Read Online Let the Games Begin by Niccolò Ammaniti - Free Book Online
Authors: Niccolò Ammaniti
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presence of the Evil One in his life.
What day was it today? April 28th. What did the 28th of April correspond to in the Satanic calendar?
He went into the lounge room to get his laptop bag. The room was furnished with the ethnic Zanzibar collection. Square-shaped furniture made of black, oily wood inset with diamond-shaped pieces of zebra skin. They gave off a strange spicy odour that left you with a headache after a while. The Pioneer plasma TV was beneath an enormous mosaic Serena had created using shells from mussels and clams and coloured stones picked up on the Argentario. It was supposed to depict a mermaid sitting on the rocks, playing her long hair like it was the strings of a harp.
Saverio connected to the Internet and Googled for the words: âSatanist Calendarâ. He discovered that the 28th of April didn't mean anything. But the 30th of April was the Night of Walpurga, when there was the grand meeting of the witches on top of Mount Brocken.
He stood up, feeling confused. The way things had gone today, he was sure that April 28th was a Satanic day.
Even if, truth be told, only because the 28th wasn't far from the 30th, the Night of Walpurga .
He went over to the big box next to the front door. He cut the packing tape and opened it. Then, like an ancient paladin, he kneeled before the treasure, slipped his hands into the polystyrene shavings and extracted the Durendal. He lifted it using both his hands. The solid steel blade, the hilt in forged iron and handle covered in leather. He had hesitated at length over whether to buy a Japanese katana, but he'd made the right choice when he bought a weapon that belonged to his own cultural tradition. It was so beautiful it took his breath away.
He went out onto the small terrace, placed it before the moon's disc and, just like Orlando at Roncisvalle, he began to whirl it around. He would have loved to challenge Kurtz Minetti to a duel. In his office in Pavia.
Me with the Durendal and him with the double-headed axe .
He imagined himself dodging a blow, turning around and with a sharp swipe decapitating the head priest. Then he would simply say: âCome to me! You will be Beasts.â And all the Children of the Apocalypse would kneel before his presence. That would be a great moment. Except for the fact that Kurtz Minetti, even though he was only as tall as a dick on a tin can, was a disciple of Sante Lucci, a Shaolin Master from Trieste.
Saverio pirouetted and destroyed the clothes horse. The very idea that that gem would end up above his father-in-law's fireplace in Rocca Raso made him feel sick.
The phone began ringing then quickly turned silent. Serena must have answered. Shortly after, he heard her shout: âSaverio, it's for you. Your cousin. Tell him the next time he calls at this hour I'll shove his teeth down his throat.â
The leader of the WB went back into the lounge room and put the sword in its box, picked up the cordless and answered in a rushed tone: âAntonio? What is it?â
âHey there, cousin. How's it going?â
âNot bad. What's the matter?â
âNothing. Actually, there is something. I need your help.â
That's all he needed. Didn't anyone think that even Saverio Moneta had troubles of his own, too? âNo, look . . . I'm up to my neck . . . I'm sorry.â
âWait. You don't have to do anything. I know you're busy. But every now and then I've seen you hanging out with a group of kids . . .â
He's seen me with the WB. I have to be more careful .
âI'm up shit creek. Four Poles left me hanging at the last minute, so I'm looking for fill-ins. They need to carry cases of wine, set up tables in the garden, clear away. Stuff like that. Hard workers, but well-behaved ones. Even if they don't have much experience, all they need is the will to work and no misbehaving.â
Antonio Zauli was the head waiter of Food for Fun , a catering company in the capital city, which, thanks to the
What day was it today? April 28th. What did the 28th of April correspond to in the Satanic calendar?
He went into the lounge room to get his laptop bag. The room was furnished with the ethnic Zanzibar collection. Square-shaped furniture made of black, oily wood inset with diamond-shaped pieces of zebra skin. They gave off a strange spicy odour that left you with a headache after a while. The Pioneer plasma TV was beneath an enormous mosaic Serena had created using shells from mussels and clams and coloured stones picked up on the Argentario. It was supposed to depict a mermaid sitting on the rocks, playing her long hair like it was the strings of a harp.
Saverio connected to the Internet and Googled for the words: âSatanist Calendarâ. He discovered that the 28th of April didn't mean anything. But the 30th of April was the Night of Walpurga, when there was the grand meeting of the witches on top of Mount Brocken.
He stood up, feeling confused. The way things had gone today, he was sure that April 28th was a Satanic day.
Even if, truth be told, only because the 28th wasn't far from the 30th, the Night of Walpurga .
He went over to the big box next to the front door. He cut the packing tape and opened it. Then, like an ancient paladin, he kneeled before the treasure, slipped his hands into the polystyrene shavings and extracted the Durendal. He lifted it using both his hands. The solid steel blade, the hilt in forged iron and handle covered in leather. He had hesitated at length over whether to buy a Japanese katana, but he'd made the right choice when he bought a weapon that belonged to his own cultural tradition. It was so beautiful it took his breath away.
He went out onto the small terrace, placed it before the moon's disc and, just like Orlando at Roncisvalle, he began to whirl it around. He would have loved to challenge Kurtz Minetti to a duel. In his office in Pavia.
Me with the Durendal and him with the double-headed axe .
He imagined himself dodging a blow, turning around and with a sharp swipe decapitating the head priest. Then he would simply say: âCome to me! You will be Beasts.â And all the Children of the Apocalypse would kneel before his presence. That would be a great moment. Except for the fact that Kurtz Minetti, even though he was only as tall as a dick on a tin can, was a disciple of Sante Lucci, a Shaolin Master from Trieste.
Saverio pirouetted and destroyed the clothes horse. The very idea that that gem would end up above his father-in-law's fireplace in Rocca Raso made him feel sick.
The phone began ringing then quickly turned silent. Serena must have answered. Shortly after, he heard her shout: âSaverio, it's for you. Your cousin. Tell him the next time he calls at this hour I'll shove his teeth down his throat.â
The leader of the WB went back into the lounge room and put the sword in its box, picked up the cordless and answered in a rushed tone: âAntonio? What is it?â
âHey there, cousin. How's it going?â
âNot bad. What's the matter?â
âNothing. Actually, there is something. I need your help.â
That's all he needed. Didn't anyone think that even Saverio Moneta had troubles of his own, too? âNo, look . . . I'm up to my neck . . . I'm sorry.â
âWait. You don't have to do anything. I know you're busy. But every now and then I've seen you hanging out with a group of kids . . .â
He's seen me with the WB. I have to be more careful .
âI'm up shit creek. Four Poles left me hanging at the last minute, so I'm looking for fill-ins. They need to carry cases of wine, set up tables in the garden, clear away. Stuff like that. Hard workers, but well-behaved ones. Even if they don't have much experience, all they need is the will to work and no misbehaving.â
Antonio Zauli was the head waiter of Food for Fun , a catering company in the capital city, which, thanks to the
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