"IN THE NAME OF EVIL" "The Body of Christ." " The Body of Christ." " Amen." " Where's Matteo?" " Where do you think?" "Matteo!" "Let's go, I'm hungry." "I'II be right with you." "tell your mother if she doesn't want you to be a widow, she should use less fat in her cooking." "I Iove these rolls of fat." "I'II be off then." " Don't you want to rest?" " They're waiting for me." " Just look how you're dressed!" " Stop it!" " Are you taking your moped?" " No, I'II walk there." "It'II help me digest lunch." "What's wrong?" "I don't know why we bothered buying him that moped." "I'd Iike to know that too." "He likes motorbikes." "He's building his own." "Forget about motorbikes, Lucia, please." " Matteo never asks us for anything." " He asked for a computer." "Yes, and he's never off the thing." " He's only 16." " I wasn't like that at 16." " I know." "What?" "If I hadn't worked hard at his age, there wouldn't be..." "We wouldn't have all we have now." " Going to play football?" " Yes, it's an important game." " Mum and VaIentina?" " They're around." "Why?" "I want to see the BaIdassi team win." "Let's go then." "Pass the ball!" "Watch out, BaIdassi!" "No, come on, guys!" " Lucia?" " I'm in here." " Is Matteo here?" " Yes, he's in his bedroom." "Go and call him, dinner's ready." "Where did you get to?" "Did you walk back?" " Yes." " Come on, dinner's on the table." " Bye, Dad." " Matteo, aren't you coming with us?" "Stefano's giving me a lift." "please yourself." "Come on, or we'II be late." " Abramovic." " Here." " Agovic." " Here." " AIoisio." " Here." " AnseImi." " Here." " AntoneIIi." " Here Arecco." "bald..." "Where are you going?" " BaIdassi?" "Isn't BaIdassi in class?" " No, he's absent." " Think Matteo's there with Stefano?" " Of course, don't worry." "But will I see him there this afternoon?" " Too soon." " Are you ready then?" " Not really, Stefano." "What the fuck do you mean?" "You know what will happen if we don't go?" "bloody hell!" " hello, Dad!" " How come you're not at school?" " Because..." " What?" "What's got into you?" "I'II follow behind in the car." "Mr. BaIdassi." "Sorry, I had the music on loud." "Got a problem?" "A warning light came on, and the car's not braking as it should." "Let's have a look at it." "It's the brakes." " I'II have to change the brake pads." " Do I have to leave it with you?" " Yes, I'II have to order them." " How long will it take?" "It should be ready by tonight." " My wife can pick it up then." " I'II call you first." " What are you looking at?" " A little bird, but it's dead." "Don't touch it." "Go inside, Mum will have dinner ready." "hello, princess." "Forgive me, but I'm not hungry." "Can I go to my room?" " Aren't you feeling well?" " He's fine." "What's this pIay-acting?" " I'm not six years old any more." " But you behave as though you were." "Look how pale you are!" "Have a glass of wine, at Ieast." " Can I go now?" " Go and lie down, darling." " You know you mustn't come in here." " Sorry." "FROM STEFANO:" "WHERE ARE YOU?" "YOU'RE IN DEEP SHIT IF YOU DON'T COME..." "Shit!" "I'm sorry, but... ..you made me jump." " I didn't mean to, sorry." " Good evening, Mr. BaIdassi." " Good evening." "Giovanni, your wife's waiting for you outside." "Thanks, Cinzia, have a good evening." "There was a car speeding along, it swerved and scared me stiff." " You didn't see who was driving?" " Dad, he was coming straight for me." " I jumped and went flying." " At least the make of car?" "Giovanni, leave him alone, he's okay, that's all that matters." "Where did it happen?" "If you were coming back from the library..." "Go and get changed, dinner's ready." "FROM STEFANO:" "I DID WARN YOU, HE DOESN'T MESS ABOUT." "COME TOMORROW." "Dad, I'm going to the library with Stefano after school." " I've got to prepare for an essay." " AII right." "But don't be late back, the Pagots are coming to dinner, and they're more punctual than death." "Mr. BaIdassi, these are the Iast." " My daughter's waiting for me." " You go, Mario." "Thank you, goodbye." " Yes, darling." "What is it?" " Do you know what time it is?" "I know it's late." "I stayed behind to try out the new delivery." " Are the Pagots there already?" " No, and neither is Matteo." " call in at the library and get him." " AII right." "But hurry." "And no arguing, I don't want any long faces at the table." "Don't worry." "Bye." "Giacomo?" "BaIdassi!" " BaIdassi." " hello, old friend." " What are you doing here?" " I came to pick up my son." " Matteo?" " Yes, Matteo." "I haven't seen him for months." " You are joking?" " No, Giovanni." "Come on, Iet's take a look." "Now then..." "The last time he took a book out was before summer." " hello, I'm looking for Matteo..." " Mirko!" " What are you doing here?" " I'm looking for my son." "But it's obvious he's not here." "We can't get hold of him, and we're starting to get worried." "I was wondering if by any chance..." "hello, Stefano." "Have you seen Matteo?" " No, no." " Go to your room!" "What's going on?" "I don't understand." "My wife and I don't like Stefano hanging around with Matteo." "Why not?" "Since your son started hanging around with mine," "Stefano has changed, he's never home, he answers back, he's always distracted, he's doing badly at school." "When he goes." "What do you mean "when he goes"?" "I caught him playing truant yesterday, and he was with your son." "I sent mine back to school, but yours decided to go for a walk, on his own." " On his own?" "Where?" " well if you don't know." "I don't want your son hanging around my son." "Understand?" "I don't want Stefano to come to no good." "Understand?" "Goodbye." "You should keep an eye on him!" "Come on!" "We're on the appetizers." " Where's Matteo?" " I'II explain later." " What do you think, carlo?" " excellent." " You, Marina?" " delicious." " Where did you get it from?" " Roberto's." "We know him well, and he knows me well too." "I'm one of the few customers who asks for dry-aged meat." "What's that?" "It's a oxidation process of the meat which breaks up the connective tissues and makes it more tender." "In short, it's the stage that precedes putrefaction." "We can pass to the dessert then, what do you say?" "Aren't we going to wait for Matteo?" "We'II leave him a slice, we won't eat it all." " He's unreachable." " Yes, unreachable!" " He doesn't want to be reached." " It's not Iike Matteo." "Matteo isn't immune to stupid behaviour." "You're always saying he's only 16, he's showing it." "We'II have to give him a good talking to when he gets back." " In fact, I'II go looking for him." " Where?" "The hospitals, police stations." "Lucia?" "Where are the keys to the moped?" "The ones with the bat?" "Listen, I'm looking for my son Matteo." "Have you seen him around?" "No, we haven't seen him." " I have." " Where?" "He drove past on his moped at about 6 o'cIock." " What direction was he heading?" " Towards Trieste." " Why?" "Is anything wrong?" " He's not answering his mobile," "..and he didn't go to school today." " Don't worry." "His mobile battery might be dead, or he's got lost, with a young girl." "It doesn't mean something terrible has happened." "We came off duty half an hour ago, we'd have heard about an accident." "Thanks." "well?" "No luck." "The mechanic saw him leaving town around 6 o'cIock." " Where was he heading?" " Towards Trieste." "I've told everyone: my mother, my father, our friends." "Why did you have to do that, Lucia?" "Let me go." "please, I'II keep my mouth shut." "I won't tell anybody." "I swear." "Just let me go." "Thank you for coming to the house, superintendent." "If it turns out to be a kidnapping, we would prefer the news not to get out." "Don't worry, Mr. BaIdassi." "I know you're Savino's friends." "But I would rule out a kidnapping." "You yourself said he drove off on his moped." "Yes, but he hasn't used his moped that much, only a couple of times." "It's not the first time it's happened." "In this area seven kids have disappeared recently, but they've all returned home again." " But what do we do in the meantime?" " We have to try and work out why" "Matteo left home." "Do you get along?" " Of course." " He's quiet and does well at school." "He didn't go yesterday, and it's not the first time." "Yes, but he's only a kid, after all." "precisely, so he'II soon turn up again." "What if he doesn't?" " Perhaps the superintendent's right." " About what?" "That Matteo's angry with you." " What are you saying?" " That it's your fault." "You drove him away with your attitude." "You always want Matteo to be like you." " What did I do that was so terrible?" " You didn't do anything." "And these are the consequences." "Goodbye then." "well?" "Did he withdraw any money from his savings account?" "No, he can't touch his savings." " But..." " But what?" "tell me, for God's sake!" "I sometimes sent Matteo to withdraw some cash from the cash dispenser." "He knows I keep my card in my purse." "How much has he taken?" "2,ooo euros." " And all this last week." " He's even stealing now!" "If God helps us, nothing will have happened to him." "He's taken some money and gone on holiday." "I can hardly believe we're talking about our son." "It's not Iike Matteo to steal money and drive off on his moped." " hello." " hello, Ivan." "It was the brake pads, as I said." " Are the brakes working now?" " Yes, they're perfect." "Listen..." "My son always has this thing stuck in his ears." "It's got music inside, right?" "Do you know how it works?" "Of course." " What is this stuff?" " It's what your son listens to." " Thank you, father." " If there's anything we can do..." "Giovanni." "Have you seen, they'II all here?" "Who?" "What are they doing here?" "Don't be so rude, they want to help us." "Other people's problems are always a good opportunity to help, right?" " Why do you say that?" " They could go out looking for him instead of coming here to stuff themselves!" " Where's VaIentina?" " In her room with PaIermo." "Get these people out of the house right now, before I do." "Didn't your brother's friends ever come to the house?" "Don't tell lies." " What are you doing here?" " Good morning, BaIdassi." " Everything's fine, darling." " I know he got a goal past you." "The football match." "I wanted to reassure her." "She's fine now." "This way." "We've spoken to all the people you told us were Matteo's friends." " But they're really only classmates." " They see each other every day." "Savino and I see each other every day, that doesn't mean we're friends." "Listen, BaIdassi, I'II tell you, Matteo isn't a quiet boy at all." "Everyone describes him as the restless type who goes to Trieste and hangs out in clubs not suitable for a young boy." "In short, I don't see any basis for an investigation, it's more like a young boy's prank." "Excuse me." "hello?" "Mr. BaIdassi." "Deputy-chief PaIermo's right," "..he's had 2o years of experience." " Want to know what I think?" "Your superintendent won't do anything to find my son." "Kids that run away from home are not a priority for us." "Do you know how many have vanished around here over the Iast two years?" " And they nearly all returned home." " Who didn't return?" "To be honest we do have two cases that are still open." " Which ones?" " Marina NodaIi and Monica MaIarico." "Listen to me." "Those two girls who ran away from home about a year ago," "Marina NodaIi and Monica MaIarico, did you know them?" " Everyone knows Monica MaIarico." " They don't hang out with us." "And I've never heard of the other girl." "Matteo doesn't know her either." " Lots of kids run away from home." " If they're not happy." "Why?" "Isn't Matteo happy?" "It's not that exciting going around in the Smurfs' car." " Where are you from?" " From Trieste, my parents from PuIa." " You're SIovenian then." " If you prefer." "Why did you tell the police you're not Matteo's friends?" "They ask too many questions." "And in some way, it's true." "We hang around with Matteo now and then, but you know... ..he's a bit..." " A bit strange." "He keeps himself to himself." " You're not Matteo's friend either?" " He'd really like me to be." " What about you?" " No." "Why not?" "I don't like guys like him." "Let's go, I've had enough." "If you think of anything that will help me find Matteo..." "will you call me, please?" "Stefano!" "I only want to talk to you." "I'II catch up with you sooner or later." "help!" "help!" " Do you really believe it?" " believe what?" "That Matteo hangs out in these places, and drinks and takes drugs..." "I didn't say he hangs out there, just that he went there." " And I didn't mention drugs." " That's just as well!" "But if there are a thousand things we don't know about Matteo, do you think we can rule out that he hasn't even smoked a joint?" " Yes" "Because I know my son, unlike you." "If you want to blame me, go ahead, but he has two parents." " He didn't only run away from me." " Oh, be quiet!" "Daddy will put you to bed now, won't you?" "The little lamb was drinking quietly, when he heard a deep voice:" ""Hey, you, down there, you've dirtied the water I am drinking"." "Surprised, the little lamb replied:" ""Forgive me, Mister wolf, but that's impossible, I am drinking further down the river, and the water flows downstream, not upstream."" "Daddy, I dreamt about Matteo." "really?" "And what was he doing?" "Nothing." "He gave me a kiss and looked at me the way you are right now." "Was he all right?" "Was he happy?" "Mr. BaIdassi." "hello, Ivan." "Any news?" "None." "It's like climbing a mountain." "And I didn't even know it was there." "I'd Iike to help you, but I don't know how." "I didn't get on with my dad either, we hardly spoke to each another." "Did Matteo tell you he and I didn't get on?" "No, at a concert once he told he came without telling you" "..because you didn't approve." " It's not that I didn't approve." "It's that this music isn't very relaxing." "Is there a concert coming up of a group Matteo likes?" "Of course." "Why?" "Do you want to go?" "I'II come with you, if you want." "Bye, Ivan." "hello!" "Mr. MaIarico?" " Are you a journalist?" " No." "Are you MaIarico?" " Monica's father?" " Get off my property!" " No, wait." "My name's Giovanni BaIdassi, my son's gone missing too, three days ago." " So?" "What do you want?" " To understand." "She was pregnant." "She was 16 and she was pregnant." "I wanted to know who the father was." "Of course I wanted to know." "But she wouldn't tell me." "Fights, tears, screams, she insulted me and her mother." "Then one morning she gathered her things together and left home." "It must be about 18 months ago now, we haven't seen her since." "See that girl?" "She's a Ukrainian, she's 2o years old." "She drives the forklift, looks after the pigs, then does the paperwork." "That girl does everything." "Her parents didn't buy her a scooter." "What about you?" "Your son?" "How come he ran away from home?" "I didn't say he had run away." "But you're lucky, at Ieast you have another daughter." " hello, darling." " hello, Daddy." "What are you doing up at this hour?" "Mummy slept all day long and I was hungry, so I thought I'd get these to eat." "AII right." "But get some sleep now, it's late." "I'II take these, eh?" "Come on." "Lucia!" "Lucia?" "De BIasio." " Good morning, Giovanni." " Listen, alberto, everyone knows you use the work's computer for your own business." "Don't deny it, several people have told me." "You're good with computers, aren't you?" " And I need someone good." " To do what?" "This is my son Matteo's computer." "I want to know everything that's in it, even the hidden files." " Can you do that?" " It's not legal." "Don't worry, I'II take full responsibility." "will you do it?" "Good morning." "My name's Giovanni BaIdassi." "Forgive me, celeste, I'II see you next week." "I know who you are, and I know why you're here." "Did anyone see you come here?" "You want to know whether your story has anything in common with mine." "It's true, our experiences are very similar." "Except I knew what Marina was up to." "She didn't hide it from me." "She wasn't ashamed." "What didn't she hide from you?" "You're not the type to be easily spooked, are you?" "I Ieft her to it at first." "I thought it was a passing craze, a fashion." "I feared if I stopped her, I would have made matters worse." "But it was already too late." "She would answer me back." "She once hit me because I wouldn't give her more money." "They can never get enough money." " What are we talking about?" " Satanic sects." " What?" "Look, blood." "Marina would cut herself to use her blood in the rituals." " Did your son do that?" " No!" "I don't know what idea..." "I know what happened:" "they took her, they kidnapped her." "I have to go now." "If you really want to find your son, you'II have to change." "And all the people around you will be changed." "HELL ISN'T ELSEWHERE." "I'm not saying you're part of a satanic sect," "I just want to know if when you were talking to Matteo, you got the impression that he was interested in such things." "AII we talk to Matteo about is school, teachers and nonsense." "Stefano, I don't believe he never confided in you." " Why not?" " You're his best friend." "No." "It's his own fucking business what he does when he's not with me." "We don't know anything about satanic sects." "You should think twice before coming here accusing us of these things." "I'm not accusing anyone." "But you've come here asking us if we're part of a satanic sect." "Yes, yes, all right, I get it." " Have you started smoking again?" " You still notice I'm here then?" "I'm tired, Lucia." "Yes, you're tired." "Those kids' mothers called." "They asked me if you've gone mad." "And VaIentina is having problems at school too." "I'd better take her to my parents, at Ieast until Matteo comes back." "I'II stay with her." "AII right." "Go to your mother's, take VaIentina with you, do whatever you want, but I'm not going to stop here." "I know." "You no Ionger consider me a madwoman then?" "You were right." "I did find something, though I wish I hadn't." "That's enough." "If the police stop me, I'II be in trouble." "It'II do you good." "My father makes it." "I know a bit about wine." "My father made it too." "What was your father like?" "A peasant, typical one." "He was wary of any food he didn't grow himself." "He made his own wine, his own oil, even his own milk." "He had a cow that produced milk just for him." "We got ours from the dairy." " You hated him, didn't you?" " No, not him." "What he represented:" "a coarse, withdrawn mentality, a religious spirit filled with superstition." "When he fell ill, he didn't even want to treat the pain." "He said morphine was poisonous, that suffering is a good thing." "When did he die?" "A few years ago." "It was a liberation." "only then did I find the courage to admit I despised him, that I wanted to be anything as long as I wasn't like him." "That's not a nice thing to think about your father, is it?" " Where's he buried?" " In a small country cemetery." "But I've never been there." "Cemeteries are not such morbid places, you know, they help us to understand." "You rejected your father because you didn't understand him, but you didn't understand him because you were afraid to be like him." "Perhaps the same thing's happened to Matteo." "Now he's disappeared, you're forced to understand who your son is." "Before it was sufficient just to know he was there." "But you're still in time, you're always in time." " Stefano, where are you going?" " Money, money..." "Don't say a word." "Thanks for dinner." " And the psychoanalysis." " Whenever you want." "Fuck!" "Come on, start!" " hello?" " Mind your own fucking business." "hello?" "hello, Lucia?" " Have you heard?" " No, what?" "Stefano Petrini..." "What about him?" "He was in an accident, he's dead." " Why did you want to come?" " Stop it." "It's important we're seen together." "We have to look like a close family." "There's the priest." "shall we go?" " Do we have to go through this?" " Come on." "You had the guts to turn up here?" " Are you satisfied?" " No, stop!" "It's your son's fault mine's dead." "He led him astray!" " Stefano didn't drink." "We know that." "calm down." "He killed him!" "He killed him!" " Here we are, father." " Thank you for coming and for bringing Giovanni with you." " May I use the informal "tu"?" " As you wish." "This is a small town, and rumours get around." " You claim the devil exists, not me." " Of course the devil exists." "But we cannot allow that in a devote community there are people who worship the devil, and there are people like you who spread discord, suspicion, blasphemy." "My son has gone missing." "What am I supposed to do?" "You should have thought about that before." "TV, Internet, mobile phones are the devil's means of leading the young astray." "So it's my fault?" "For buying a computer?" " Where are you going?" " Home." "I don't want to listen to a pair of hypocrites like you." "Giovanni!" "See what he's like, father?" "He offends you, then runs off." "No." "You're the one who went away, and took VaIentina." "You didn't know that, did you, father?" "What will people think now?" ""MIND YOUR OWN FUCKING BUSINESS"" "Matteo!" "IN THE NAME OF EVIL" "Matteo!" "hello?" "The number you have called is unavailable right now." "Good." "He called in the end, see?" "My son calls after a week, and that's all the police can say?" " What do you mean?" " That he couldn't phone before." "You've got some strange ideas in your head." "Your son's called, hasn't he?" "That means he's okay, that he chose to leave home." "Why didn't he phone before?" "Perhaps they were stopping him." "But who?" "Do I have to tell you what kids his age are like?" " Listen..." " No, you listen." "My son is missing." "You're convinced he's out there having fun, but I'm not." "He's in trouble." "I don't have proof, but you have no proof he's not." "We're looking for him, calm down." "These things take time." "Then find the time!" "The phone call is good news, isn't it?" "I don't know any more." "I don't understand: if it was him, why didn't he say anything?" ""If it was him"?" "Who else could it have been?" "I'm happy to do voluntary work, but it spooks me to see such things." "And when it happens to someone you know..." "What is it you want to tell me?" "I want to help you, Mr. BaIdassi." "I don't want to see Matteo end up like Stefano the other day." "You're a good person, Ivan." "Listen, there's a concert tonight, that group Matteo likes is playing." " Who knows!" "He might be there." " Think so?" "He might." "I've never noticed how alike you and Matteo are." "Matteo's like my father." "Matteo!" "Matteo!" "Matteo!" "Matteo!" "What the fuck do you want?" "Who's Matteo?" "And you brought my son to this sewer?" "Go fuck yourself!" "What's wrong?" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Wait!" " Everything okay?" " Yes, everything's fine." "What happened?" "I don't know." "I feel like a broken record, I keep saying "I don't know"." "But it's true, I didn't even know he came to your concerts, or listened to your..." "music." "Guys, have you seen Matteo in any of the other places?" " He could be at the Acheronta." " I've seen him there." "It's not far, it's near Trieste." " Have you got the address?" " I know where it is." "Thanks, guys." "Listen, when you get there, ask for" "Deejay Asmodeus." "He knows everyone." "Deejay Asmodeus?" "AII right." " Shit!" " What?" "You have to do me a favour." "This road on the Ieft." "They saw someone break into the shed where I keep the motorbikes." "Over there." "Shit!" "They've forced the chain!" "The bastards!" "Fucking hell!" "They've smashed them all up!" "The bastards!" "That one's Matteo's, he was assembling it." "He told me he'd got rid of it." "Ivan, I'm sorry about before." "I had no right to say what I did." "I was wrong." "alberto, it's me, Giovanni." "Giovanni, leave me alone." "Go away!" "Open this door right away, or there'II be trouble!" "What's going on?" "I don't want anything more to do with this business." " Why?" " I've received threats." " They know where I Iive, I'm scared." " Who threatened you?" "This is Matteo's computer." "I did what you asked." "I Iooked inside it and printed out everything I found:" "websites, photos, chat lines, everything." "It's all about the devil, Giovanni, these people are dangerous." "Go to the police about it." "And you be careful too." "And now, please..." "Get out of here." "Listen, inside the folder you'II find something Matteo wrote to you." "I think it's for you." "Forgive me." "Forgive me." ""Dad, one day you will regret what you did." "That motorbike is my whole life." "I'm not Iike you, and I don't want to be like you." "You think everything is fine, you don't realise I'm unhappy because I am not free to be myself." "I hate you, because you think loving is wanting everyone to be like you." "Mum's unhappy too, maybe because she wanted to carry on studying Medicine, but you stopped her doing so." "And even if VaIentina and I came along..." "I wish I had never been born or I wish I were dead."" "hello?" " This is AIessia Trevisan, elena's friend." "You left us your number in case we thought of something." "Yes, I remember." "tell me, AIessia." "I'd prefer not to talk about it over the phone." "Is anything wrong?" "Have you any news of Matteo?" "Not over the phone." "Can we meet now?" "AII right, where shall I meet you?" "hello?" " Ivan!" " Yes, who's that?" "Mr. BaIdassi!" "Listen, have you got AIessia's number?" "Yes, I should have." "Why?" "Is anything wrong?" "She called me, then the line went dead." "She may have news of Matteo." "I'II get it for you, you wait here." "I'LL SEE YOU ON THE CLIFF." "It doesn't matter, Ivan." "I've found it." "Thanks." "AIessia!" "AIessia!" "Do you know Asmodeus?" "I'm Amanda, but everyone calls me "problem"." "I'm here because I was told you know my son." " I know all about it." " What?" "They didn't tell you about me then?" "Yes, that you might just know my son Matteo." "Of course, Matteo." "We saw him two days ago, in Trieste." "Two days ago?" "What was he doing in Trieste?" "We don't have physical contact." "I'm psychic, I receive things." "You receive things." "What if I were able to find your son?" "would you miss the opportunity?" "I advise you to stay here with us." "welcome to our Sabbath." "Friends, Iet's welcome our new guest... ..Giovanni." "He lost his son some time ago, and we will do our best to help him." "Right?" "But first, a little help from the Green Fairy." " No, I'm not drinking anything." " You have to." "That's right." "Let's let ourselves go." "Does anyone want to speak to us?" "YES." "We are looking for a poor lost soul." "His father's here." "Can you see the boy?" " You see, Giovanni?" " How do I know it's my son?" "Look." "DAD" " He wants to talk to you, Giovanni." " Listen to him, Iet yourself go." "Go on." "Matteo." "Matteo. , it's me, Dad." "Where are you?" "DARKNESS" "What is this farce?" "You're moving that thing!" "I'm going." "The spirits will be angry if you mock them." "What spirits?" "I'm the fool for coming all the way here." " The money." " What money?" "Did you think it was free of charge?" "This session uses up energy." " I'm not giving you anything." " We'II see about that." "This isn't enough, it'II cost you double for interrupting the ritual." " Your ritual is a load of crap!" " Who says so?" "Leave me alone." "If it's a matter of money for you..." "How much do you want to tell me where my son is?" " 5o,ooo euros?" " Go fuck yourself!" "help me!" " hello?" " Mr. BaIdassi?" "This is Savino." " What's up?" " You heard about AIessia Trevisan?" " No." " She fell off the cliff." "We believe it was suicide." "hello?" " hello." " Did you hear about that girl?" " Who?" " Matteo's classmate." " She committed suicide." " No." "I'm going to Trieste." "will you come?" "I can't." "I can't, forgive me." " hello, Daddy." " hello, darling." "Did you know Grandma always cooks me chicken, and Granddad has taught me to fish?" " really?" " Yes, large red fish." "But we don't eat them, we throw them back." "Why?" " Because I consider them living creatures too." "Listen." "How's Mummy?" " Daddy?" " What is it, darling?" "Is it true Matteo isn't coming back?" "darling!" "VaIentina, come here!" "You have to finish your homework." "Be a good girl and do as Mummy says." "I'II come back as soon as I can." " With Matteo?" " Yes, with Matteo." "Go on." "hello?" "Mr. BaIdassi, this is Ivan." " You have to go to Tuda on Saturday." " Tuda?" " Yes, a small town near Gorizia on the border with SIovenia." "There's to be a party, organized by people involved in Satanism." "It will be a kind of ritual." "You have to know someone to get an invitation." "I can't help you." " AII right." " Good luck." "Thanks." " What are you doing here?" " Do you still need my help?" "How come you've changed your mind?" "I have nothing left to lose, Giovanni." "Think they would scare me more if they tried to kill me?" "I'm a Iot more scared of staying alive." "But you have something to lose: time." "There's a big sect at the top of them all, we need to get to them." "They're dangerous, they believe in the power the devil can give them." "Seven minor sects branch off from the mother sect, then some small groups that recruit new victims, our children." " But how will we find them?" " They know we're looking for them." "They have sent very clear messages." "If you keep bothering them, there are two possibilities." " They'II either kill or contact you." " To negotiate?" " Everyone has a price." " That's madness." "You have to Iearn to think like them and hope you can climb as high as possible." "As low, you mean." "I'm not getting anywhere, Anna." "I'm supposed to go to Tuda tonight, there's a kind of meeting." " I don't know whether to go." " You will." "That's where Marina was last seen." "It's interesting to watch human fauna close up, don't you think?" "Drink that slowly." "What's a man like you doing in a place like this?" " I couId ask you the same question." " I am here for two reasons:" "mainly out of personal interest, because I finance these events, and then out of curiosity." " Curiosity?" " It's what makes the world go round." "Without curiosity, we would be truly miserable beings," "lost in the contemplation of our own navel." "I Iike to observe the reactions of people to the total loss of consciousness." "What are you looking for?" " I'm looking for my son." " Why here of all places?" "Because he is fascinated by these things, by Satanism." "Satanism is an expression applied to too many things, and too easily." "Yes, I'm starting to realise that." "Good." "Now will you tell me what you are really looking for?" " I've told you, my son!" " I couId help you." " To find him?" " In a certain sense, yes." " Lots of people have made promises." " I know." "But I'm not Iike them." "I really can find your son for you, because I know what road he's on." "The same road you are on." "Come on, make a wish." "Are you going back to the campsite?" " How do you know where I'm staying?" " I just know." "And now you know where I am." " What do you think?" " About the man you met?" "Yes, his name's Tramer." "Riccardo Tramer." "He must be a doctor, there's a number of a hospital." " Think he's one of many?" " I don't know." "Perhaps we can get to the top through him?" "Those at the top don't reveal themselves, but he's approached you." " Perhaps he's the contact you said." " I don't know." "AII right, bye." "Bye." "Death begins as soon as they come into contact with the glue." "Sometimes death can be very long and complicated, but necessary, because it's a response to a greater design." "naturally, the more they struggle, the more they stick to the glue that kills them." "You mean they were still alive when they got stuck?" "alive, of course." "It's part of the game." "But they are set out in an orderly and harmonious fashion." " What about this one?" " He tried." "Every living creature has a right to choose how to die." "Your son..." "Matteo, right?" "Why do you think he became a Satanist?" " Because of certain things." " What?" "Goat's horns?" "Sentences written back-to-front?" "Smashed holy symbols?" "Yes." "That's all crap, cheap rituals put together by groups of fanatics and ignorant people." " Then who are the real Satanists?" " Look at me, I am merely a man." "But I want to be one to the full." " I am the god of myself." " Where is Matteo?" " I can help you find what Matteo is looking for." "After all, it's what you're looking for too, though you don't know it." "You want the truth." " I'II let you know where and when." " What "where and when"?" "Where and when." "Tramer must have told you something, you were with him all afternoon." "We weren't alone, there was an exhibition." "Did he introduce you to art or Satanism?" "We didn't talk about Satanism." "But he wants to see me again, so..." "So?" "welcome to my world." "Amazing, isn't it?" "As the wise men say, it's the best age." " You have a daughter, don't you?" " Yes, VaIentina." "She's eight." "You must want to see her, and maybe VaIentina doesn't want to." "Eight years old." "She'II be tamed already." "I wonder what job your wife did." "shall we go?" "It's a clinic specialized in advanced surgery, and this wing is a work of art." " Why?" " Because I don't have to do a thing." "I Iove this place." "Listen." "They're all terminally ill, they are in great pain." "But do you know what makes this place really unusual?" "No pain therapy is allowed here." "And they know that, that's why they choose to come here to die." "They are convinced pain brings them closer to God." "Some go crazy with the pain." "But I assure you their last words are not in praise of the Lord." "How absurd it is to have to die in pain." "Whereas dying how and when you want is a choice filled with dignity." "I will do the same when the time comes." "What about you, Giovanni?" "What will you choose?" "To be dear to God or dear to yourself?" " hello?" " Put VaIentina on." "She's getting ready to go to school." "Put my daughter on, or I'II get the lawyers on to you." "Put her on!" "If the inhabitants of a nation fight among themselves..." " Mr. BaIdassi, listen..." " Daddy." "Come to Daddy." " There are rules to be obeyed." " She's getting out an hour early." " Higher!" " Go on!" "fly!" "fly!" " fly, my darling!" "fly!" " Higher!" "There she is, Dad." "pull over." "I'II go and talk to Giovanni, Mum." "fly, my darling!" "fly!" " Higher!" " You come too, Mummy." "Yes." "VaIentina !" "darling!" "Come here, little one." "Come on, Mum." "darling." "Go to Grandma." "Put your jacket on, it's cold." " I'II go to the police." " We were only playing!" "He's playing, is he?" "You're fucking playing?" "I called the bank." "Why have you withdrawn everything?" " Scared of being left without money?" " Why won't you tell me?" "Don't worry." "I sold the shares." "Look at the way you're dressed, with this hood!" " Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" " Lucia, come on, Iet's go!" "Go on, go on!" "Go on!" " He's not well, he's crazy." " It's not easy." "Dr. Tramer!" "This is a surprise!" "I'm not here to see you, Goran." "I'm here for my friend Giovanni." "A friend of Dr. Tramer's?" "Then you're my friend too!" "My brother, in fact." "God has brought you here to me." "We have to celebrate, come with me." "Come on, Dr. Tramer." "please." "This way, Dr. Tramer." "Ok." "Let's drink to all women, to mothers, to daughters, to saints and whores." "Everything starts and ends with them." "Cheers!" "Cheers!" " Do you have a woman, Giovanni?" " I'm married." "I'm married in my homeland, but that's got nothing to do with it." " Is there a woman you Iike?" " I Iike my wife." "Or rather, no." "There is another woman I Iike." "And you, doctor, do you have a woman?" "Of course I do, a fine woman." "She had a hard time winning me over, but we are like a single being now." "Do you Iike her?" "Do you want to dance with her?" "Where are you going?" "If you want, we'II leave you alone with her." "Giovanni!" "I'm sorry you're leaving here dissatisfied." "I am satisfied." "Listen to me." "No, you're not happy." " I want you to be happy." " Let's put a stop to this farce." "I want everyone to feel what I feel." "God wants me to make everyone happy, the way He made me happy." "Look." "Look." "My heart was sick." "I was dying in hospital when God..." "God wanted to take someone else, and He gave me his heart." "I want you to be happy." "God, Satan." "They're just names." "Because we are Satan." "There's something you should see, or it wouId be a shame." "A human Satan god who rules over life and death." " What's the meaning of this?" " Put this on." "Remember, you're only here to watch." "You are not allowed to speak or intervene in any way." "It's an ancient ritual, a very important one, and it's nothing like you expect." ""Down must we go, to that dark world and blind," "I will go first, come thou behind."" "I think I witnessed one of his group's meetings." "It's a sect, Giovanni, Iet's call it by its real name." "Why won't you trust Tramer?" "I see things much more clearly now I've spoken to him." "You don't understand." "Do you know what it means to join a sect?" "It's what we wanted, isn't it?" "To get into the sect." "To find out what happened to our children." "No?" "I'm just worried." "They're not Iike you imagine." " What about you?" " What?" " Who are you?" "Are you one of them already?" " Not yet." "What about Marina?" "And Matteo?" "You've forgotten Matteo." "You set me on this path." "Do you want me to give up now?" "Giovanni, what's happening to you?" "You've stopped looking for your son." "No!" "only when I am one of them, will I find out what happened to Matteo." "One of them." "Anna." "Anna." "Anna, open the door." "It's me, Giovanni." "Anna, open up!" "Hey, where are you going?" "I'm a friend of Dr. Tramer's, I need to see him." " He's not here, come back tomorrow." " I know he's here, Iet me in!" "Stay here." "I slept with that woman." "It all happened so suddenly." "Why am I losing everything I Iove most in life?" "The shadows choose their children with care." "Come with me." "As you all know, our friend Giovanni is looking for his son Matteo and we want to help him in his search, because Giovanni is lost too." "Aren't you, Giovanni?" "I have had the opportunity to get to know him well and it has been a true revelation, he has a natural talent." "I didn't have to do a thing, Giovanni's already prepared to see and hear what the shadows have to tell us, and become a messenger of the truth." "It's your turn now." "You were immersed in a deep sleep and you didn't notice a thing." "Matteo needed you, but you were too busy dreaming." "Wake up, Giovanni, wake up!" "I am wide awake." "Do you think you can use me with the excuse of my son?" "I am not a killer like you, I'm not killing anyone." "Understand?" "No one." "What are you doing?" "Think they'II let you go after what you've seen?" "They know where you live, where your family lives." "Just you try coming anywhere near my family!" "I apologise." "But I know what to do." "I'II take care of it." "No, Riccardo." "I'II take care of it." "Leave it to me." "Anna, where did you get to?" "We have to get out of here." "My daughter is dead, they buried her near the quarry." " Who told you?" " They did, they phoned me." " How do you know?" " I just do." "please." "Don't leave me on my own, please." "AII right, Iet's go." "What did they say to you?" "They told me to look for her." "AII right, wait here." "Matteo!" " Ivan!" " Have you found your son?" "That one's mine." "Do you remember the pig farmer's daughter?" "She was my mistress." "She was only 15 when I got her pregnant." "She said I had to leave the sect and marry her and go and live with her parents in the country, with the pigs." "But how could I?" "Signor Giovanni, how could I?" "She threatened to tell her father, and the police." "I had to kill her." "To obtain what you want, you have to be willing to make sacrifices." "What did you do to Matteo?" "The evening he didn't return home, he was supposed to join the sect, to undergo the initiation rite." "But he wasn't cut out for these things." "He couldn't kill a little bird, never mind take part in an initiation rite!" "He started sniveIIing, he was scared, poor thing." "So we immobilized him and tied him up, out of fun." "But he'd have returned home if you hadn't been so stupid." "You should have given that injection, it's your fault." "But you're a killer anyway, because you killed Matteo." "Dad!" "Dad!" "Dad!" "He called out for you!" "Dad!" "Dad!" ""Dad", he shouted!" "Dad!" "Dad, Dad!" "We are here not only to gather around the heart of our community, the BaIdassi family, not only to show the press that speaks of us as a national disgrace, that we do not feel represented by the single culprit of this crime." "We are here to make amends and ask God for forgiveness for not blocking the devil's work." ""I send you as sheep among wolves", says the Lord." "But there are wolves dressed as sheep, and I don't mean Ivan Fuser, who was a servant of evil, and who killed this innocent boy." "No, I am referring to the evil hiding in each and every one of us, in our superficiaIity, which makes us stop at material things, at fleeting pleasures which make us weak, blind and guilty of the weakness of our children." "AII of us!" "Or rather, no." "I'm mistaken." "One of us, the strongest of us, was able to rise to his feet and face Satan, risking his own life and that of his family." "Giovanni carried out God's will and saved us all." "Mr. BaIdassi, please accept my apologises." "May God have mercy on the murderers." "I no Ionger feel any mercy." "THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SATANIC SECTS IN ITALY, WITH THOUSANDS OF ADEPTS" "OF EVERY AGE AND EVERY SOCIAL CLASS" "SATANISM IN ITALY IS AS ACTIVE AS IT HAS EVER BEEN"