A Storm in Venice

I walk by the small canal, coming back home after the hundredth ball this season... It is known how life is in Venice, no need to be ashamed.

Us "important" peoples will be partying all year round, but there are some periods more intense than others... Especially during the Carnival.

We might look superficial and mundane, maybe we are afterall... A typical Venetian youngster will wake up and spend an hour or more getting ready to be as flamboyant as possible, then they'll head to Florian as usual for a luxurious breakfast fitting for a rich brat. Meet up with friends and stroll around or head to "work" at the family's business... Then once the sun sets, it's time to enjoy life!

I'm a bit of a waste of society myself, my family still holds onto their Noble name even tho we don't have a single penny to our name.

...

I look at the ripples of the water, dark but shiny thanks to the lanterns at the side of the street... I look at my reflection -Ah I'm a total mess- the blond hair are a mess, I remember tying them at my neck's height and curling my bangs but now it's all gone...

The Carnival hasn't even officially started yet, and here I am being already like this. Disgusting! That's why I'm mocked from around every corner of Venice... I go to every event existing, hopeful to rise our notoriousness again, but always end up half drunk on some street after slapping one disgusting old man who reached his hands too far.

I recall some of these events while cleaning the side of my lips, where smeared lipstick blends in with a freshly done bruise.

Beside my head's reflection there seems to be a figure standing on top of a roof, I looks at it dancing on the water before rubbing my eyes and it's gone -Nice! Now I'm even seeing things...! What a failure of a person I am- I sigh and turn around, still looking down.

The bells of a nearby church rings 3 times in the distance.

Once my eyes rise I find myself face to face with someone who clearly wasn't there a second ago. I jump back a bit and lose my stability but that person reaches out a gloved hand and prevents me from falling into the canal.

I look at him once the fear has subsided. Tall with broad shoulders but still slender... The skin is almost silvery for how pale he is, the lips are slightly tinted in a dark red shade and long black hair lays on his chest. A black lace and metal mask covers his face, along the hood of his cloak, but his two piercing red eyes still peak through the darkness.

The corner of his lips moves in a subtle smile and the black gem shining on his collar catches my eyes next, but the man probably had different plans and pushes my chin up with a finger -Do you need help?- his voice is the auditory representation of velvet... Deep red fabric, like blood pumping in one's heart... Shining maliciously like the sea under the moon.

I can't even reply for how astonished I am -I know that you do... I also know how to help you- he says with a hint of alluring seduction in his tone -I... Uhm...- he ignores my hesitation -Once the Carnival starts, go to the church and pray. After that enter the plaza and ask The Duke of Savoia to dance with you, then once the bells rings 3 times in the night you have to kiss him-

His words sounds absurd to my ears. The Duke of Savoia? That one cold Piedmontese man who's living in Venice for who knows reason? That man barely even shows his face in public if not to hang around the priests, how could I ever approach him? Me, who look like pure trash in his eyes?

I've seen that man in the distance a few times, he dresses in black only and his clothes are always so simple and neat... The only thing that stands out is that white Rosary always between his fingers. He's too holy to agree to a dance with me.

Now that I think about it, I've never seen his face before...

-Why?- is all I manage to say -Just obey me- he smirks and takes a step back -Wait... Who are y...?!- I reach and hand forward but the man dissolves into hundreds of black butterflies

"What...?"

I admire the small creatures untill they all disappear and the darkness they held goes away as the lanterns turns back on and the sound of waves is back...

A chill runs down my spine and I immediately hug myself -What did I just witness?!- I touch my forehead, both shoulders and heart before joining my hands in a pray -Lord above please protect me, I might not be a good catholic but please save me from this devil!-

Was it one of those demons in the Bible? Or was it a Vampire? Maybe a ghost? I never knew such things existed and I still don't believe it fully... Still what I saw couldn't be explained in any other way than "supernatural".

I sigh -Ah... Maybe I should really reach out to that cold savoian Duke and ask him to bless me!- I intertwine my fingers and look above in the night sky -Lord above, I swear I'll abandon my immoral life and become a firm believer of yours if you protect me this time!!!-

A flash about that duke comes back to me, I saw him kissing a high priest's hand once and kneel down to pray. He looked very fervent as he muttered words in a low voice with that necklace in his hands...

-Do I really have to do what that creature said? Maybe that Noble man will help me if I beg hard enough in front of the Basilica of San Marco, it's not like I have much pride left nor anything to lose... But what if he's really one of those creatures who seeks joy in human's despair?! I might crawl on the ground in front of that Duke for his fun and even get killed for coming near such a clean person!- I scream biting my nails nervously -What do I do?!- I grab onto the handrails of the bridge I'm walking on and see again the reflection of that man on a roof, just for a second before it's gone.

-Maybe I've dreamed it all... Or one of those old dogs put something in my drink, everyday there's someone trying to drag me into their bed in exchange of money. I might be shameless and poor but I have some kind of limits too!- I become red for the rage I'm feeling but soon it becomes embarrassment as a grandma opens a window and empties her night vase into the canal...

I remain still and take a deep breath once she's gone -That was embarrassing... Wait, why am I the one embarrassed?! We have some kind of sewer system in this city, she's the one who should be ashamed!- I reach to grab a little rock and throw it on her window -All those money and you can't even follow basic human decency?! Give some of those money to me!- I half scream, not really wanting to be discovered but just to let out my agitation from the recent events

-Go to sleep, waste of society!- shouts someone else, making me blush again -Ah fine, I'll just throw myself in the lagoon one of these days- I sob while walking back home, knowing too well how terrible my life is and that I'll never be able to rise back up again...