Show Yourself and Have a Drink

I feel the blankets being removed, the cold hits me, I wake up, I see a figure, I scream, he runs to the right, my heart pounds in my chest as I see Dango emerge from a tree, grabbing him with his coat, Pierrot runs to his aid to hold him still, even though I'm scared, I approach to see how I can help them.

The thing is agitated in the coat, but then it speaks.

«Stop, please!»

We all exchange confused glances. It doesn't seem hostile. My breathing calms down a little.

«G-Guys, maybe we shouldn't hurt him...» I say softly, hoping the creature won't hear me.

«Exactly, do as the girl says!» the creature replies in a supplicating tone.

«Shut up!» Dango exclaims, punching him. I don't know where he hits him, but the sound is dull and violent. It hurts my heart. Poor thing, I feel sorry for him.

«I don't know what it is, but it's definitely something dangerous.» says Dango.

Pierrot stares at me for a moment, I don't understand what's going through his head, but I think he's working out the most logical answer.

«Dango, let's try to understand what it is before we do any more damage.»

Dango looks at us both, visibly annoyed, but after a moment he sighs. «Fine!... But we're not letting him go.»

«You're too kind.» the creature replies with a hint of sarcasm, despite the servile tone.

«Identify yourself.» urges Pierrot.

«I'm just an old, humble mutant wandering these desolate lands all alone.»

He's a mutant? Just like me!

«P-Please, could you free his head? I-I would like to see him.» I mumble hesitantly, but I can't ignore the desire to look him in the eyes.

Pierrot seems to get to work immediately, while Dango hesitates with a skeptical look. The creature is moved in the coat just enough to reveal its head. Its appearance takes us aback, making us jump back in fright and causing Pierrot and Dango to lose their grip.

The mutant falls to the ground, now free, revealing his entire body. His skin is completely white and he wears it as if it were too big for him, it almost looks like an adult's clothes on a child. The skin of his skull falls on the left side, and it is so flabby that it seems like a hat. The only different thing is the upper half of his face, which is dyed black. He has a long aquiline nose, his eyes are sunken and I think I can see that he is missing his left one.

He bends down to pick up the jacket and offers it to Dango with a bow. «Yours, my lord, I apologize for frightening you with my grotesque appearance.»

It's as I thought, he's not evil. He's just another victim... like me. I approach him without thinking.

«Bea, stop!» Dango grabs my arm, but I break free from his grip.

«Let me go!» I exclaim, determined. I bend down towards the mutant, gently taking the jacket he is holding.

«Thank you, you're very kind.» I tell him with a smile.

The creature returns the bow and takes a step back. «You don't have to thank me, it's a pleasure to help humans.»

His words tug at my heart. I feel so sorry for him, for what they've done to him.

Pierrot approaches, crouching down to be at the level of the small mutant. His voice is surprisingly gentle. «What is your name?»

I didn't expect so much compassion from Pierrot. How sweet...

The mutant lowers his head, almost ashamed. «I don't have a name. My old masters never gave me one. But you can call me by the nickname they used when they were in a hurry.»

«And what would that be?»

«Cronenberg.»

Pierrot and I exchange a glance. Even without a face, I can sense his sadness. How could they have been so cruel?

«Pierrot, could we give him a name?» I suggest.

But Dango interrupts the moment inopportunely. «Why would you give him a different name? Let's call him Cronenberg too. He looks like he came straight out of one of his movies.»

I throw the jacket on the ground.

Anger overwhelms me, I turn to him and, without thinking twice, slap him. The sound echoes through the forest.

«Ho-How dare you make fun of him like that? Don't you see that he's suffering from his condition?! For you, w-we mutants are nothing but a joke of nature. Someone to ridicule, isn't that right?!»

Without wanting to, my eyes fill with tears. I turn away, covering my face with my hands, I don't want them to look at me and think I'm weak.

I feel an embrace enveloping me, I take my hands away from my face and look at who is hugging me. Contrary to what I expected, it's Pierrot. And so naturally I lean completely on him. My hand seeks his on my stomach. I don't want him to leave me.

«Don't worry.» he murmurs in a soft, almost whispered voice, «Dango didn't mean to be mean. I'll find you a nice name.»

His words slip into me like a balm, but as I look up, something is missing. I look beyond Pierrot, towards Dango. He's turned away, his posture stiff and his face shadowed. He's not looking at me. He hasn't even tried to comfort me. Why?

A knot tightens in my chest. He doesn't see me. He doesn't see me. I'm not the center of his attention, and that hurts.

Pierrot gently grabs my chin, his movements like those of someone who knows what he wants. He turns my face towards his.

«I'll take care of it.»

He leaves me and approaches Dango. Looking at him walk away, I feel a turmoil in my heart.

«Dango…» he says in a calm but firm voice. «Beatrice and I will take care of him, because you, in the meantime, go and find some dry wood to cook something. You must be hungry after all this.»

Dango looks up at him, his face frowning. «It's the middle of winter and we're surrounded by snow. You can't find dry wood.»

Pierrot insists, as if he doesn't want to accept a "no" as an answer. «Then collect the wet wood. I'll take care of drying it and setting it on fire.»

«And how will you do that?» his voice is full of skepticism.

«I told you, I've upgraded myself. One of my new functions is to generate an oxy-hydrogen flame from my left index finger.»

Dango clenches his jaw and points to the small mutant. «I don't trust that thing.»

«Why?»

«I don't know, it's a gut feeling.»

«Your gut doesn't have a brain, it can't think. You're just hungry. Take the wood, let's eat something together and make friends. It wouldn't hurt to open up to someone for once.»

The last sentence hits like a ton of bricks. Even from a distance, I can feel how those words affect Dango.

«It's not that simple…» Dango mumbles through clenched teeth. He turns slightly, avoiding eye contact. «And besides, I'm right. I know it. There's something wrong with that thing, and you don't want to listen to me.»

«Trust is a choice, Dango. We trust you all the time. We respect every choice you make, even when it involves blowing us up with a giant lion. But you never trust us and you get angry if we doubt you. We don't know anything about you, you never confide in us, but you demand sincerity. Now, for once, we're asking you to do the same with us.»

Even though he's right, maybe he's being a little heavy-handed. I don't want him to get mad again. I'm scared when he has one of his fits.

Dango stares at him intently, I can feel the air getting hotter even where I am. I don't know what's gotten into him tonight...

After a few moments, he lowers his gaze and turns away, walking towards the forest without saying a word. Finally we are alone and with a calmer atmosphere. I approach them and stop, putting a hand on Pierrot's back.

«Weren't you a bit too hard on him? After all, I haven't told you anything about myself either.»

«Your situation is more delicate, you can open up when you feel ready. But he's been in the world for 22 years and doesn't even have a friend. He needs to learn to share more about himself if he doesn't want to die alone.»

«I hope you're right...»

It's true, Dango has never told us anything we weren't involved in. But... I don't want to pressure him to open up if he doesn't want to...

I shake my head. Better to chase away sad thoughts. Now we need to focus on the mutant. «So, what did you decide to call him»

He takes the little one's hand and squeezes it cordially. «Since Dango gave me the name of a character from the commedia dell'arte, I want to do the same with you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Punch.»