BOLLETTINO PARROCCHIALE (tr. from original Sicilian)
AGOSTO 1915
TAORMINA, SICILIA—The body of a young infantryman was discovered this morning, drowned in Taormina’s public swimming pool sometime in the night, wearing the fine gray uniform of the Italian Army. It is thought that the young man died by his own hand, as in his own hand was discovered a crumpled note of curious contents. He had no identification on his person, but for a badge that said CARUSO, a common surname. Local police are investigating all possible leads in Taormina so that his parents might grieve appropriately and without delay.
Oddly enough, the note he held is written fluently in English, not common for young boys of this region. Regardless, we print his note here in full, against our usual custom, as it may contain clues that would identify the boy to his kin:
“What we know of Michelangelo is that he was a great artist and he liked to cut up dead bodies. Perhaps the former was because of the latter.
If you ask doctors to interpret art, they will. Each interprets the Sistine Chapel ceiling based on what they need to see: A nephrologist says god reclines in a kidney, a neurologist claims god reclines in a brain, a gynecologist—god reclines in a uterus, while Adam reaches to him from atop a naked tit. Whatever the bloody still life, it was a risky move, hiding brains from the Pope.
It is a funny thing to be certain of the future, to know you will have no chance of escape. To know that when I finish this letter, I will die. But I have always felt freest in water, so if I must die, let it be here.
War was not how I want to be remembered. Just months ago, I thought I might do something great. Save lives, perhaps. Be a doctor. Show my father he was wrong. See something new in the Sistine Chapel that makes the world make sense.”