The farmyard was quiet once again. If it hadn’t been for the many pale stripes of flattened grass from tires crisscrossing across the lawn and through the meadow then there would have been no sign that the scheming, threatening men had ever been there. The lush fields and the sun-dappled woods belonged to the animals and the wind once again but off in the distance, grey clouds were starting to form and hang heavily in the sky.

  “It’s gonna rain buckets soon, you’d best decide if you’re stayin’ or leavin’ rather than gettin’ drenched on the road.”

  Andi looked up at Simon from the kitchen table and waved his words away while making a shushing sound. “They’re not going anywhere yet. There’s nothing we can’t talk about over dinner and stop trying to keep me in the dark. I know the danger these kids are in and the risks for us all.”

  She turned and looked at Paul. “There’s nothing else we can do now and I trust that if your plans got us this far then they’ll see us through to the other side. We heard everything on Randy’s phone, even if he did fumble it down the front of his shirt.”

  “Hah, did you hear his stomach rumbling? He only had two whole hotdogs for lunch so I’m sure he was making a lot of noise down there.” Alanah was smirking at Paul as she poked fun at Randy. No matter what she said in front of Paul, she just couldn’t get under his skin. She really liked that about him, he was never upset, never worried and always in control.

  Being around Paul had kept her sane these last few weeks and had allowed her to channel her fear and anger in some shocking acts of violence and destruction. She could not have ever imagined living like this a few months ago but she found that it was starting to feel almost normal to her lately.

  The more time she spent with him, the more Alanah was absolutely sure that Paul could handle anything. When she was around him, she felt safe and protected. It was a good feeling and she was quickly getting accustomed to it, she wasn’t sure how much longer this might last but she hoped somehow it would.

  “Well, you still heard it all though didn’t ya?” Randy absentmindedly adjusted his shirt and tucked it in behind his waistband. “I can see right away that this Fausto guy is a real snake, don’t let him get comfortable as he’s liable to sink his teeth in ya and never let go.”

  “I know him well Randy, he’s been a figurehead in the neighbourhood for years and I know how dangerous he is. I plan to keep them all on the back foot. Lemme tell you how. If we’re all in agreement then we call the old woman’s daughter and get this set up for tomorrow. The more time we give Fausto to work with, the worse off we’re gonna be.”

  Paul leaned in over the table and looked at Alanah and then Andi, Randy and Simon. “This is what we are going to need to do.”

  A few hours later after saying their goodbyes, Alanah and Amos walked out towards Paul’s Jeep that one of the local boys had run over from the neighboring farm. Paul had lingered behind in the kitchen trying to provide a bit more assurance to Simon and Andi and he motioned to Randy to follow him on his way out.

  Once they were a good distance from the farmhouse door Paul stopped, turned and leaned into Randy and touched him gently on the centre of his chest. “Listen Randy, I didn’t want to discuss this in front of everyone but I’m gonna’ tell you now.”

  Paul glanced up to make sure no one had followed them out the door and then continued. “I’m going to kill Fausto. The first chance I get. It has to be done or no one is ever gonna’ be safe.”

  Randy stared at Paul for a long moment until he continued.

  “Even if the old woman lifts the curse, he will take his time and he will pick his moment and he won’t stop until he hurts us all.”

  Randy continued to stare at Paul for a moment before answering. “I think you’re right, he seems like a cancer that will jus’ keep comin’ back again and again otherwise so best to cut it out altogether then”.

  The two men talked for a few more minutes in hushed tones and then Paul turned to join the kids in the Jeep. Alanah had gotten inside but Amos was standing behind the Jeep staring directly at Paul.

  His dead eyes were hidden behind his oversized shades but Paul felt the intensity of the stare all the same. He walked back to the Jeep and eased into it after gesturing to Amos to do the same. At this moment he felt old and weary beyond his years and the dull ache of grief that he carried with him flared up with an intensity he had not felt in a very long time.

  The Black Denali was finally released from its escort of mud splattered farm trucks by the time they got to the highway. Fausto had insisted that they drive straight to the church to find Nonna Conti. If an old man like him could survive on only cigarettes and dark thoughts all day then his two younger companions could manage just fine for a while longer as well.

  Fausto also didn’t care if they were comfortable or not. He had been given an opportunity and he was going to take it. He just needed to figure out how he was going to use Alessia and Anthony to make the most of this chance but first he needed to talk to the old woman. Everyone and everything else would wait.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  The old caretaker felt his stomach turn at the sight of Fausto at the side door with a hulking accomplice and someone he felt sure was that awful woman’s daughter. He knew better than to refuse opening the door or checking with Father Alfredo first.

  God might be all powerful and all knowing in his kingdom but here in North Boston Fausto was a power almost without any equal.

  Giovanni opened the door to the church and stood aside as Fausto and his companions swept past him and into the church. They all looked exhausted and sweat-stained and Fausto himself looked to be seething with a barely controlled rage.

  While locking the door once again Giovanni conjured up a task for himself to complete at the opposite end of the church and moved off to take his time doing so until they left the church.

  Nonna Conti was sitting on a church pew, her head bowed and her gnarled and spotted hands held together loosely on her lap. Her eyes remained closed as her daughter, Anthony and Fausto approached from the altar at the front of the church.

  Father Alfredo stood up from his seat next to her and turned slightly to face Fausto with his hand lying on her shoulder the way one might absentmindedly guard a possession they intended to keep.

  Fausto noted both of these things with great interest. In all of his previous dealings with this woman, her eyes were always bright, fully alert and always searching, looking for weakness or fear. He recognized this trait easily as he was quite used to doing this himself.

  Now her eyes had been closed and they still remained closed, was she really now this submissive or was this performance all an act?

  As for Father Alfredo, he just needed a reminder about who really had the power in this neighbourhood. It would be up to the good Father himself as to how stern of a reminder this might need to be.

  Fausto chose to ignore the priest for the moment and addressed Nonna Conti directly.

  “We are close to finding a solution for our on-going problem. You must come with me as I need your help for this but first there are some things that you and I must discuss in private.”

  “I, um, I think…” Father Alfredo’s voice trailed off and then with a new burst of resolve he started again. “I am afraid that is not possible. Nonna Conti must remain here, by my side, and pray for forgiveness and for God’s help in ending this wicked spell she is accused of casting.”

  As his voice echoed through the empty open space and faded away into the still silence of the church Fausto reached out with one hand and grasped the back of the pew that the old woman was sitting on. Father Alfredo watched in horror as the pale flesh around Fausto’s fingers and knuckles turned white as the older man slowly squeezed the top edge of the pew.

  “Anthony….” Fausto stared hard at the old woman while he paused before speaking again.

  “Anthony, the good Father should hear your confession now. Do it at the front of the church and tell him about Giorgio. Tell him all about Giorgio if you please.”

  Fausto looked up at the cross and the depiction of Jesus positioned in his traditional pose of great pain and sacrifice. He stared at it for a long moment.

  “Tell him everything Anthony if you need to, tell him everything I make you do in order to do Don Luca’s bidding. He will let you know when he has heard enough of your confession.”

  Father Alfredo knew that he was being dismissed and he had heard the rumours about Giorgio so he knew exactly what Anthony was going to tell him. The importance of this message wasn’t lost on the formerly emboldened priest and he dutifully followed Anthony to the front.

  “No…you go too my dear, I need to speak with your mother alone.” Fausto had addressed Alessia without looking at her either and he noticed with satisfaction that she did not hesitate to leave them alone.

  Fausto eased his way past Nonna Conti and sat down on the pew beside her. He knew that even with her eyes closed and her lips moving continually and ever so slightly as if lost in prayer, he knew that she was listening intently to what he had to say.

  “I have seen what you did. It is real and it has great power. Can you really lift this curse from the boy?” Fausto stared at Jesus on the cross while he waited for her response. He was not a religious man nor did he respect the depiction of the noble sacrifice of their lord and saviour on the cross.

  Fausto just admired the work of Pontius Pilate and his soldiers and the message they had sent to those that dared to support anyone who threatened the rulers. This was the belief system that he understood and practiced. Power and violence. It was always the same throughout the world, century after century, without fail.

  Nonna Conti spoke finally, she knew that Fausto was too much like her to ever be persuaded by anything for long but the truth. “Yes, I can. I can take it back from the boy and return it into the vessel it came from.”

  Fausto lowered his voice but still stared intently at the front of the Church. This was no place for people like them. There was no salvation for either of them here and he knew that the old woman did not truly believe that she would be saved. No, she was here because she was afraid of the mob, the angry crowds that would come for her. He would exploit this fear.

  “You must do something for me. It will be hard and it will hurt you down to what’s left of your soul but if you do this thing for me then the Family will be eternally grateful. The bakery will be rebuilt and renamed in your honour.

  Your home will be repaired and my men will stand guard in front of it. Father Alfredo will personally bless your home and yourself as well.”

  All will be forgiven and all will know that it was you who saved the neighbourhood and La Famiglia. When your time comes it will be a funeral with full honours and the full blessings of the church and the Bishop.”

  They sat in silence for a minute, Fausto waited, he let her taste this freedom, this redemption of her name and reputation so close at hand and after a moment he spoke again.

  “Will you do this for me?”

  The old woman opened her eyes. Her lips had stopped miming a silent prayer and she turned to look at Fausto.

  “What is it that I must do for you Fausto?”

  The old man looked intently at Nonna Conti and she stared back waiting to hear the price she must pay to die free from violence, free from shame, fear and ridicule.

  “You must give me Alessia but first you must give her the curse.”

  He asked her again in a low and steady voice. “Will you do this for me?”

  It was what she had expected. She knew that this curse was powerful and for a man like Fausto, this power could not be forgotten once it had been seen and he had seen a way to leverage it.

  He could have chosen anyone but in an instant she realized why he had chosen Alessia.

  Once her daughter was cursed it would only make her own legacy that much greater. She could not say no to this and he had known this.

  She admired his cunning and gave him a slight smile as she agreed to his proposal. It would be for the best. For all of them. She knew that Fausto would extract his revenge soon after on those that had pushed him this far. He would need to in order to restore the reputation of La Famiglia.

  She hoped that she would live to see it as it would be as violent and cruel as anything he had ever done before.