Chapter 30 - Desappearing in the darkness

Truth be told, taking care of a child was not an easy task. Especially if it wasn't yours. A policeman's job involved a range of options, one of which was looking after those who went missing or got lost.

― What do you need, Detective?

― I want you to see if there are any missing persons reported in the last week. I have a boy, about seven years old, missing in the park ― Giovani whispered, keeping his eye on the child who was playing with his stuffed animal without caring about himself ― I think he must have run away from home, since he doesn't want to say anything at all. Can you do that for me?

― As soon as I find something I will call you then!

Turning off his mobile phone, the detective tidied his hair, noticing the sunset. Was it already that late? What should he do? He would probably have to take the boy to the police station until they found his parents and sorted the whole matter out. But there was a possibility that one of them was in the park looking for him.

Sitting down on the bench beside the boy, Giovani watched him carefully and was ignored by him. There was no trace of concern in that boy, it was as if for him the best thing was to stay with strangers. Well, he had won his sympathy by buying him an ice cream shortly after Leonardo left for college.

While he was stuck in his thoughts, he only came out of them when he noticed the child's downcast look.

― What is it? Do you want to go back home now?

― I don't have a home.

It was a surprise that those words finally rang out. Giovani squatted down on the bench, looking curiously at the boy.

― You don't? And where have you lived until now?

― I don't want to talk ― replied the boy with a pout on his lips.

Okay, he was already loose enough to throw a little tantrum. Giovani was relieved by that one measly positive.

― Did they do something bad to you? ― the detective asked, taking a relaxed stance on the bench.

The boy stopped playing with the rabbit and squeezed it with his little fingers. Gritting his teeth, it was clear that he had found some wound and he was about to poke at it. But he couldn't be too thirsty. If he was greedy for answers, the boy would lose confidence and would not be able to help him at all.

― There are still a few hours until the park closes and everyone has to leave.

― Can't I come with you, Uncle?

Giovani stroked the boy's hair.

― Uncle is still going to work, like a dog.

The boy laughed, seeming to revel in his own imagination.

― Why, Detective Monteccello, are you still here?

A shiver ran down Giovani's spine. The park administrator always seemed to find him in the midst of his wanderings and inspections. Or always appearing when he talked to that trainee. As if he was always watching his every move.

It was definitely uncomfortable.

― Mr. Administrator ― Greeted the detective back.

― Vicente, you can call me Vicente. But this boy is the one from earlier.

Arching his eyebrow in the direction of the boy who had shrugged on his arm, Giovani sighed heavily. He was afraid of the administrator, he wouldn't judge him for that. His attire alone was enough to make him suspicious.

― The trainee boy said he had met him at the circus. I'm thinking of some way to find his parents.

― Oh, right. Should I have the security team check it out?

― That would be helpful. In the meantime, I'll stay with the boy.

Vicente had crossed his arms looking innocent in person, although his question sounded a bit strange to the detective's ears.

― And what do you intend to do if you don't find him until the park closes?

― I'll take it to the police station, obviously.

The boy squeezed Giovani's arm, avoiding looking at the administrator. He had noticed this peculiar act, but the detective had not expressed such a perception. He remained neutral as if he didn't see anything. Mainly because Vicente kept smiling pretending not to notice either.

He was the administrator of the whole Dreamland, certainly having several eyes and ears scattered just to watch him. He should keep his composure regardless of being near or far from Vicente.

― Then I will ask the security team to find out if there are any parents looking for a lost child.

Even after the administrator's departure, neither the detective nor the child could relax.

Vicente's presence was always enigmatic. For Giovani it was as if his polite smile was hiding some secret that left his senses completely messed up. He was alert and suspicious in his presence. This was how he usually felt when faced with a possible suspect in a case.

― Uncle, I don't want to go.

The murmur went almost unnoticed. Giovani touched the child's head again, smiling slightly.

― It's gonna be alright. I'm with you, kid.

The boy was pale and hugging the rabbit and his arm. Probably scared. Holding his hand, Giovani took him for a walk in the park to calm him down. If he asked any questions while he was in that state, it could ruin the chances of helping him.

By his evasion of questions about his parents and home, Giovani maintained the hypothesis that this boy had suffered abuse and parental violence. By the state of his clothes, and even his stuffed animal, it was the most obvious answer.

He could not let a child go to such an unsuitable and disgusting home. Yet he had no proof of his suspicions either. This was definitely a difficult case. It would involve the guardianship council, lawyers and a hearing... God, bureaucratic processes were a pain to endure.

In the middle of his task of calming a boy down, Giovani noticed that the evening in the park was getting colder. He had to buy a sweatshirt to keep the child warm and keep him on his heels so he wouldn't get out of sight. And when the sky had darkened, the typical mist of the mountain area was starting to become present.

The announcement of the circus show sounded through the loudspeakers, and the audience began to disperse.

― Uncle, are we also going to see the circus?

― Should we? ― asked the detective, tilting his head gently to the side.

― They have magicians there, don't they?

― I think so, yes. Well... It can't be that bad.

A circus used to be interesting for a child, no? Although Giovani didn't like performances much since he was there on business, it would allow him to get out of his routine only once. And for that reason, justified by keeping a lost child calm, he had gone to the box office to buy the tickets.

He wasn't a fan of the circus, but since it had a large number of people it would be good to be there. If the child liked the circus and his parents knew about it, there might be a possibility that they were in the audience. That way the detective could find out for himself how trustworthy the parents could seem.

Without letting go of the child's hand, the two entered the entrance line. It took them a while to get through the entrance of the tent and sit in the last row of the bleachers. The boy looked from one side to the other completely fascinated.

Giovani was anxious to know what kind of show it was. From the leaflet he had received at the entrance, it had something to do with puppets. A single toy of an abandoned child that gains life and shows a magic world to its owner, in order to give him the hope of happiness.

Wasn't that show old?

― Uncle, Uncle, it's going to start, look at that! ― said the excited child, tugging at Giovani's sleeve.

The lights went out and the spotlights focused on the stage. The band had begun to play and the show had begun. Giovani crossed his arms without looking interested in that kind of performance. His senses were more occupied in dividing themselves in the presence of the boy beside him and in the audience that surrounded them.

Thanks to the poor lighting he could not see perfectly, although the people close to him could not take their eyes off the stage. Of course, there were no desperate fathers or mothers around.

Every now and then Giovani caught himself watching the performances. When he heard the admiring sighs of the boy next to him, he realised he was keeping his guard down and tried to go back to paying attention to the people around him. That place definitely didn't suit him, he couldn't relax and was already irritated by his high and low levels of concentration.

― Uncle, I need to go to the bathroom ― whispered the boy.

Giovani did not pay much attention and only nodded, pointing to the exit of the tent where there could be a bathroom. The boy jumped out of his armchair following the indicated path, with the detective still watching the audience.

Noticing the empty seat next to him after a few minutes, Giovani soon went into high alert. He searched around for any sign of the absent boy before quickly getting up and running outside towards the bathroom. He checked each booth without finding the little boy.

― What the fuck...

He had gone back inside the circus and passed the stairs, the surrounding area without finding even a shadow of the boy. All the people seemed completely attentive to the show without noticing his desperate presence.

Could it be that he had left the tent?

In hurried steps, Giovani left the tent, his eyes widening as he noticed the dense fog surrounding the circus. Like a grey velvet curtain preventing him from even seeing the tents and containers that were behind the circus.

― Calm down Giovani ... Calm down ― he whispered to himself, stroking his forehead ― What do you remember about this place? Tents, trailers and tents spread out behind. A child could easily hide in this place... Okay, here we go.

Trusting in his memory and cognitive mapping, Giovani had started to walk in the middle of the darkness. He had never seen such a phenomenon in all his life, although he knew it was common to have fog and mist at dawn. But not at that level.

It was impossible to see even ten paces around him.

The more he found some recognisable tent from his surveys, the more confidence the detective gained in his memory.

It was cold and silent, worthy of a horror movie setting.

― Lucas! Lucas where are you? ― He started to shout, hoping that his voice would reach the boy faster than his steps ― Lucas!

No answers.

He hadn't done anything so bad to the boy that he tried to hide from you. Should he try to go another way?

Peering into his eyes, already irritated, Giovani turned the other way and went away from the tents. He continued to call the boy's name and forced his vision to try to find something beyond the darkness. As the tents and the foremen's tents became more distant, the cold surrounded him.

He had reached the point where nothing appeared around him.

Even so, he forced himself to keep wandering.

Until his shoes kicked up a dirty and torn stuffed rabbit that was lying in the grass.