Skull Captain - Part II 
* Texts in collaboration with Roberto Sonaglia
Skull Captain
Part
Carmela continued to visit his skull, every day, now more than ever, because he had the grace , and had to worship him even more than before. When Felix asked her to marry him, she said she would accept, of course, but first would have to know the 'soul pezzentelle he had made so meet.
Although he had never believed in such things, mocked the opportunity just presented itself to him, the boy follows the request of his girlfriend, and a week before the wedding, she went with her to the cemetery Fontanelle, skeptical as ever, but intrigued by the enthusiasm of the girl.
I was a bit 'confused when he saw that as soon as you get there, his future wife knelt at the foot of the skull and began to clean, polish, venerate, totally ignoring his presence.
jealous of the attention devoted to those remains that Carmela consumed, and to distract the girl from the relic with no name, put his stick in the left eye of the skull, lifting more or less the height of his head.
- What do you say Carmen, also invite him to our wedding? - Asked sarcastically to his girlfriend, staring at the skull to rotate the stick, on which kept him still stuck, while the move.
- Stop Felice's not funny! - Said the girl clutching the skull and put it back.
- Yeah, c'mon man ... you are officially invited to our wedding! - Still the boy continued, laughing.
Carmela did not answer, preferring to pretend nothing has happened because he knew he was the only way to sì che il fidanzato la smettesse; finì le sue preghiere e tornarono a casa.
Felice non apprezzò l’atteggiamento ostile che la fidanzata aveva avuto nei suoi riguardi, e le disse minacciosamente che se avesse continuato ad andare in quel cimitero a venerare quello stupido teschio, il matrimonio sarebbe saltato.
La ragazza sentì di non avere scelta, doveva fare quello che il futuro marito le aveva chiesto, ed era sicura che anche l’anima del suo amico fosse d’accordo, infondo era per trovare marito che era andata a pregare il teschio, ed era giusto così. Ora che aveva trovato un uomo da sposare, doveva fare di tutto per tenerselo stretto.
 
the wedding day finally arrived, Felix and Carmela, beaming at the sound of music in the hall decked out for the occasion, enjoyed among family and friends wished the newlyweds good luck and long life, while dancing teasing refreshments.
All the guests had noticed the triumphal entry and the subsequent presence of a English soldier with the rank of captain, holding a glass in his hand but did not drink, and had not touched anything from refreshments, but no one knew who he was, not even the spouses. The stranger was limited to greet with a nod and a smile who looked at him, did nothing, not even congratulate the happy couple. He was a man di bell’aspetto, sui trentacinque anni, la sua figura era slanciata ed elegante, e la benda nera che gli copriva l’occhio sinistro – probabilmente deturpato da una ferita di guerra, decisero gli invitati - lo rendeva ancora più affascinante, dandogli quel velo di mistero e un’aria vissuta che intrigava tutti i presenti. Ogni tanto si sentivano alcuni che bisbigliando facevano supposizioni su quell’ufficiale sconosciuto, qualcuno ipotizzò anche fosse un soldato straniero di passaggio, che incuriosito dalla festa, aveva voluto partecipare al ricevimento nonostante non fosse stato invitato. Felice non gradiva la sua presenza, soprattutto quando il tipo guardava sorridendo la sua donna; si lamentava con la moglie fino ad esasperarla, but not to spoil the party in the name of education and the good name of his family forced him, he was quiet and silent, trying to hide his annoyance to others, thinking that time, the reception ended, he would never see her again that soldier.
The reception had come almost to the end, missing only the confetti and then the couple would be free to consummate their love, waiting patiently behind the door of the bridal chamber hidden among the red velvet curtains, which would have guarded the moment yearned by the new husband, anxious to feel complete man.
The unknown soldier continued to watch the bride insisted, with a look made all the more penetrating by the presence of the bandage, smiling. She reciprocated the smile of kindness, but escaped the eyes hoping that her husband would not notice. Happy instead had noticed those looks from the start of the evening more and more jealous, so much so that I could not restrain the man when he dared to wink at his wife, sending him into a rage.
- Now you're exaggerating, man! Or tell me who you are, or you leave, no one has invited you here! - Shouted the angry husband.
- Why, Felix, do not you recognize me? - The officer calmly replied, smiling mischievously between the sudden silence of those present around them.
Felice looked surprised - I know ...? - Asked confused.
- Sure. I have invited you to their wedding, a week ago, having forgotten? - Continued the captain.
- Really ... ... I do not remember - said the groom more and more confused, trying to remember where he had met with that officer.
- No? I have stuck my stick in the eye, and you told me to come to your wedding. Now, remember? - Said the soldiers began to laugh when Felix began to tremble, unable to speak - it's me, your wife revered the skull! These
began to scream as the couple said they were incredulous and frightened it was a joke made by someone who had witnessed the scene, could not be possible ...
Captain began to laugh out loud, while his body was beginning to degrade and gradually consume. The guests ran away screaming in terror, taking refuge in the nearest church to ask God not to be affected by the wrath of damned soul.
Spouses, paralyzed by something stronger than them, watched the scene shaking and crying, screaming and asking for mercy to that entity desperate angry with them, until the captain did not return to be a skull, and two died instantly, even before the skull to disappear altogether.
Still today, after almost two centuries since that event, the Captain of the Skull is kept in a glass case at the Fontanelle Cemetery , reopened in 2006, and before that shrine, in an open coffin, lay side by side the skeletons of the two spouses.
The peculiarity of the skull - which among other things, a black halo around the eye is said pierced by the stick of the groom - is che a differenza degli altri crani sui quali è accumulata la polvere posatasi nei secoli, è sempre ben pulito e lucidato. Forse perché assorbe meglio degli altri resti l’umidità di quel luogo sotterraneo scavato tra pietre di tufo, o forse per ragioni misteriose, a noi sconosciute.
Qui a Napoli si è sempre detto che l’umidità di quel posto sia il sudore delle anime del purgatorio, un’emanazione purificante dell’aldilà, che rappresenta le fatiche e le pene a cui le anime sono sottoposte per scontare i loro peccati. Sarà vero? E se fosse così, tutta l’eternità basterebbe a farci meritare il Paradiso, o almeno a bit 'of peace?
