Trafika Europe 14 - Italian Piazza

Piero Schiavo Campo

High up on the wall was a stucco frieze, a large oval surrounded by flowers and fruit. We immersed ourselves in it. For a moment the holographic image became indistinct, then I found myself inside what looked like a wooden edifice, with beams supporting the ceiling. The place was populated by strange avatars resembling cartoons, whose shape changed to reflect the movements of the human beings they represented. I glanced at the status cube: it was empty! “Where the devil are we, Silver?” I asked, dismayed. “We can only stay a few minutes,” he replied. “This is risky, I might not be able to keep the situation under control.” Coming from him, this was quite impressive. “Captain,” he resumed, “I’m pleased to inform you that we’re among the very few Westerners to have visited the Chinese web.” If I’d had features, I’d have stared at him agape. “Are you out of your mind, Silver?” “No. Take a look around.” On the wooden wall to my left were some large Chinese characters, seemingly painted in red lacquer. The room was thronging with those strange cartoons. They appeared flat, but this was because the hologram couldn’t transmit the three-dimensional

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