I whispered to Antonio who was trembling from fear.

**

Antonio's eyes were firmly shut with both hands positioned to cover his head. I didn't blame him because in truth, he deserved to be frightened from reliving the trauma of witnessing his father get gunned down before his face at just age six.

Not a bright memory for a young Italian boy.

I dared to be bold. So I crawled out of my hideout to have a peep.

I saw four masculine figures, with three of them scurrying into a van before speeding off while the fourth body lay lifeless on the floor.

No! There was another man standing in front of the lifeless body.

But how brave of him!!

No! Wait! How come both men look familiar like one and the same person? And is that? No way!! Gustavo Rodríguez?

"Santo! Let's get out of here!" Antonio kicked my legs with his to get my attention.

"Wait! I think I see something."

"I don't fucking care what you see!"

At that instant, Gustavo's ghost or whatever walked to where we were hiding or did he just teleport?

"Hi Santo. I presume that you can see me. That is because..."

He cut short his speech. Glad he did because I was in no way interested either.

I now see dead people too? Just how fucked up is my mind really?

But that is not all. Seeing him closely, made me realize that I was staring at my own reflection. But how come I didn't know about our semblance up until that very moment?

"This is some freaky maniac show!" I concluded in my head.

"You don't have to be scared Santo! I was murdered unjustly. I need you to help me with something but before that nudge your friend to assist you in taking my body to a safe place that I will show you."

My impulses beclouded my reasoning and I charged at him, "You are dead!! Why should I trust anything you have to say to me!?! Huh!?! Besides, I am not scared of you. I just don't understand what the fuck you have to do with me."

My thoughts were more like birds rattling around in a cage.

He even knew me by name!?! How scary could that get!?! What the bloody hell was going on!?!

He snubbed my rants and went on with what he intended to say, "I will make you a pact you cannot refuse! That is what is most important to you, for now!"

Antonio stood gazing at me with lips apart and teeth unclenched, the entire time I was in a conversation with late Gustavo's ghost who could only be seen by me.

**

Let's get back to present day for a bit. Shall we?

-------------------------------

"Honey! You've been keeping me waiting in the bathroom!" Belinda shrieked from the bathroom; the echoes doing justice to her melodious voice.

"Pardon me Señora. I would join you some other time. You go ahead!"

This whole time of me being awake, Gustavo's ghost is also present, somewhere around the corner.

Even though, I don't want to hurt the emotions of the dead by getting intimate with his wife, I still have my sanity galling at me to remember that it's just day seventeenth of living as Gustavo Rodríguez.

In that light, I don't think that I am prepared to get intimate with his wife —my wife just yet!