Gianluca Angelucci

“The Void Eater” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #215

I’ve seen people unleashing their monsters countless time, so much that I’ve grown numb to it; but I remember the first time I really understood what it meant, like it was yesterday. I was just a little boy, watching the traffic crawl by my dad’s car window, when a small collision happened just in front of me. Nothing more than a dent in the bumper, but the driver of the front car came out, all burly and eager for a fight. He shouted words that my dad told me never to repeat, and kept on taunting the clumsy driver that hit him. He came o...

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“The Last Letter of Genzai Toshi” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #205

[I used google translate for the names of the characters, I hope that no offense is given to the Japanese people for the crude use of their language] The brush rises from the sealed envelope, leaving a black blooded wound on the paper. Soon, the tantou waiting in its sheath will do the same on his abdomen. “Dear Atarashi, my son. Every animal is born with the need to make their life as good as possible. We all strive for our survival, for our betterment and for our happiness; yet the mark of an honorable man is to extend this to the ...

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“The Bear, the Wolf and the Martens” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #204

---Disclaimer: I intended to write a children story, but it lacks the hopeful tone those stories frequently carry. Also my writing style probably fails to meet the "kids" criteria. I leave it to the judgement of the reader, and won't tag it as kids--- The checkerboard was lit by the afternoon sun, tinted green by the canopy of leaves of the oak forest. The brown paw of Bear moved a piece, capturing a white piece. -And that’s it Wolf, eh!- Bear gloated, staring at Wolf’s sorry snout -What’s the score now, 8-2?- A low growl from Wolf is the ...

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“The Happy Equation” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #202

-We are glad to welcome… Simon Gaile!- the presenter calls, over the excited cheers of the crowd.Leaping and jumping, a man comes in from the backstage, well dressed and with a gleaming smile.-Tank you Rachel to have me here! And thank you, viewers, for bearing with me!- The woman reciprocates the smile from her comfy armchair, welcoming the man to sit to her right on stage, leaving the left couch empty.-We have here what Forbes defined as, and I quote, “the most successful man in human history”. You won a Nobel price, for what is now k...

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“Alina J. Michaels, Sr. Technician, 12 years tenure” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #200

Everything needs to be impeccable. She stands, adjusting the blazer in front of her reflection on the opaque glass walls of the office, straightening the folds on her suit with firm pulls. Getting back to her chair she checks her makeup on an round hand-mirror, perfect. The computer screen displays the employee page for Alina J. Michaels, Sr. Technician, 12 years tenure. The picture on the screen looks just like a baseball card in a kids game. She goes through the page one last time, just to be sure to have all memorized. A knock on ...

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“For all eternity, for the time of a concert. ” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #199

Do you believe in love at first sight?I certainly don’t, sounds like some Disney movie crap.Nor does Mike, there sitting in the shadowy corner of the club, away from from the flashing lights and speakers, pumping and pulsing of digital excitement.Gosh, Mike does have a frowny face, doesn’t he?He slams his glass on the tall table, spilling his whiskey and soda-This place sucks! Why the heck did you bring me here?-Oh come on! Nothing is ever fine for you, stop complaining for once, and. Enjoy. Your. Damned. Life-Man, I fucking would, if I ever...

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“Land, Oh!” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #154

There is nothing interesting to be said about John, but one thing is for sure, he owned a small boat. He was a bland and plain man with a quiet temperament, some gray hair sprinkled on his head, and he dearly loved sailing with his boat. It was an old grungy sail, with a grumpy attitude and more patches than original pieces. It was called L’Groo, a faded legacy of a kids’ game lost in time. Despite her rugged personality and rough aspect, you could see John move about her with sweet understanding, caressing the timber, holding her helm and r...

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“Life’s a mess (aka wonderful world)” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #143

To think that I would end up living in a makeshift hut deep in the woods…Life’s a mess sometimes.I mean, if you follow the biological steps to make a life, you can see that life’s a mess by definition.It starts with a vicious entanglement of flesh and bodily fluids, it develops in a sack in the womb of the mother deforming and squishing her organs, and comes to the light of day in pain and anguish, in a pool of liquids, blood and let’s not think what else.Then come the cries, infancy, puberty, and at last when you reach 20 -ready to be a pro...

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“Gravity, is working against me” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #134

Gravity, is working against me.Just to be clear, I’m not a moron. I know my Newtonian physics, the laws of gravity work on me just like anybody else. The thing is, and I know for sure, the thing is that gravity has got something against me.Why would it be so aggressive is beyond my understanding, but I can feel it pushing me down, compressing my bones, my stomach. Opposing my every move.I tried to get it checked, first I got to the best physicians in the country. They tried with blood analysis, x-rays, postural gymnastics, positrons, CT-scan...

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“Panem et circenses” by Gianluca Angelucci

The fresco in the parlor told stories of mythological feats , with beasts and monsters struggling against men and demigods, with half-naked damsels running in the countryside fields. The window of the room projected the view towards the muddy Tiber, flowing below the bastions of Castel Sant’Angelo, the old Adrian’s stronghold in Rome, now the dwelling of Popes and cardinals. -Where did we stop?- the Berber was tall and strong, with a light beard and eagle eyes. His skin was the same color of the sand of his province of origin, but his Latin ...

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“Memoires of a trip to Miyama Shrine” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #132

This is the story of when I met a real God. It happened once, and I don’t know whether it will ever happen again, but it was enough to fill a lifetime.Just bear with me, it’s barely the memory of a dream, but all you will hear is nothing but truth.At the beginning of this story I was an undergraduate in nuclear engineering. You can’t really split substance from form, action from essence, so I’d say that my college major kind of matters, in the grand scheme of things. At least for this story.Douglas Adams once said “Isn’t it enough to see tha...

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“Impression, soleil levant” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #131

Wallpaper, it’s moldy green was shrieking against Claude’s eyes like nails scratching a blackboard. All around him he could only see that wallpaper encasing the rich drawing room, overshadowing the satin sofa and armchairs, the ornate desk and the piano in the corner. “Claude, mon ami, what brings you here?” Louis’s smile brimmed with cunning malice as he entered the room, while his butler hold the door open. “Bring us a fine bottle from the cellar, and two chalices” he muttered to the servant below his mustache trimmed to the utmost per...

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“The Locked Door” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #130

There is a locked door, at my place. Probably I had better not call it “my place”, it’s just the place where I am. Maybe it would be more correct to say that I am it’s dweller rather than it being my place… Doesn’t make much of a difference, does it? Whatever the case, there is that one door that doesn’t want me to go through. I roam, one room to the other, yet my path leads me back to that merciless obstacle, just one single locked door. Where are my manners, I should at least say my name, shouldn’t I? I am… actually… does that even mat...

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“Leftovers” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #121

Under a tungsten sky, in a court of concrete, a circle of men was holding ground against the cold assault of the wind.“Here, take this guys.” Mark was handing out to the rest of the men little squares of chocolate, taken from a crumpled piece of foil.The group of scrawny men leaned closer looking at the treat with eyes wide open, “is that what I think it is?” asked the tallest one, reaching for it with trembling hands.“Yeah, today is gonna be our biggest hit ever, and we are not going to get a second chance… no need to die with leftovers in ...

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“The End of the Infinite” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #120

Sempre caro mi fu quest’ermo colle, E questa siepe, che da tanta parte Dell’ultimo orizzonte il guardo esclude. Ma sedendo e mirando, interminati Spazi di là da quella, e sovrumani Silenzi, e profondissima quiete Io nel pensier mi fingo; ove per poco Il cor non si spaura. E come il vento Odo stormir tra queste piante, io quello Infinito silenzio a questa voce Vo comparando: e mi sovvien l’eterno, E le morte stagioni, e la presente E viva, e il suon di lei. Così tra questa Immensità s’annega il pensier mio: E il naufragar m’è dolce in questo ...

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