MULTIPLY Writing Prompt #: Guided Imagery: Once they were Gods

Just relax, close your eyes and let yourself drift. Drifting on light grey clouds far away, passing over luscious green forests, over icy needle peaks of mountains letting the cool wind fan your fur. You are nearly there, the origins of your folk. Below there is a carpet of yellow sand, above a sun so bright and shining that you have never seen. You long for a cooling shelter and find it beneath the billows of sand covering the land. A small entrance brings you to protection from the sun’s rays and you are not alone. You enter a large chamber, corn as far as the eye can see. There are many more of your tribe all welcoming you, their yellow eyes cast in your direction. Humans are on their knees, praising your presence and worshipping your appearance. There is food in abundance for you and your tribe and the humans welcome your appetite. The corn was in danger from being devoured by a creature smaller and more insignificant that yourself, but a creature that forms the main part of your diet. Thanks to you and your kin you have rescued the owners of the corn from famine. You see statues of your kind in all corners painted in gold. You are a god in this country. You now feel proud of your species and you are safe from any foreign influence. Your qualities are recognised by this human folk in this country. You must now drift again into the realms of sleep, we depart on another journey, away from this land of plenty to a place bordered on all sides by a sea.

You must not fear what now happens, it is part of your fate. Your colour is your downfall, black like the doors of hell and so are the thoughts of the humans. You are no longer worshipped by the righteous and the good, but by the devil and his work. You are a victim of superstition. You find yourself curled up in a corner of a hovel, being fed by an old human woman. She loves you for what you are, she is innocent and you keep her home free from vermin but fear comes. You are trapped in a cage, cannot escape, you smell the heat of the fires and hear the screams of old females. You feel yourself sail through the air, being thrown by a human hand and landing midst in the fires of hell. You burn with your old lady. You hear the crowds of humans calling justice and they are now feeling secure knowing that you and your owner have got their just deserts. You are no longer worshipped as a god, but as a curse on mankind.

But fear not, you are now travelling again, this time you see no land in sight, just the soothing waves of the sea, rocking you back and forth on the ocean. Again your appetite is the reason for your existence. You fear the water but know that the humans around you will protect you. You are kept below, surrounded by wooden walls and a salty smell in the air, but there is an abundance of human food around you. Where there is human food, there is also your food and you are happy knowing that you will not hunger for the small insignificant creatures are again in abundance, there squeaks filling the air.. There are other members of your race, you feel secure. You fight your way to becoming the alpha creature of all above the others. You hear unfamiliar sounds coming from the humans; each speaking with a different tongue, but the colleagues of your race understand only one tongue; food in abundance and a warm place to sleep. The rocking motion of the vessel carrying you slows and it comes to a stop. The human food is removed and a new smell arrives, but you have no fear. Your food is ever present and for this reason you are kept on this vessel.

You now let yourself be carried by the grey clouds and find yourself again being treated as a favourite, not quite a god, but something special. Your hunting days are over, the humans are trained to meet your needs. You lay in a warm comfortable place. There is water and food in abundance and you are content and happy. Your race has come a long way, through many trials and persecutions, but you have survived. You have been worshipped as gods, as devils but you have always lived at the side of the humans, sometimes treasured and sometimes despised, but you have won. Your destiny is to remain near the human race. They sometimes feed you and you sometimes protect them.

And Nera the cat woke up after such a pleasant dream, licked her paws, had a wash and curled up once again, falling asleep hoping to have sweet dreams.

Writing Prompt #3: Guided Imagery: Once they were Gods

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #112: Fred and Carol

Vinnyandflask's Challenge

Write a story about a young lady who has lost her boyfriend, husband, or someone close to her.

Carol had a well organised life. She met her husband at a local dance and they married after a two year engagement. Carol was then 22 years old and Fred, her husband, 24. Now things look so ideal and to make them more perfect two years later their daughter Shirley was born, they were both happy. Fred was the perfect husband and Carol the perfect wife. If Fred said he would be home in the evening at a certain time, he would be there. Sometimes he had to work later in the office, but he always called Carol on the phone to tell her that things would be later. If he said one hour, then he was home one hour later. Carol could rely on her Fred and he was an ideal father. On Sunday morning Carol cooked their lunch, something special. Fred realised that she had to prepare lunch and always took Shirley for a walk to the park and to visit her grandmother to give Carol a chance to prepare things on her own.

Of course, Carol had her own private life as well. She enjoyed making her own clothes and during the week she attended a dress making course. She would go with her girlfriend, Maureen, where they would meet some other friends and it was a nice evening out. Sometimes she would make herself something special, or often she would make a pretty dress for her daughter. Fred would look after Shirley on those evenings.

It was the ideal marriage, and they were known as the perfect pair. It was Maureen who first sewed the seeds of doubt in Carol’s mind. She phoned Carol to say she could not come to the sewing classes as she was not feeling so well.
“By the way Carol” said Maureen “I saw Fred in town yesterday afternoon.”
“That cannot be” answered Carol “Fred is at work in the afternoon.”
“I was surprised myself, but it was Fred. He seemed to be waiting for someone outside the cinema and kept looking at his watch.”
“Are you sure Maureen, he called me yesterday to say he would have to work later and only arrived home at eight in the evening.”
“Well, I thought it was Fred, but perhaps just someone that resembled him” and the two women closed their conversation.
It just didn’t go out of Carol’s head that Fred was not at work. When Fred came home that evening she said nothing, and was her normal self. Her Fred would never lie to her. When he said he was coming home later, then it would be the truth.

The next time Fred called from work to say he would be coming home later, Carol somehow felt a bit unsure. She called her friend Maureen and asked if she could bring Shirley for the afternoon. Maureen also had a little girl about the same age, so that was no problem. Maureen was glad that her daughter had a playmate for the afternoon.

After Carol had left her daughter at Maureen’s she made her way to Fred’s company and waited outside. She didn’t know why she did this, but had a sort of unsure feeling. All these years she had a perfect relationship with her husband and now her best friend tells her she saw him in town in the afternoon. Carol waited at least half an hour, wanted to go, and then she saw Fred leave his work place and walk along the street. Carol hid herself in a doorway, and then followed him. After a while Fred stopped at a street corner and stood waiting. His wait soon ended when a young good looking girl came along the street. She then saw Fred and the girl putting there arms around each other and were exchanging kisses. Carol was shocked, particularly as the girl just couldn’t be older than eighteen years. The couple walked along the road together arm in arm. Carol decided she had seen enough. She she picked up her daughter from Maureen’s house and went home. Fred arrived as promised at eight in the evening but was quite astonished. He wanted to open the door with his key and found it did not fit. Carol had lost no time and had already called the locksmith to change the lock on the front door, inventing a story about losing a set of her keys.

“Carol, it’s me, I am having a problem with the door.”
“I know Fred”, was the answer “I will open the door for you, just wait.”
Fred waited patiently and Carol opened the door. She had a bag in her hand and gave it to Fred.
“Something’s wrong with my front door key it won’t work and why are you giving me that bag.”
“Fred I have packed as much as I could in that bag, when you tell me where you are living I will have the rest brought to you.”
“Carol, I don’t understand, can you tell me what is going on.”
“No problem Fred. I just hope your new girlfriend has room for you where she lives, because I do not have room any more. I saw you together this afternoon and actions speak louder than words. Goodbye Fred” and Carol shut the door leaving Fred outside.
She heard him calling her name, but she ignored it. Carol had her ideas about love and marriage and they just did not include a teenager. If Fred decided to have a girlfriend, then he could have her.
Later that evening Fred called Carol on the phone.
“Please Carol, let me come home, I have nowhere to go.”
“You can move in with your teenager girlfriend.”
“That was really just a bit of fun Carol, nothing serious.”
“Fred that is your problem. Then go to your mother’s. At least I know where to send the divorce papers.”
“But I don’t want a divorce.”
“You don’t, but I do. I do not want my daughter growing up with a father that runs off the moment a teenager looks at him with big eyes. You will hear from my lawyer.” And they were the last words that Fred heard from his wife before the divorce.

Fred’s new teenage girlfriend decided that she did not really want to live with Fred or marry him; after all it was just a bit of fun to go out with an older man. That was his problem if he was married and his wife got annoyed.

The divorce went well for Carol. Fred had to pay Carol for her upkeep. His daughter was allowed to visit Fred once a month for a week-end. The first two week-ends were ok, but Shirley decided it was not so much fun visiting daddy for just two days a month so she preferred to stay at home.

Carol was an attractive woman and one day she met and fell in love with one of Maureen’s husband’s friends. She got married and lived happily ever after. Yes, there was no messing with Carol.

United Friends Challenge #112: Fred and Carol

MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #37: Metaphor

Life is like a bowl of tuna - you can savour it to the last mouthful

The billows of sleep are engulfing me

I will soon be drowning in the waves of inspiration

Creative Challenge #37: Metaphor

MULTIPLY Rita's "Riting" Challenge #5: The Artist

It was a wonderful March day in 1964 and the last week of June’s stay in New York. She had enjoyed her stay very much as an exchange teacher at an art school. It was a time of concern in America; they were fighting a war in the Far East with Vietnam, it seemed to be a never ending conflict. Protests could be heard in the American nation from their youth, mainly through singers such as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. However, she found the Americans to be friendly and helpful and had made many friends. After her six months she had found her way around in the big city, but as she was now going to return to England and resume her life teaching the English youth and she wanted to take a souvenir back with her. It was on one of her walks through Central Park that she had an idea. Approaching the Central Park zoo there was an area populated by artists. She decided she would like to take a portrait of herself back to England as a memory of her stay in New York, but which artist should she choose? It was late in the afternoon and she was not sure that there was time enough.

She then saw a young lady, an artist, who had no customers. She was fascinated by the girl who definitely did not resemble the average American, but then she had to ask herself what is the average American. Over the years the original American Indians had been partly put in their reservations and during the beginning of the twentieth century America had accepted immigrants from all over the world. The artist looked at June and beckoned with her hand.
“You would like to have your portrait made” she asked June
“Yes, I would” answered June “but it is late in the afternoon and I am not sure whether there will be enough time.”
“Time is no problem” said the girl “if it gets too dark to continue today and you have the time, you may return tomorrow morning and I will finish the portrait then.”
June agreed to this proposition and as she had no school for the rest of her stay she had the time.
“My name is Ana, please take a seat and we will begin.*
“Ana does not sound so American. Do you mind if I ask where you are from” said June.
“No problem” was the answer. “I was born in America, but my mother and father were originally from Peru.”
This was particularly interesting for June as she was a history teacher, although it would have been more interesting if Ana had told her that she was a direct descendant of the Inca nation. However, Ana did not even know this herself and neither did her parents. They immigrated to America as they had no work in Peru. Their uncle had gone to America before them and helped them to find their footing in this strange land. Ana was studying at the art school in New York and was glad to be able to earn some extra money by drawing portraits of the tourists and New Yorkers. New York was an expensive town and she could barely afford her two rooms in the Bronx area. June studied the young painter and could now see the strains of her Peruvian ancestry; her long dark hair, the brown tan on the skin and above all her wonderful large brown eyes.

Ana started on the drawing and June sat patient and still. She noticed how the young lady would move her crayon over the paper, glance upwards at June’s face and then continue. As it was March, the light soon darkened and the artist told June she could no longer draw as it would soon be night. As arranged June could return the next morning, perhaps at ten in the morning if it would not be too early, and there would be enough time to finish the work.

June agreed and returned to her rooms for the evening. The next morning was again a bright sunny morning and June made sure she was in the Central Park at ten in the morning to have her portrait finished. The chair was in the same place as the day before, together with the easel and her unfinished portrait. She was just going to take a glance at the portrait when she felt a presence behind her. “Please do not look until I am finished” and it was Ana. “Please take your seat and we will continue.”
June was surprised that Ana was already there as she had not seen her coming. She also noticed that Ana was already sitting and ready to draw, but she had not even noticed that she had seated herself to continue.
“Please sit as still and silent as you did yesterday and we will soon be finished. I do not like leaving my work before it has been completed.”
June obeyed.
“I am finished, please take your portrait.” June stood up and walked over to where Ana had sat, but Ana was not there; just the easel with her portrait. June was thrilled, the young artist had captured her looks perfectly, but there was no Ana there to thank. When she looked closer at the drawing she noticed it had been signed with the name Ana. She took the drawing not knowing what to do, as she wanted to pay for the work, but Ana just was not there. She then heard Ana and turned again. She was standing on the grass in the park and looking at June.
“Please take this drawing, it costs nothing, it was an honour to finish this work. Keep it well, it will accompany you all your life and will reflect your face through the years.”
June looked at Ana, but she seemed almost transparent. She looked again at the drawing and when she wanted to thank Ana, Ana was gone and June never saw her again throughout her life.

Forty years later
June’s husband had died ten years earlier and now June was living alone. Her sister, May, lived nearby and often paid a visit. May had often asked her about the portrait she had framed in the living room, a portrait painted by a young artist June had once met on a day in New York. The portrait was admired by all. It showed an elderly lady, with grey hair and kind eyes, a portrait of June how she now looked. For many years June had kept this portrait away from the eyes of the world. She just did not know how to explain it. As June got older, the portrait changed and got older with her. When June’s hair started to turn grey, the shades on the hair on the portrait got lighter. When June had a few more changes in her face, the portrait also had them, wrinkles appearing in the right places. Now that June was over seventy she knew she would not change more and put the portrait in her living room where all could see it. June’s sister May found it a wonderful piece of work and June told her she should take the portrait for her daughter when she was no longer with them.

Her sister did not want to discuss this with June, but one day June was found sleeping peacefully in her home, never to wake again. June’s sister took the portrait and gave it to her daughter who found that June resembled her in her younger years. The portrait showed a young lady, June in 1964.

What June never knew was that her young artist Ana went home on that day in March 1964 looking forward to finishing her portrait of the young English lady on the next morning. Unfortunately there was a gas explosion in the building in New York where Ana lived on that evening, and Ana was amongst the casualties. She never woke up to finish the portrait – or did she?

Rita's "Riting" Chalenge #5: the Artist

MULTIPLY Pictures to Words - Poetry/Prose: The Dog

Hello Mr. human, If you want, you can pat me on my head
I am not exactly pedigree, more a sort of half bred
My human likes me very much he takes me out for walks
He thinks I understand him, that is why he gives me talks
Of course the basic command to comprehend is the one that just says sit
And every dog knows that is the one to which I will submit
Today we had some special fun, it really was a pleasure
We took a walk out in the snow and that was our good leisure
I met a friend and we romped around the enjoyment was really great,
I now feel fresh and wide awake, being a dog is just my fate
That is why I look a bit dishevelled, but I do not really mind
It is just the part of my goal in life, my nose is wet you will find
So stroke me and pet me and make me feel good, don’t worry about the snow
My human says we are going home and in the car I must go
You probably think it’s a dog’s life, and perhaps you might be right
I am always well behaved, and with you I will not fight
Now if you had a stupid cat, that might make me mad
But usually they run away and that could make me bad
And now for home, a nice warm blanket, a plate of food and sleep
A dog’s life can be really good, so please you don’t have to weep
My human loves me and I love him, I really cannot deny
He knows I obey and follow his commands, on me he can rely

Pictures to Words - Poetry/Prose: The Dog

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #111: Uncle Jim

Zues2u's Challenge

In Honor of my upcoming birthday write a story about ...
An uncle, friend or father who is turning 50 he has everything material he could want. Like most men his age if he ever wants something he just goes and buys it. But this is a special birthday for him. Even though the invitation says no presents tell me what you would do for his Birthday.

Uncle Jim will be 50 years old on Saturday and he is giving a party. What do you buy a man that has everything? His life has been one success. You could say he has the Midas touch. Everything he touches turns to gold. Although to be quite honest at the beginning he really had nothing. He was born in a poorer part of the city and both his parents had to work to make ends meet. Uncle Jim was clever, he had a sort of mathematical mind and was one of the best in the school class. It was then that the parents of one of the children in his class, from a better situated family, wanted their son to be as good as Jim and asked if he would help their son with his mathematical homework. He was offered money for the job and Jim willingly accepted. That was the first money he brought home. His reputation soon spread and other families from the school were soon paying Jim for his after school help. That was Jim’s first success. After he left school he worked in a local factory as mechanic. He soon found a way to save money with a work process and was promoted to a job in the office.

Now things started happening and Uncle Jim noticed how tax money could be saved by certain processes in the accounts, so Uncle Jim was employed in the accounts department. He was an enthusiastic accountant and it was soon suggested by his company that he took a course in accountancy. He did and passed his examinations with flying colours. Uncle Jim was earning well, but then came the day when he was summoned into the company owner’s office and told that the company would be closing down as the parts being made in the factory were no longer needed by one of their biggest customers. Uncle Jim was very disappointed at being out of work, but instead of applying for work in another field, he decided to see what could be done with his company. Uncle Jim asked the company owners what would happen to the machinery no longer required and he was told it would be disposed of. It was at the time when industry was making its first steps in other countries situated in the far east. With his savings uncle Jim bought a flight ticket to Hong Kong, as he was sure that his machines might find a place in that country. It was not long before he had made contact and found not only an interest in the machines, but in the parts they were making. He had soon returned to his old company and told the owners that they could continue manufacture and now export to Hong Kong. This was a success and the company was saved – Uncle Jim and his Midas touch.

Today Uncle Jim owns the company and it has expanded, exporting their products all over the world. My Uncle Jim is a phenomenon. What he touches just turns to success, so what do you buy such a man and then I had an idea. One thing I knew about Uncle Jim was that he had never forgotten the people that were not so well off or as lucky as he was. As a child he had to learn that life could be hard. His mother had always made sure that there was enough food at home, but he knew that she had to go without herself and perhaps not buy a certain dress or coat that she would have liked. His father came home from the factory in the evening and would fall asleep in the armchair, tired from a day’s work. I then knew what to give him for his birthday, although I was not sure how he would react.

On that day we all arrived at his house. It was sunny weather and the meal was served in the garden. Uncle Jim’s parents were also invited. They were now both older and lived in a residential home for the elderly. Uncle Jim found his parents deserved this after what they had done for him in his younger years. All my other aunts and uncles were invited, as well as Uncle Jim’s children and grandchildren. He was a perfect father and grandfather and was loved by all. He had received all sorts of wonderful presents. Although the invitation said no presents, this was mostly ignored. Everyone came with the same explanation “just something small”. I, of course, was no exception, although my present was perhaps a little bit different.

I then gave him my present. He was a little bit bewildered when he saw it was an envelope and probably thought I was giving him money or a book token. He opened the envelope and looked at me with perhaps a little water in his eye. You have given me something that has made me happy. Uncle Jim was now the godfather of a ten year old boy in Indonesia, a victim of the Tsunami disaster, who had lost his parents in the catastrophe.

With the years I learnt that Uncle Jim had even visited his godson in Indonesia and given money to the village where he lived. I knew my Uncle Jim would use his Midas touch to influence someone else’s life.

United Friends Challenge #111: Uncle Jim

MULTIPLY Poetry Posse - Week 15: A Puzzle

The pieces just do not fit any more
It’s a question of survival
Our oceans are tumbling over the shore
We need a great revival
The ozone layer is showing holes
Vegetation is suffering a lot
Our aims are not achieving their goals
What is this mysterious plot
Mankind is acting without considerations
Our aims no longer planned
The answers lay in our great nations
Things are getting out of hand
Our nature is complaining loud
There are storms and floods enough
The humans can no longer be proud
Our world is getting rough
We must learn to speak together
And plan with ideas unfurled
Our environment has much bad weather
We act like we have a second world
The puzzle pieces no longer fit
It is time to talk things over
Come countries please do commit
To put things back in the clover
What do we leave our children behind
A mess, a threat to all
We must encourage nature to rewind
Before we come to a fall

Poetry Posse - Week 15: A Puzzle

MULTIPLY Writer's Block - Challenge #54: Milan

Gina’s brother-in-law, Mario, brought them to the main station in Milan an hour before the train departed for Palermo in Sicily. There were some big farewell scenes. Mama Venuti was sorry to be leaving her youngest son but was also looking forward to returning to her family in Palermo. Mario would rather have organised a car to bring his mother back to Palermo, but mama just disliked car rides. She preferred to sit in the train and watch the scenery drift past. Cars were stress machines in the eyes of a Sicilian grandmother.
“You look after yourself Mario and the family. “
“Mama, we are all old enough and can manage quite well. You be careful Mama, you are not getting any younger. Gina give my best wishes to my brother Giovanni and look after mama and Giorgio on the train.”
Gina was used to these family goodbyes. One thing she learnt being married to a mafia boss was that the family was the most important thing in their lives. She had been spending the last two weeks visiting her husband’s brother’s family in Milan accompanied by her mother-in-law and was actually glad to be leaving, although she was not really looking forward to going back to Sicily. The Venuti family were one of the most important on the island of Sicily. They controlled most of the restaurants, building companies, and to a certain extent even the banks. Gina hated them but then she hated Sicily. You were only of importance on that island if you had at least three ancestors in the grave yard and the Venutis did. They had the biggest and most ornate tomb you could think of in the best place in the cemetery. He own family were in a dark corner, almost forgotten, but if her husband Giovanni, knew who her family were, then he would never had married her. Giovanni fell in love with Gina on their first meeting. Gina was not in love with Giovanni, but was willing to enter the marriage with him, as she knew one day the chance would come to take revenge for the killing of her father, brother and grandfather. They had refused to pay protection money to the Venuti gang and their reward was being found on a lonely highway on the Sicilian island with a cactus leaf placed on their bodies where the heart was, the sign for a traitor. Gina was taken to her relatives in Rome by her mother and grew up in Rome, but she had planned an act of revenge on the Venutis all her life. She returned to Sicily as a young woman and had taken work in a restaurant that she knew was a favourite of the Venuti family. She was very attractive and was determined to win the attention of Giovanni Venuti. This plan succeeded and he soon became her husband.

“Come Giorgio” she said to her son, “Say goodbye to uncle Mario and take nonna’s hand that you don’t get lost.” She thought it was a good idea for Giorgio to walk with his grandmother, just to put her in good humour. Nonna Venuti just loved her grandchildren.

They entered the station and took a seat in the waiting area. The station had at last been renovated and an area had been organised for the passengers waiting for their trains. It was large and on one side the wall of windows made it light and airy. Gina remembered the old station which was not so comfortable when waiting for the trains.
“Where shall we sit?” asked nonna Venuti
“I think this would be a good place” answered Gina and walked to the fourth row taking the four end seats on the right as she had been told to. They were near to the toilets and the exit.
“Mama, can I have an ice cream”
“Of course you can Giorgio” and Gina took out her purse to give him the money to buy one.”
“You put your money away Gina” said the grandmother “Come Giorgio take my hand and nonna will come with you to the kiosk.”
“No mama” said Gina “Giorgio is now five years old and a big boy, aren't you Giorgio? He can get his own ice cream. Come Giorgio here is the money”
Giorgio proudly nodded and took the money from his mother.
“You see the kiosk Giorgio. You go to the nice lady with the grey hair who is working at the kiosk and ask her for the ice cream.”
Giorgio wanted to say something to his mother but Gina looked him in the eyes and said “Go, now, no questions” so Giorgio did as he was told. He had been brought up to obey his parents under all circumstances. Actually he wanted to ask his mother why the Euro note felt so hard in his hand, as if something had been wrapped in the money, but decided not to. You do not doubt your parent’s words. He asked the lady with the grey hair in the kiosk for an ice cream. She looked down upon Giorgio, patted him on the head and took the money and gave the change. Giorgio returned to his mother. He did not see that the lady at the kiosk then walked across the station and dropped something in a rubbish container. He also did not see that a man dressed in a suit walked past the container and quickly put his hand in the container to remove something. Gina was observing and felt proud of her son that he managed to buy his ice cream on his own, but she was also a little nervous.

They still had half an hour before the train came and nonna decided it would be a good idea to walk to the platform.
Gina agreed and called Giorgio who had just finished his ice cream.
“Come Giorgio we are now going to the train, but first of all we will go to the toilet and you will wash your hands and face.”
“I don’t want to mama. I am clean.”
“Giorgio, your mother is right” said the nonna.”You will make everything dirty on the train covered in chocolate.”
Gina was glad for her mother-in-law’s support and took Giorgio by the hand and led him to the toilet. She was shaking a little bit, but no-one seemed to notice. They entered the toilet and Giorgio cleaned himself up.
“Come Giorgio”
“Where are you going mama, we came in through the other door not that door.”
“This is a short cut Giorgio, just trust your mama and come with me” and they left the rest room through a door opposite to the one they came into. The man in the suit that took something out of the rubbish container was standing there.
“Mrs. Venuti, we would thank you for the information you have given us on the memory stick that our agent threw into the container. The police are satisfied and we now have the mafia family Venuti in our clutches. In no time they will be arrested.”
“I kept my part of the deal, now please keep yours.”
“No problem Mrs. Venuti, please follow me.”
They walked through a tunnel and left the station. A car was waiting and Gina and her son were put in the car.
“Mama, where are we going, where is nonna?”
“It is ok Giorgio, you will now have a surprise. Nonna knows all about it and she will meet us in Rome. We are now going to take a ride in an aeroplane.”
“In an aeroplane, mama. That is what I always wanted.”
and the car drove to Malpensa airport. On the way Giorgio was given some cola to drink and he soon fell asleep.
“Ok, Mrs. Gina, here is your new passport, your son is also included. Your name is now Signora Maria di Penso, the mother of Antonio. We wish you luck in your new life in Australia. Our agent will meet you at the airport when you arrive and you will receive further instructions.”
Giorgio was still sleeping when they boarded their flight to Sydney. The secret service had done their job well and Gina, now Maria, hoped that the Venuti family would spend many years in prison for their crimes.

In the meanwhile nonna Venuti was still waiting for her grandson and daughter-in-law to return as the train for Palermo would soon be coming.

Writer's Block - Challenge #54: Milan