Page 59 of Marcello

Buzzcut looked at me like I was utterly insane.

Then he and Lametta looked at each other –

And burst out laughing again.

“This guy!” Buzzcut said to Lametta between belly laughs, like Can you BELIEVE this shit?! “This fuckin’ guy!”

“Well?” I asked.

Buzzcut’s laughter faded to a chuckle. “You can do whatever the fuck you want, but I can guarantee you that if you shoot him in the ass, he’s gonna shoot you in the fuckin’ head.”

“…oh,” I said, deflated. “So… you’re saying I should probably shoot to kill.”

“Yeah,” Buzzcut said sarcastically. “Probably so.”

I took a deep breath and thought of my picture of Mama, Edoardo, and Gemma.

It was tucked in my wallet at that very moment.

All that mattered to me were the three of them –

Nothing else.

“…okay,” I agreed.

This is the part of the movie where the hero sells his soul to save the people he loves.

“Huh,” Buzzcut said, like he was slightly impressed. Then he got down to business. “I don’t know if you clocked it, but there’s a security camera by the church door.”

“I saw it.”

“Put your hood and sunglasses on so they won’t be able to identify you later from the footage.”

I followed his instructions.

Buzzcut nodded his approval, then said to Lametta, “Take out your piece.”

Lametta reached into his pocket and pulled out a small revolver.

“Wipe it down,” Buzzcut ordered, “and give it to him so he has to hold it by the barrel.”

Lametta reacted like his feelings were hurt. “Hey!”

Buzzcut fixed him with a cold, psychopathic stare.

Lametta glumly wiped everything down and held the gun out.

“Take the gun by the barrel,” Buzzcut ordered me. “You try to put your finger on the trigger and I’ll fuckin’ kill you right here.”

I took the gun by the barrel and held it like that. “You want me to walk over there with the gun out in the open like this?”

“No,” Buzzcut said contemptuously, “put it in the pocket of your hoodie. Once you’re past those kids, turn it around.”

I put the gun in my sweatshirt pocket while still holding onto the barrel.

“You ever use a gun before?” Buzzcut asked.

“No.”