“There is something strange going on, I’m telling you.”
It was now the third time that youngster Ercole Pagnin was pulling his arm, like a puppy who was
very desperate for a walk. Daniele Carcano sighed and reconsidered for a moment. Pagnin was the only other Bonifazian in the selection, causing him to look up even more to Daniele – which he already did sufficiently over the age gap of fourteen years. So in time, Daniele had grown a bit weary of the questions and cries for attention from Ercole – sometimes you just had said ‘good job’ enough times in a day. But then again, he was the captain of this formation and they were on a roll. The draw against Devonta already showed a good form, a victory over the Licentian Isles confirmed this. As the powerhouses of the group had dropped the ball here and there, both literally and proverbially, the Swordfishes even lead the pack in Group C. So, Daniele considered, if a teammates calls out for him, he had to be there.
Even if it was for the umpteenth time.
“Ok, Ercole, what’s the problem exactly?”
“Come, come!”
Pagnin lead his experienced teammate to his room. It had a splendid view and on a clear day, one could spot Manta Island across the strait but for some reason the blinds were shut and only a dim nightlight allowed Carcano to shuffle behind without knocking things over.
“Look!”
With an agitated glance, Pagnin opened his closet. It was… Just a silly light hanging from the ceiling, a bunch of newspaper clippings with blood-red circles on them, some thumbtacks and string.
“I… I’m your rugby captain, not your Arts and Crafts teacher, Ercole.”
“Look! Look closer!”
Daniele tried to take it in without bursting into laughter, but couldn’t spot what he was going on about.
“The titles,” Ercole cried, “the titles!”
STRONG OPENER FROM THE SWORDFISHES AFTER EARLY MAYHEM
EQUALIZER VALERIN DELIVERS TWO POINTS ON A PLATEAU
VALERIN TRY ENSURES DRAW IN OPENER TOUR
The other three concerned the second confrontation, and again clippings from La Stampa, La Corriere and La Quotidiano were pinned against the backside of the cupboard.
EVEN BETTER – SAN ORTELIO GRAB THE LEAD
NO COUNTRY FOR SLOW MEN – ROCKET DI BASCO WINS US THE GAME
SEVENS TEAM TAKE FIRST POSITION DESPITE INJURED HOOKER
“That’s… All very positive, no? I mean, apart from Claudio suffering a min-”
“Don’t see it? The letters, Daniele!”
“You… You’re going to have to spell it out, I’m afraid,” Daniele says, utterly confused.
“Take the first letters…”
“S…E… V… E… N… S. Sevens,” Daniele repeats, “that sounds like a coincidence, I me-“
“And now the last,” Ercole whispers.
“Ehm… M… U… R… D… E… Oh, Ercole, that’s really just accidental.”
“Yeah…” Pagnin mesmerizes to himself, “and an accident is fast to happen. Don’t you see it! It’s dangerous out the-“
Now it was Daniele’s turn to cut him short.
“Look, Ercole, I think you’re a little stressed. For our last game of the day, I would say – sit it out a little, recharge the batteries and by tomorrow, you’ll see the bright side of it and you’ll be a fresh man facing Darmen.”
With this words, Daniele turned around. In part because he didn’t feel like going on about this nonsense. And a smaller part of him, one he refused to admit to his head, felt a slight shiver down his spine when Ercole, wide-eyed and panicking, pointed to the red circles which spelled ‘MURDER’. Maybe he should check in on Marco Vairetti, Ercole’s roommate to keep him a little under control. Then again, Daniele couldn’t remember seeing Vairetti since the last whistle against The Licentian Isles…