"Stop it, Gaia! Stop doing this! We have already made up our minds. Your cousin Libero will pick you up from the station" Carlo shut down the conversation.

Gaia ran away, visibly disappointed and upset.

"She'll get over it." said Giulia, knowing her daughter's joie de vivre.

Elio went back to his room unnoticed.

Carlo was surprised. However, he was sure that their decision had been the best in years.

Friday came by quickly. Carlo picked up his nephew from the station and was overjoyed at the thought of hugging him again.

Libero was a joyous, easy going and unconventional boy. He was tall and slim, yet he wasn't boney. His face was tanned by the sun, his hands were big and used to working in the family's farm. His green eyes stood out on his skin, and his short brown hair were side parted like a man from the 50's. He hugged his uncle tightly and since then he never stopped talking.

Carlo was staring at him amazed. He perfectly remembered the time Libero had been sick, indifferent and easily ill-tempered. Although Libero was not particularly brilliant, the humble life he was leading made him happy. And Carlo would have wanted Elio to embrace his cousin's positivity. In the meantime, Libero was pushing his nose up against the car window and was asking questions about everything he was seeing along the way.

Everyone at home was waiting for him.

Giulia was nervous whilst she was packing up the last things. The time had come and she was asking herself if things would turn out for the best. After all she was their mother and couldn't help but worry.

Gaia, on the other hand, had already come to terms with the idea. She was chasing her mother around the house with thousands of questions: what could she see? what could she do around the farm?

Elio and she had not been to the farm since they were kids and their grandparents were still alive. They did not have any memory of that place, except for some vague memories: the fields, or the perfume of the trees behind which they would play hide and seek.

After her husband passed away, Aunt Ida struggled to get her life back together. Thus, she decided to move with her kids to her parents abandoned old farm.

As soon as she heard the sound of the keys turning inside the lock, Gaia ran towards her cousin, who lifted her up and spun her around like in a carousel. Gaia smiled as she did not expect such display of affection.

"Hi, Libero. How have you been?" she warmly asked her cousin, whom she had not seen in a very long time.

"Well, honey." replied Libero.

At the same moment, Giulia joined them and Libero greeted her like a gentleman, giving her two quick kisses on both cheeks.

"How was the journey?" thoughtfully asked Giulia.

“Very well, the "steel cow" is very fast and comfortable when you need to travel; and the city is full of interesting things to see. I'm happy to be here!"

"Please, sit down. You must be tired. Would you like some ice-cream?" asked Giulia.

"Yes, thank you, Auntie." Libero accepted gladly. "Where's Elio?"

"Elio is in his room. He'll be here in a minute." replied Carlo. He was mad because his son would not even bother to come and greet his cousin, who had travelled a long way just to pick him up. As he started walking towards Elio's room,

Libero began to speak:"Don't worry, uncle Carlo. I'll go. I want to surprise him. Just tell me which one is his room."

As soon as Carlo pointed out Elio's room, Libero threw himself towards the door. Libero’s cry of happiness could be heard from the corridor whilst he was greeting his cousin.

Not even Elio, despite his usual coldness, could avoid Libero's spinning hug.

Gaia looked at her mother and whispered:

"I did not remember that he was that gullible!"

"Don't say that." promptly scolded her Giulia. "He's a good boy. And he's very kind too."

"Yeah, but... Are you sure he'll drive us safely to the farm." Gaia uncertainly asked.

"Of course, that he will!" Carlo reassured her. "Do not underestimate him. He and his mother keep the farm going. He's strong and smart."

Dinner time came by and was spent cheerfully. In fact, Libero had brought with him all the festivity and liveliness of the countryside, which was very much appreciated by everyone but Elio.

"I'm really looking forward to showing you around." finished up Libero after he had described the farm to his cousin.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for a couple of days before you leave again?" asked Giulia.

"I can't leave mum on her own this time of the year. There's a lot to take care of."

"You are right, Libero. You really are a good boy." Carlo praised him, gently patting him on the shoulder.

"You know, uncle Carlo, I was asking myself something. Before coming here to the city, I thought you were supposed to honk the horn only in an emergency..."

"Yeah, that's right." replied Carlo. "Why?"

"Because it seems like everyone uses it as if they were playing music at a party! They never stop honking!"

Everyone burst out laughing, except for Elio, who was wondering whether Libero was joking or not...

Third Chapter

He realized that the boy was in terror, and burst into laughter

The following morning Libero got Giulia out of her bed, after he had tripped over the corridor's carpet. So, Giulia and he found themselves having breakfast before everyone else had even opened their eyes. When the smell of fresh coffee had invaded Carlo's bedroom, he also made his way to the kitchen and started explaining what had been wrong with Elio lately.

"Do not worry." Libero assured them. "This out-door experience will help him. And mum already has a strategy!"

Once they had reached the train station, Giulia could not stop giving recommendations and making sure that the kids would behave.

Gaia could not wait; she was excited and curious. On the other hand, it was clear that Elio was only being dragged into this. On top of that, he was also carrying along Gaia's heavy luggage only because Libero made him : "Ladies should not carry weights!" he said, which caused Elio to roll his eyes. He could not bear his cousin already.

Libero was wearing a pair of jeans, t-shirt and a civil protection yellow ocher baseball cap, which seemed completely out of place to his cousins. Moreover, he was carrying the remaining luggage with such easiness that they might as well have been empty.

The train departed perfectly on time. There was no one else in the car they had been allocated to. After Libero had arranged all baggage onto the overhead compartment, he suggested:

"Gaia, come with me. Let's go to the restaurant car and let's get some more breakfast. It's going to be a long journey and you'll need all your strength. Elio can watch the luggage. No one will even come close to them. If someone does, bark!" said Libero to his cousin. "And if you stop pulling such a long face, we might even bring you something to eat..."

Gaia and Libero exited the car, which turned out to be a great comfort for Elio who wanted to be alone.

He was staring at the repetitive landscapes outside his window. They had just travelled past the industrial area of the city and they had begun to be surrounded by fields and hills that were alternating again and again.

All of a sudden, on the window pane he noticed the reflection of an old man sitting in the aisle seat next to his.

When did he get into the car? He did not hear the doors open.

The old man was dressed in black and was wearing some odd glasses on his nose. He was reading a black leather book that looked about a century old, whose pages were made out of tissue paper. On his head he had a wide-brimmed hat that was covering up his face. The whole scene was rather unsettling.

Elio did not turn around, yet was keeping an eye on him through the reflection on the window pane. He felt frightened of being on his own with that man. At that moment he surely did want his big and strong cousin to be by his side. However, neither he nor Gaia were approaching.

In the meantime, the old man was still reading his book. Every once in a while, he would look at an old watch that he was keeping inside the breast pocket of his waistcoat, elegantly worn underneath his old-fashioned suit.

This would annoy Elio even more, who kept wondering what or whom that man was waiting for. It certainly must have been something of extraordinary importance given that he was constantly looking at his watch.

Suddenly, after checking the time once more, the old man closed his book and bowed down to get something inside a black bag that he was keeping between his legs. As he was bowing down, his trousers slightly went up and revealed his black ankles and some odd black thin socks that looked like black fur.

Elio was not able to contain his apprehension and started shaking. As he was going through his own bag, the old man burst out laughing as if he had perceived Elio's terror. It was a long, deep and gloomy laughter that resounded into his ears. Elio coved up his ears with his hands to try and stop hearing that noise. He closed his eyes to avoid looking at the man's reflection on the window pane and started praying to himself: "Libero, come back. Libero, come back."

Then, the automatic door of the car was abruptly opened.

"Elio, what are you doing? Did you catch an ear infection in the city? Do not infect us countrymen with these urban viruses!"

Elio startled. Then, after he had recognized Libero's playful voice, turned around and saw his cousin laugh; he was holding a shopping bag and a soft drink in his hands. Gaia was standing right behind him and was biting into a huge croissant.

There was no trace of the old man. He disappeared just like he had previously appeared. Everything belonging to him was gone: his book, his watch and his bag.

Libero sat down next to Elio and after having passed him a croissant, he noticed that he was shaking.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

"I think it's just some motion sickness." lied Elio.

Gaia understood that her brother was having one of his crises and promised herself she would address the problem to Libero.

The rest of the trip was quiet. Libero described the harvest festival that was going to take place soon and was going to involve all neighbouring villages. It was going to be held outdoors and the evening was going to be livened up by traditional dances like the taranta, and more modern ones.

Elio was looking at his sister and cousin, and asked himself how those two had managed to get along so quickly. Despite that, he was glad to be travelling with them. All those events were worrying him. Was he being victim of some sort of plot against his persona, or was he going insane?

Libero got nervous as it was time to get off the train. He saw from the window Mrs Gina's house, which was taken as a reference point. As soon the train stopped, he took the bags. Then, after Gaia had opened the door, he nervously rushed out of the train like those who are not used to travelling very often.

The locals would consider that a station, but actually it was nothing but a stop in the middle of nowhere. The only comforts were given by a pierced platform roof and a broken ticket machine that would transmit a pre-recorded message saying "Be careful, this station is not under surveillance. Beware of pickpockets".

Libero took a deep breath and said:

"Finally, fresh air. Welcome to Campoverde."

"I can already smell the fields." noticed Gaia. "Can you, Elio?"

Elio could not feel any difference compared to the city, and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Elio, take Gaia's luggage. I will carry the other ones." ordered Libero.

Gaia unexpectedly enjoyed Libero's gentlemanly behaviour, which usually would have annoyed her. But Libero was so genuine that she was amused by it and played along with him. Maybe she had been too hasty in judging him as a fool...

Gaia and Libero walked right in front of the speaking ticket machine, which was repeating the same sentences all over again, and then they headed towards the underpass smiling.

Elio had to grab Gaia's big luggage by its handle in order to climb down and up the stairs of the underpass. He was completely worn out.

On the last few steps he made the last efforts hoping that aunt Ida would be waiting in the parking lot to drive them home.

But when he got into the parking lot, he noticed that no one was waiting for them. Libero, with Gaia by his side, headed west along a narrow road that was poorly paved. Two canals were flowing alongside the road and were separating it from the corn fields on one side and wheat fields on the other.

Elio, who was desperately trying to catch his breath, yelled at them stop for a second. His sister turned around confused. She could not remember the last time her brother had spoken with such a tone, let alone had yelled in that way.

"Where's Aunt Ida's car?" asked Elio.

"Oh, sorry I forgot to tell you. She called me saying that she could not come. Camilla, our cow, is in labour and mum cannot leave her alone at the moment."

"Camilla? In labour? What are we going to do?" asked Elio panting.

"Don't worry. It's only four miles and then we'll be at the farm." Libero soothingly replied.

"Four miles?" were Elio's last words.

"Come on! Your sister's luggage is a carry-on!" Libero teased him, and then he got back to walking.

In the distance the first couple of houses can be seen.

"Here it is! The house behind the cherry tree is ours. It's the farm."

Libero pointed at a venetian red farm with green blinds. A luxuriant and well looked after garden stretched from the front door to the clotheslines that was marking the beginning of the stable. Only fields beyond it.

"Mum, we're here!" yelled Libero, dropping off the baggage on the driveway and running towards the stable.

Aunt Ida came out of the frontdoor.

"My niece and nephew!" she screamed out of joy.

Gaia threw her arms around her neck. Elio, who was exhausted, moved close to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. just to be polite.

Ida was in her 50's, but her natural beauty had not faded yet. She was a thin, average-heighted woman... Her body was well proportioned even though, her arms and legs were more muscly and stronger that a runner's. The hard life of the farm was her daily work out. She had her blonde hair in a ponytail, and her fair skin would make her beautiful green eyes stand out, just like her nephew's.

Meanwhile, Libero was coming back from the stable, all smiling.

"Camilla had a female baby cow! More milk for us!"

Aunt Ida invited them indoors. The table was set and the smell of a delicious lunch was floating in the air. The kids were hungry and ate everything. Gaia could not stop telling her aunt her emotions that she had felt throughout the journey.

After lunch, Gaia helped Ida cleaning up. Libero, on the other hand, dragged Elio around the farm asking him, or rather ordering to help him out.

In the evening, aunt Ida explained that the attic was going to be their summer bedroom. However, for now they were going to sleep on the sofa bed in the living room up until the attic was going to be ready.

Gaia rushed upstairs and followed her aunt to see the attic. Elio, on the other hand, was shocked by the additional bad news.

They walked up to the first floor, where Ida and Libero would be sleeping. On the same floor, there was also Ercole's bedroom, the youngest cousin who was off to summer camp. Ida pointed at the wooden ladder that was leading up to the attic. She was not going to climb up there as she was already tired of going up and down the stairs. In fact, she had already been during the day in order to air the room.

In the meantime, aunt Ida went into her bedroom and secretly called up Giulia, her sister-in-law, to update her.

The phone did not even ring twice. Giulia picked up straight away.

"Hello dear, how is it going?" asked Ida.

"Everything is going well, thanks. But tell me. How did he go?"

"He managed to walk here from the station without passing out. He thought I was going to drive them home. Libero lied and told him that our cow, Camilla, was in labour." Ida was laughing.

"I would have liked to see him sweat!"

"After we had lunch..." Ida began to say, but Giulia interrupted her.

"Did he eat anything?"

"Yes, he ate both the first and the second course."

"Wow! At home he doesn't even have a bite of a sandwich."

"It's hard though." said Ida. "But I'm sure he will get better."

In the background she could hear Carlo ask questions and laugh.

"TV and video games are gone. In extremis, extremity."

Elio, was lying on the bed. He could not move his body. It had been years since he moved that much.

At school he would always make up excuses to skip gym class.

"Elio call your sister here. I need some help with dinner."

Elio could not believe what he had just heard. She could not be for real.

But Aunt Ida spoke with such a tone that would not allow any negative answer.

"Elio, did you hear what I say?"

"Okay." he replied and proceeded towards the stairs all grim faced.

He stopped right beneath the wooden ladder and began yelling her name.

Despite her brother's yells, Gaia was not answering.

Then Elio, even more upset, decided to climb up the stairs. In the semi-dark room of the attic he was feeling anxious. Step after step, the journey to the attic seemed never-ending. As soon as he arrived with his head underneath the hatch, he began yelling his sister's name. But again, no one replied. He forced himself to walk the last steps. And then something from above grabbed his arm.

Elio stayed still, with his eyes shut and the terrorised look on his face.

"Got ya!" yelled Gaia, who had noticed that Elio was in awe.

"Get away from me. You scared me. You should've answered."

Gaia did not take the bait as she was intrigued by what she had found, and said:

"This attic is packed with odd things. Come over here. Look at this..."

Elio finished walking up the stairs and followed his sister, who was browsing through old pictures.

"This is so funny." she said, passing the pictures to Elio.

"What is funny?" asked Elio.

"What?" asked Gaia. "Do you not recognise him?"

"Who?!" asked again Elio.

"It's dad!" exclaimed Gaia.

"Dad? You're right. I didn't recognise him dressed up like this. He looks a little bit like Libero. They're basically wearing the same clothes!"

Finally, after a very long time, he smiled. Gaia, in the meantime, kept looking at the other pictures.

"Have you seen this one? I think it's a very young Libero. He seems so serious and sullen that it doesn't even look like him."

The picture portrayed a pale and frail child with a blank stare in his eyes.

"He looks so alienated" commented Gaia.

In the picture, he was standing in the garden and was holding in his hands his toy cars. The photograph had been taken at dusk with the sun setting behind him. Libero was alone in the picture, however there was a second shadow running along his.

Elio spotted it and worriedly said:

"Can you see this shadow?"

"Which one?"

Elio began feeling nervous.

"This one here. Do you not see it? This shadow does not correspond to anything" he said, pointing his finger at the picture.

"This? It's the shadow of the tree."

Gaia was not really convinced either, but she tried to reassure her brother.

Elio did not want his sister to think he had gone crazy, and decided to switch topic of discussion.

"We have to go downstairs. Aunt Ida made me come here and call you. She needs your help."

"Are you staying in here?" asked Gaia as she was jumping towards the stairs.

Elio thought that there was not a chance that he was going to stay there on this own.

"No, I'm coming with you" he replied.

Gaia found her aunt busy making dinner and began helping her out.

Elio was about to lay down on the couch when he heard Ida's voice.

"What are you doing? Come and help us. It's not time to rest. Set the table, please.

"Where's Libero?" asked Gaia.

"Surely he's closing up the stables." replied Ida. "Elio, if you are finished, could you go and call him over here?"

"I'll go." offered Gaia smiling.

"No, I need you here. Let your brother go."

"Yes." Elio tiredly replied, who was unusually hungry.

He stepped out of the front door and looked around for his cousin, who was sitting on the tractor in the field and watching the sky.

Elio walked towards him and had the impression that everyone in the family had gone deaf: he called him several times, but Libero did not answer.

"I really hope it's contagious. At least I'll be able to lay down and I won't need to listen to anyone's orders. " meditated Elio.

He had to walk right under the tractor to have an answer.

"Why are you yelling?" asked Libero.

"You should come inside. Dinner's ready" replied Elio.

"Come on up." said Libero, as if he did not hear any of the words Elio was saying.

"Up there?"

"Yeah, up here. I'll show you something."

Elio climbed up the tractor and sat down next to him.

"Look how beautiful it is." exclaimed Libero, pointing at the sky. "A few years ago I could not see it."

"What?" asked Elio as he tried to spot what he was referring to.

"The sky." repeated Libero.

"The sky?"

"Yeah, the sky. It's a beautiful thing. But most of the times in our lives we don't raise our heads up. And I don't mean just to check the weather, but to contemplate it, in silence, in the same way we contemplate the sea. It's just that it is easier to admire the latter; that's why it's appreciated more often. Have you ever stopped and admired the sky?"

"No."

"You should. It lifts you up and makes you look at things in the right perspective."

Elio, amazed at his cousin's profundity, stayed in silence with him and looked at the sky for a while.

From blinding white to smokey grey, the clouds were floating between two strips of sky. The strip beneath them was lead grey, the strip above them was deep blue, illuminated by the last glares of the sun that was setting. The edge of the clouds looked golden, as if they were brightened by light of another world, as if they were there to illuminate a past life. The white ones were thick like firm peaks, the grey ones were squiggled like a child's scribble.

Amongst all of them, one can be easily distinguished. It was unicorn shaped and was standing against the white background as if the grey animal were running in the white celestial meadows. Just like a fresco painted by Tiepolo1, that natural infinite roof was stretched over what is visible, over the mystery of the existence of our souls: so small, yet eternal.

All of a sudden, Libero jumped down.

"I'm starving now" he said, laughing out loud.

"Aren't you, Elio?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, let's go and eat. Maybe another time I’ll drive you around on the tractor."

He said, heading towards his house.

Elio did not waste any time and began following him. He was starving too.

1 Tiepolo was a famous Venetian painter in the 18th century.

Fourth Chapter

A voice was whispering into his ears words in an unknown language.

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