Blood of the Innocent

File 1: The Innocent

"Please calm down, ma'am!" said the police officer, "Please remind me of the details so I can fill it in my report."

The police station was right next to the train station. It was a very convenient place since trains were a common place to get mugged by criminals.

"My son and I are not from Italy," said the woman.

"You both are foreigners?"

"Yes, from America. We boarded a plane here to seek for my husband and his proposed job opportunity. When we arrived, my husband sent a note for only my son to read. My son left the rented apartment that we stayed in to meet my husband about the job opportunity.. but he didn't come back.

Not only that, but after a few days staying here in Venice, I was sent a present. Inside the present was a letter and a cake, with Sorry for your Loss inscribed. The letter gave me full details about the death of my husband, and how he had died in a car crash.

Such a tragic thing!"

The woman cried to herself. The police officer was clearly nervous and decided to ask more.

"What does your son look like, ma'am?" asked the police officer, "Our trackers use special magic called Magia to help make search-and-rescue operations quickly."

"He's just 16. My son has dark blue hair and wore a blue suit during his stay here to make himself presentable for the job interview. He always wears a blue fedora as well to match with the outfit."

"Understood ma'am," replied the officer, "And what did you say his name was?"

"My son's name is—"

The officer was startled by sudden train rushing down the railroad. The loud bells and dings usually blared during this time of the morning. The officer didn't notice it because he was so focused on the report.

"I'm sorry for the interruption ma'am," replied the officer, "Now what was your son's na—"

The woman was gone. The doors of the police station didn't open, and it was like she was never here in the first place..

—

The boy walked inside the meat shop, where a large grizzly man was chopping the head off of a pig. The boy wore a blue suit, holding the tip of his blue fedora down to block his eyes from the smoke coming out of the kitchen. In his other hand was a note that he held using two of his fingers.

He leaned over the counter, and asked the butcher, "Buon giorno, sir! Do you perhaps know any person around here with the name Ziratoni?"

The butcher began to chop up the rest of the pig in small pieces, "You're Ziratoni's kid?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yeah.. Ziratoni did mention something about bringing his kid to work at our establishment."

"As long as I get paid, I'm willing to learn anything in the meat business."

The butcher laughed, "The meat business. You humor me, boy. Just to be sure, you've got any weapons on you?"

"No sir."

"I like your manners," smiled the butcher as he handed the boy a butcher knife, "Take this. You'll need it to start working. Now follow me."

The butcher knife was detachable into three parts, making it convenient to be placed in the boy's pockets. The butcher walked through the kitchen, heading for the back door. The boy followed, stealing a dough ball on the way out.

"A nice snack before my job interview," thought the boy as he bit into the dough ball.

Crack!

"What the?" thought the boy, "This isn't a dough ball at all! It's just some white sphere! It's hard as a rock too.. why would a butcher have this in the kitchen?"

"Hey kid," said the butcher, "Pay attention."

The boy put the ball into his pocket, looking at the butcher and doing his best to pay attention. The butcher had just finished a call with someone.

"Here," said the butcher, "I signaled a taxi."

He turned to the taxi driver, "Make sure this boy arrives at Caffè Florian. The one down by Piazza San Marco. Per il Capo."

The boy boarded the taxi, sitting comfortably and thinking about what he was going to say during his interview.

"Look your best kid," smiled the butcher as he waved his hand.

The taxi drove off. As the boy looked behind him, he saw the butcher casually walk back towards his shop. The boy began to think during the taxi ride. Was he not going to apply for a job as a butcher?

Soon, the boy arrived at the cafe, which looked deserted. The taxi driver escorted the boy towards the counter.

He told the cashier, "Butcher's orders. Per il Capo."

The cashier nodded in agreement. She welcomely escorted the boy to a seat. The whole cafe was deserted. When the taxi driver got into his car and drove away, it was only the boy and the cashier inside the restaurant.

"Not many visitors today, huh?" asked the boy.

"The whole cafe has been reserved," replied the cashier, washing the cups, "May I get you something to drink?"

"Just water please, grazie."

After a few minutes of drinking water, someone arrived. A woman in a suit came inside the cafe. She was shorter than the boy, and had brown curly hair. She immediately walked towards the boy and sat down in the seat opposite to him.

"You're Ziratoni's kid, right?" asked the woman quietly, shaking the boy's hand, "My name's Minny. Do you have a name? Ziratoni's kid doesn't quite roll off the tongue easily."

"Yeah, it's—"

Crash!

"—Ziratoni."

The cashier began to clean up the cup that had fallen off the counter. She took the pieces and placed them in the trash.

"It'll be easier if I just call you Persona," replied Minny, "Codenames are very frequent in our establishment."

"How much money are you paying?" asked Persona, immediately interested in the benefits that he'll gain from the job.

"I've got the money right here," replied Minny quietly, "Just show me everything inside your pockets please."

Persona began to shuffle both of his pockets, touching the butcher knife and the white sphere. Suddenly, he began to hear things from the sphere.

Break me.. Destroy me.. End my life..

In fear of the white sphere's messages, Persona didn't pull it out. It didn't seem like Minny or the cashier heard the noise either. He pulled out the butcher knife and placed it on the table.

"Just as I thought," sternly said Minny, "You're the perpetrator!"

Persona was put in a state of confusion. What did she mean by perpetrator? Suddenly, Minny lifted the table, splashing the water in the air. Suddenly, the water turned into icicles, falling down and stabbing Persona's shoulder. A red blot began to stain his suit.

"Your time has come."