The Sirens Cry

Though the morning was still young, the sun had already begun to beat down on Toni,
causing his brow to glisten with sweat. Toni urged his little boat forward, hoping that increasing
the speed would create a cooling breeze. The motor spluttered in protest- she was old and tired
from a long life at sea. Toni knew the motor worked fine; he had just filled it with oil last night,
and even though that was hours ago the smell still clung to his hands. Toni coaxed his boat into
action and they sped farther into the great blue expanse that lay before them, whipping up a
salty sea breeze. If Toni still had hair, it wouldve flown behind him in ecstasy. But he was bald
now, and the only thing that surfed the air were the seagulls, squawking in mirth as they seemed
to mock the man for his baldness. But Toni didnt let that bother him; the sky was a brilliant blue
and so too was the sea, and right where the two wouldve met there lay the city of Venice. Toni
could see the bell tower in St. Marcos square from here as it stood watching over the
waterlogged city, as it had for many centuries.
People all over the world loved Venice- they loved its canals, the gondolas, the bridges,
the Italian culture, and of course they loved the Venetian cuisine. Every morning Toni rose at the
crack of dawn to provide the city with fresh seafood. Every morning Toni would leave his worn-
down cottage by the sea, careful not to wake his wife and children, and board his boat. Every
morning as the sun rose, painting the sky with its rays, Toni would navigate the treacherous
waters towards Venice and sell his catches to vendors in the fish market. Then Toni would return
home with all that Venice deemed unworthy: the ugly fish, the discoloured clams, and Toni
himself. He would wake up the next day and repeat the process, always in the shadow of the
citys skyline.
But today was different. He was to do something important today, the sea had told him
as much. This morning he had followed the gulls to a sandbar sheltered by a few large rocks. It
hadnt been easy to maneuver his boat between the rocks, the driftwood, and the reefs; he was
lucky that the sea had been so still, so calm, as if it had held its breath in anticipation, hoping he
arrived at his destination. When Toni arrived at the sandbar hed found a treasure trove of
delicious razor clams, and he harvested nearly a hundred before realizing the time. If he didnt
leave now it wouldnt matter how good his wares were, hed be late to the market. But somehow
Toni made it out of the sandbar and realized he was closer to Venice than he thought. Today
was indeed strange- Toni could feel it. The sea hummed a strange tune as it guided his boat
towards Venice with undue haste.
Toni arrived at the fish market earlier than hed anticipated. He felt himself overcome by
a wave of confidence instead of the usual wave of dread he wouldnt sell his wares, that he
couldnt support his family. Venice woke up very suddenly; and, as if it were high tide, a surge of
people flooded the market, filling it with the hum of avid conversation. The peoples sweat
mingled with the odour of fish, producing a smell so powerful Toni could taste it. Two prominent
vendors saw Tonis wares and both demanded his clams. Today Toni didnt play it safe: he
coaxed them into a bidding war, and by the time the other vendor backed off hed made a hefty
sum of money. Toni started packing up his boat, tuning out the noise of the market by imaging
what hed do with all this money. Maybe his wifes face would light up with joy as he told her this
news, and he could hold her in his arms, sharing their glee. Maybe that would mend the hole in
their relationship, bridge the gap between them. Maybe
Just then, Tonis thoughts were interrupted.
Hey, Toni! A familiar voice cried. It was Tonis younger brother, Joe.
Joe, Toni responded coolly, approaching his brother. He went in for a hug, but his
brother shook his hand. He didnt want Tonis fish smell on his new jacket. Toni noticed a large
gold ring on his brothers hand.
Toni looked at his younger brother. They hadnt spoken for years, not since their
mothers funeral. Joe was dressed in an expensive black suit, his dark hair slicked back with
grease. Joe was smiling, but the smile didn't reach his dark, cold eyes. He seemed so out of
place in the lively market.
Hows it going, mio fratello? Hows the wife? The kids? Joe asked. Toni grew
suspicious; Joe hardly knew his wifes name, or even how many kids Toni had.
Just great, Joe, Toni lied.
Well, thats good. Hey brother, how about we get a drink? Celebrate that huge lump of
dough you made, huh?
Toni frowned. He hadnt mentioned the money to Joe. With a sinking feeling, Toni
realized Joe had probably sponsored todays bidding war. Crushed, Toni followed Joe into the
heart of the city. Toni felt anxious to be so far from his boat, but then again, he also felt uneasy
about his brother. They sat in a booth in the corner of the bar, facing each other. Toni decided to
speak first, desperate for a handhold in this conversation.
You were behind the money I made today, werent you, Joe? Toni asked. He felt so out of
place in his dirty fishing clothes. He hoped Joe couldnt see that on his face.
Joe ignored his brother and ordered two shots of grappa. He downed them both.
Toni, mio fratello, youre a very skilled fisherman. You work hard to put food on your
table, keep a roof over your familys head. I admire that.
Toni ordered himself a grappa. So you were.
 Joe sighed. Consider it a down payment brother. The first, smaller payment Im willing
to give you.
I dont want your charity, Joe. I dont even know how youve gotten all this money in the
first place.
Forgedaboudit, Joe muttered, Toni, youre the only man for the job. No one knows the
sea like you do, brother. Plus, Joe added, Do you really want your kids to live in that shack of
yours all their life?
Toni sighed. More money would make life easier. So how much did you say youd pay
me?
Joe laughed. I knew you were a man of business! But before I give you a price, I need
to know you can do the job. I need a place out in the sea that no one knows about, no one goes
to. Sheltered, like. You know a place like that?
Toni nodded, thinking of his sandbar with the razor clams. I do.
Show me.

Toni was relieved to have gotten rid of his brother. It was only when he was alone on his
boat could Toni truly relax. Even the sea had been agitated by Joes strange presence; it had
churned uneasily underneath the two of them, causing the water to grow rough and navigation
to become difficult. It was almost as if the water hadnt wanted Toni to share his spot. Joe had
laughed when Toni voiced his thoughts, saying he spent too much time on his boat. His
brothers laugh echoed off the waves, blending with the seagulls cries. Danger, danger, danger.
His brother had been pleased by the spot: how it was hidden, how it was difficult to
reach, how it wasnt too far from Venice. Joe told Toni that he would meet him at the docks
around midnight, and not to breathe a word of their mission to anyone. Though he was
perturbed by this, Toni agreed to keep his brothers secret. And now Toni was alone, the sea
gently rocking his boat in her arms. Toni was grateful for the seas solace and her gentleness,
which, when coupled with the calming power of wine which he drank from the bottle, helped Toni
steel himself against whatever the night may bring.

Joe rolled up to the docks in a sleek black car. The windows were tinted almost black,
but when Joe stepped out of the car he noticed two other men in the back seat.
Joe didnt bother greeting his brother. You cant use your boat for this, Toni.
Toni frowned. Why not?
 Joe hesitated. Finally, he responded. That old motor is too loud, we cant use it if we
want to go unnoticed.
Well, how else can we get to sea?
Joe looked around the docks. There were about a dozen sheds which stored different
fishermens boats.
Take someone elses boat, Joe said simply. Toni seemed taken aback.
Come on Toni, Joe hissed. He was losing too much time. There must be someone you
dont like, someone with a boat thatll do.
Toni paused, thinking. Hed never liked Angelo, the rich owner of a five-star hotel in
Venice. Angelo rarely used his expensive boat, and he had no love for the ocean. Hed once
asked Toni to look after his boat, his tone of voice suggesting Toni needed the extra money. Toni
was too proud to work for such a pompous man, so the job had been taken up by one of Tonis
neighbours. Toni told Joe which shed to break into, and one of the men came out of the car and
swiftly cut off the lock. The other man quickly disarmed the boats alarm, and soon Toni had the
engine up and running. The boat hardly made a sound. Joe opened the cars trunk and his two
hired thugs pulled a large object out of the car. It was wrapped in fishing net, obscured by the
night. They placed the tangle of nets into the boat without care and the boat lurched violently.
The contents of the nets were heavy, whatever they were. One of the thugs clambered into the
boat, but Joe remained on shore.
Anchors Aweigh, Joe said solemnly. Toni nodded and spurred the boat forward.

Though the moon was shining brightly, the journey towards the sandbar had not been
easy. The water was antsy underneath the boats hull, the boat that the sea wasnt familiar with
and therefore didnt trust. Toni was uneasy with the lack of noise. He missed his boats familiar
hums and groans, and though he strained his ears he couldnt hear the waves murmur to one
another.
After what seemed like eons the unlikely duo reached the sandbar. The thug rose
without a word, gesturing for Toni to help him. Toni grabbed one end of the net, fighting the urge
to peer into its depths. Toni had a bad feeling about this entire operation and wanted to know as
little as possible. The pair of them hauled the net overboard, but as it tumbled into the sea the
contents shifted. Through a hole in the net Toni saw a glazed eye staring straight into his,
illuminated by the moonlight, a look of horror frozen on the cold, dead face. Tonis stomach leapt
into his throat and he felt all the colour drain from his face. He figured he must look like the poor
man who slept with the fish. The body Toni was helping to dispose of. Toni took a deep breath of
the cool sea breeze, trying to calm himself down. The salty air filled his mouth, masking the
taste of his tears. Then Toni remembered himself and guided the boat back to shore.

Toni hadnt managed to get any sleep. By the time he returned to Joe and returned
home with his handsome reward, his blood money, the birds had already begun their morning
serenade, urging the sun to rise. Toni usually left the house at this time of day, as opposed to
entering it as he did now. To his surprise, his wife Maria was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting
for him. Toni saw an empty bottle of wine beside her.
Antonio Sergio Adriatico, where in Gods name have you been? His wife shouted.
Calma-te, Maria, Toni whispered, urging Maria to remain calm. He knew it was in vain.
I think not! Where were you tonight? You missed Lauras birthday!
Tonis heart sank. How could he forget the birthday of his youngest daughter?
Im so sorry, Maria. You know I am. Ill make it up to her, Ill take her to a show in
Venice.
And where are you going to find the money for that? Maria hissed. Toni showed her the
briefcase full of lire which his brother had given him. But to his dismay, this only incited Marias
rage.
What, were you out at the casino all night? She demanded, jabbing Toni in the chest
with an accusatory finger. Where did this money come from, huh? She jabbed Toni again. I
dont trust it, Toni!
Damn it, woman! Toni shouted, his face hot with rage, Im trying to provide for our
family!
A family needs a father, Toni! Maria wailed.
It was as if Toni wasnt in control of his own actions, he couldnt find himself through the
fog of rage clouding his mind. He had only done that awful thing for them, for his family. Why
couldnt she see that? Maria was still screaming at him, and without fully realizing what he was
doing, Toni slapped Maria across the cheek. Horrified with himself, he backed away. Maria
stared at him, her face tight with hurt.
Get out, She commanded, her voice shaking, Now.
And so Toni ran out of the house, hanging his head in shame. What had overcome him,
what had caused him to act like this? Toni wanted to go back to his boat, to push out to sea and
allow the cold salty air to numb his mind. But he didnt want to go back out to the open water,
not quite yet. With a heavy heart, Toni slunk back to the docks and opened the door to his boat
shed. It was only then, when he was safely out of sight, did he stop holding back his tears.

Toni had fallen asleep in his boat, as hed done it many times before. Toni loved the
feeling of being cradled by the sea, feeling the waves rock him to sleep. It comforted him- a
feeling he was in desperate need of. This morning the sea was rough, but that hadnt been what
disrupted Tonis slumber. There was a huge commotion at the docks: men shouting at one
another, boats stalling, frantic calls being made. Toni opened the shed door, squinting at the
bright morning light. But the suns rays werent the only lights dancing off the water; Toni saw
red and blue lights reflecting off its surface, heard the shrill cry of sirens cutting through the air. A
cold wave of realization washed over Toni: the police were going to the village. Paralyzed with
fright, Toni watched from the docks as they broke down his neighbours door. Not long after, the
officers dragged a frightened Luigi out of his home as his six children watched in horror. Luigi
had looked after that rich bastards boat to help support those kids, and now he might not see
them for a very long time.
Toni felt sick. He was responsible for this, for stealing a boat, dumping a body, linking
this innocent man to such a crime. And at what gain? He had missed his daughters birthday, hit
his wife, disappointed his entire family. How could he face the village again when he had
singlehandedly subjected it to such a plague of misfortune? Toni looked upon the sea for
guidance, but he could glean nothing from her briney depths. She had gone silent, but the gulls
hadnt. They circled overhead, crying villain, villain, villain. Toni knew they were right; he knew
he would never be able to set sail without those birds reminding him of what hed done.
Toni watched the gulls flight: they flew over the sea, which sparkled in the mornings
light. They flew off in the distance, far from this shabby fishing village. They flew towards Venice.
Tony tried to fix this image in his mind; he didnt know when hed be able to see it again. He
turned his back on the sea, looking at the village which was in complete disarray. The police
were still parked outside Luigis home. Taking one last breath of the salty air, Toni stepped
towards the cruiser. He was going to make things right.