Read the First Chapter
Read the First Chapter
Every journey begins with a single page. Step into the streets of Genoa, where the ordinary quietly gives way to wonder.
Every journey begins with a single page. Step into the streets of Genoa, where the ordinary quietly gives way to wonder.
A Note from the Author
A Note from the Author
Thank you for being here.
This first chapter is my invitation into a city that changed my life and into a story I carried with me for years before finally writing it.
I hope you’ll enjoy the journey.
— Daria Di Francesco Maesa
Thank you for being here.
This first chapter is my invitation into a city that changed my life and into a story I carried with me for years before finally writing it.
I hope you’ll enjoy the journey.
— Daria Di Francesco Maesa
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Genoa, by night, is not the same city.
Genoa, by night, is not the same city.
By day, the caruggi are narrow, noisy, crowded with hanging laundry and children darting
By day, the caruggi are narrow, noisy, crowded with hanging laundry and children darting
between scooters. But as soon as darkness falls, they fold in on themselves, becoming
between scooters. But as soon as darkness falls, they fold in on themselves, becoming
winding veins that carry the pulse of the city itself. You cannot see the sea, yet you feel it:
winding veins that carry the pulse of the city itself. You cannot see the sea, yet you feel it:
salt that stings the throat, rust from the harbour, petrol. It’s as if the city’s truest soul
salt that stings the throat, rust from the harbour, petrol. It’s as if the city’s truest soul
only stirs in its nights.
only stirs in its nights.
I had just finished my shift at the bar. My hands still burned from dishes rinsed in haste,
I had just finished my shift at the bar. My hands still burned from dishes rinsed in haste,
and my ears rang with the clinking of glasses and overlapping voices. Sergio, the boss,
and my ears rang with the clinking of glasses and overlapping voices. Sergio, the boss,
had shut the till with his usual frown.
had shut the till with his usual frown.
“Try not to get yourself killed on the way home, ” he said, without a trace of irony. Then he
“Try not to get yourself killed on the way home, ” he said, without a trace of irony. Then he
switched off half the lights, leaving me to step out into the dark.
switched off half the lights, leaving me to step out into the dark.
Working there was survival, not choice. The bar paid my rent, my linguistics tuition fees,
Working there was survival, not choice. The bar paid my rent, my linguistics tuition fees,
a few second-hand books, and the medicine for the strays I rescued. I had chosen
a few second-hand books, and the medicine for the strays I rescued. I had chosen
speech therapy because I wanted to help children find their words again, to free the
speech therapy because I wanted to help children find their words again, to free the
sounds caught in their throats. Every shift behind the counter reminded me how fragile
sounds caught in their throats. Every shift behind the counter reminded me how fragile
that promise to myself was: to save, to heal, to give voice. But really—what else could I
that promise to myself was: to save, to heal, to give voice. But really—what else could I
do?
do?
I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders when I heard it.
I pulled my jacket tighter around my shoulders when I heard it.
A meow.
A meow.
Faint, almost a whimper.
Faint, almost a whimper.
I turned. In the alley to my left, between the shadows, I saw the cat: small, fur matted,
I turned. In the alley to my left, between the shadows, I saw the cat: small, fur matted,
one paw dragging, leaving behind a dark trail. It glanced at me once, then darted away.
one paw dragging, leaving behind a dark trail. It glanced at me once, then darted away.
“Hey, wait… ” I whispered, and without thinking, I followed.
“Hey, wait… ” I whispered, and without thinking, I followed.
The alley swallowed me whole.
The alley swallowed me whole.
Little light, and what little there was, flickered. The air smelled of mould and stale rain.
Little light, and what little there was, flickered. The air smelled of mould and stale rain.
The doors were locked with double bolts, the windows sealed behind heavy curtains.
The doors were locked with double bolts, the windows sealed behind heavy curtains.
There was no one there, and yet it felt as though every stone had eyes.
There was no one there, and yet it felt as though every stone had eyes.
That was when I saw her.
That was when I saw her.
A woman is leaning against the wall.
A woman is leaning against the wall.
Bare legs despite the cold, a thin jacket, lipstick too bright to hide her tired eyes. A
Bare legs despite the cold, a thin jacket, lipstick too bright to hide her tired eyes. A
prostitute. The kind you learn to recognise from behind. But that night she didn’t look
prostitute. The kind you learn to recognise from behind. But that night she didn’t look
through me with indifference. She held me with her eyes, with a smile wearier than tears.
through me with indifference. She held me with her eyes, with a smile wearier than tears.
“Sweetheart, this isn’t the hour for strolls, ” she said, her voice hoarse from smoke and
“Sweetheart, this isn’t the hour for strolls, ” she said, her voice hoarse from smoke and
nights.
nights.
“I’m looking for a cat, ” I stammered, like a childish excuse.
“I’m looking for a cat, ” I stammered, like a childish excuse.
She laughed softly, without malice.
She laughed softly, without malice.
“A cat? There are dozens around here. And plenty of female cats, too. ”
“A cat? There are dozens around here. And plenty of female cats, too. ”
I lowered my gaze, ready to move on, but she continued.
I lowered my gaze, ready to move on, but she continued.
“I had one, once. His name was Nerone. Sleek black, like velvet. His tail was crooked; I
“I had one, once. His name was Nerone. Sleek black, like velvet. His tail was crooked; I
always wondered why. He was the finest in the neighbourhood: when he walked by, the
always wondered why. He was the finest in the neighbourhood: when he walked by, the
others fled. He looked at me as though he understood everything. He was the only thing
others fled. He looked at me as though he understood everything. He was the only thing
that was mine. ”
that was mine. ”
She fell silent, and for a moment I glimpsed the girl she had been: younger, perhaps with
She fell silent, and for a moment I glimpsed the girl she had been: younger, perhaps with
the same lipstick, but with a room of her own, a door to shut.
the same lipstick, but with a room of her own, a door to shut.
“The first time I stood here, ” she went on, “it was as cold as tonight. I was nineteen. My
“The first time I stood here, ” she went on, “it was as cold as tonight. I was nineteen. My
legs shook, not just from the chill. I thought someone would come for me. That the man
legs shook, not just from the chill. I thought someone would come for me. That the man
I’d run away with would keep his promise. He never came back. No one ever does,
I’d run away with would keep his promise. He never came back. No one ever does,
sweetheart. Not even cats. ”
sweetheart. Not even cats. ”
She lit a cigarette with thin fingers.
She lit a cigarette with thin fingers.
“They took Nerone away when I had to leave the house. I never had the courage to keep
“They took Nerone away when I had to leave the house. I never had the courage to keep
another. If you lose them, you can’t put yourself back together. ”
another. If you lose them, you can’t put yourself back together. ”
I didn’t know what to say. She lowered her gaze, and her voice faltered, as though lost in
I didn’t know what to say. She lowered her gaze, and her voice faltered, as though lost in
a memory too vast.
a memory too vast.
“People think we’ve no heart, ” she whispered. “But I never stopped thinking about him. I
“People think we’ve no heart, ” she whispered. “But I never stopped thinking about him. I
miss him more than some of the men I’ve had. ”
miss him more than some of the men I’ve had. ”
I had no answer. That bare confession clung to me like the stale wine smell of the bar.
I had no answer. That bare confession clung to me like the stale wine smell of the bar.
She shook her head, exhaling smoke upwards.
She shook her head, exhaling smoke upwards.
She laughed again, but the laugh died in her throat.
She laughed again, but the laugh died in her throat.
“Go, sweetheart. Don’t waste time. You’ve still got things worth saving. ”
“Go, sweetheart. Don’t waste time. You’ve still got things worth saving. ”
I was already shaken when I walked on, following the mew that drifted further ahead.
I was already shaken when I walked on, following the mew that drifted further ahead.
The cat was waiting under an arch. It was limping. But it wasn’t alone.
The cat was waiting under an arch. It was limping. But it wasn’t alone.
At first, I thought there was a man. Tall, motionless, his face hidden in the dark. Only his
At first, I thought there was a man. Tall, motionless, his face hidden in the dark. Only his
skin stood out—too pale, almost luminescent. He spoke in a low voice, and for a
skin stood out—too pale, almost luminescent. He spoke in a low voice, and for a
moment I thought he was speaking to the cat.
moment I thought he was speaking to the cat.
Then I realised. He wasn’t talking to the cat.
Then I realised. He wasn’t talking to the cat.
He was talking to himself.
He was talking to himself.
Or to someone I couldn’t see.
Or to someone I couldn’t see.
His lips moved slowly, as if listening to silent replies. Now and then, he tilted his head,
His lips moved slowly, as if listening to silent replies. Now and then, he tilted his head,
and I swear his shadow, cast on the wall, didn’t quite match his gestures. As if it were
and I swear his shadow, cast on the wall, didn’t quite match his gestures. As if it were
detached, independent.
detached, independent.
My heart jolted. I couldn’t tell if it was fear or attraction.
My heart jolted. I couldn’t tell if it was fear or attraction.
The cat meowed louder, as if calling me. I scooped it up, ignoring the blood staining my
The cat meowed louder, as if calling me. I scooped it up, ignoring the blood staining my
sleeve. When I looked up again, the man was gone. Only the empty alley, the frozen
sleeve. When I looked up again, the man was gone. Only the empty alley, the frozen
night, and a chill that did not belong to the air.
night, and a chill that did not belong to the air.
I ran, clutching the cat to my chest.
I ran, clutching the cat to my chest.
The 24-hour veterinary clinic was just ahead, near an always-lit petrol station. The
The 24-hour veterinary clinic was just ahead, near an always-lit petrol station. The
sliding doors opened, letting me step into warmth and the sharp scent of disinfectant.
sliding doors opened, letting me step into warmth and the sharp scent of disinfectant.
Behind the counter stood Matteo. Green scrubs, deep shadows under his eyes, a
Behind the counter stood Matteo. Green scrubs, deep shadows under his eyes, a
rebellious tuft of hair that never stayed down. When he saw me, his eyes lit up as always;
rebellious tuft of hair that never stayed down. When he saw me, his eyes lit up as always;
in that way, he couldn’t hide.
in that way, he couldn’t hide.
“You again, ” he said, and the smile escaped before he could stop it. “And again with a
“You again, ” he said, and the smile escaped before he could stop it. “And again with a
half-dead creature. ”
half-dead creature. ”
“I found him in the alleys, ” I explained, breathless. “I couldn’t just leave him there. ”
“I found him in the alleys, ” I explained, breathless. “I couldn’t just leave him there. ”
He shook his head, taking the cat with a gentleness that almost hurt.
He shook his head, taking the cat with a gentleness that almost hurt.
“You do know you can’t save the whole world on your own, right?”
“You do know you can’t save the whole world on your own, right?”
“Maybe not. But at least I can try. ”
“Maybe not. But at least I can try. ”
He hesitated, watching me as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the
He hesitated, watching me as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the
courage. Then he lowered his gaze to the cat, who mewed faintly.
courage. Then he lowered his gaze to the cat, who mewed faintly.
“You… you’re different, you know that?” he said quietly. “Sometimes I think you’ve got
“You… you’re different, you know that?” he said quietly. “Sometimes I think you’ve got
more heart than this entire city put together. ”
more heart than this entire city put together. ”
I blushed, looking away. I didn’t want him to see my embarrassed smile. But inside me,
I blushed, looking away. I didn’t want him to see my embarrassed smile. But inside me,
stronger than the heat in my cheeks, lingered that whisper I had heard in the caruggi:
stronger than the heat in my cheeks, lingered that whisper I had heard in the caruggi:
There’s no need to resist anymore.
There’s no need to resist anymore.
And I wondered if it had only been an illusion, or if, truly, among those ancient stones,
And I wondered if it had only been an illusion, or if, truly, among those ancient stones,
someone had already begun to speak to me.
someone had already begun to speak to me.
The Journey Has Only Just Begun
The Journey Has Only Just Begun
If this first chapter has drawn you into the world of The Tide Chronicles, there is much more waiting beyond the next page.
If this first chapter has drawn you into the world of The Tide Chronicles, there is much more waiting beyond the next page.