A Village Tale The Marinella Affair

Santa Maria Assunta occupied the highest ground. From the height of its bell tower, one could see everything in the surrounding area to the horizon.As they proceeded towards the church, Donanto remarked that, still a young lad, he had snuck up to the top of the bell tower one evening with Giuseppe.'... just to see what it would be like.'Oddly enough, not long after his recollection of that far-off boyhood venture, a chaotic, dissonant burst of clanging from the carillon had once again called him to the bell tower.This time, however, the circumstances were quite different, not the silliness of a boyish prank at all; but, as evidenced by the scene which met his eyes as he was about to climb the stairs running along the bell tower walls, this time it was a different matter altogether.Floating in the void of the structure, neck twisted unnaturally, was the inert body of a man.