Free Tweedledum and Tweedledee by Willow Rose

Animals? It was impossible to tell. But as time went by, he started more and more to regard them as mere animals. Even if he still listened to them talk to each other at night, not understanding one single word.
    He had bought himself a whip and a bull hook like those used to dressage big animals like elephants. With that in his hand, he didn't risk the twins attacking him when he transported them from one place to another. He had to use it a few times, but mostly to gain respect from them. Maraldi was slightly terrified of the twins, as well as fascinated. They were making him a lot of money, but he was also afraid they would cause his death some day.
    He never once worried that they might be taken away from him. But that was exactly what happened. One day, when he was loading his truck after a show well-done, someone sneaked up behind him and put a gun to his face.
    "Put them up," the voice said.
    "I don't have any money on me," he lied.
    "This is not about the money," the voice hissed.
    "Then what is it about?"
    A face appeared next to him. Maraldi gasped. "You!"
    "Hello there, Officer Maraldi. I heard you’ve been looking for me," said Mama Florea, the woman known as the leader of the Slovenski Gang. She was known to be a notorious criminal who would kill any of her gang-members if they didn't bring home enough money. She wouldn't hesitate to kill him as well. Maraldi knew he had to be careful.
    "What do you want?" he snorted.
    "You have something that belongs to me," Mama Florea said.
    "And just what might that be?" Maraldi asked. He wondered if she was talking about the money he had made tonight. It was all in the truck. He wasn't going to give it up without a fight. That was certain.
    "The boys," Mama Florea said with her deep rusty voice. "Your precious Spider-boys. They're mine. I paid a lot of money for them. You’ve had your fun with them. Now I'm taking them home. "
    Maraldi's hands were shaking in anger, but he knew he had lost. It was him up against an entire gang of ruthless gypsies. He knew what they were capable of. He had seen their victims.
    "So, if you don't mind, I'll just take them now and be on my way," Mama Florea said. She signaled someone and two men came forward.
    "Take them," Mama Florea said.
    The men did as they were told and Maraldi could do nothing but watch as his golden goose was carried away from him. Mama Florea looked at him, then smiled at the guy holding the gun.
    "Now hurt him. No one steals from Mama Florea and gets away with it."
    The old woman turned her back on Maraldi while the man with the gun pointed it at Maraldi's leg and pulled the trigger.
     

22
    April 2014
    F RANCESCA A LESSANDRINO WOKE UP when the ship took off again.
    Finally, she thought to herself and looked over at her parents who were both sound asleep in the other bed.
    It was past midnight and, as usual, they had all been in bed by ten-thirty. Tonight was worse than ever and they had both wanted to go to bed before ten. They demanded that all lights were out and Francesca wasn't even allowed to watch TV or play games on her iPad, since the light from it woke them up .
    At the age of thirteen Francesca was getting increasingly more annoyed with her parents. First of all, they were too old. None of her friend's parents were this old. Her mother had been in her mid-forties when she had her and her dad was ten years older. Second, they never let her do anything fun. When her classmates went to the youth club on Friday nights, she was always told to stay home and watch old films and shows on TV with her parents.
    "You don't need to be running out at night," her father said.
    "It's over at ten o'clock in the evening, Dad," she had argued so many times, but it was no use.
    "We never did that in my youth," her mother always said.
    Maybe because you were young in the seventies!
    Her parents were so extremely boring and now they had taken her on this boring cruise. It was nice and all and the suite was great, but Francesca