Paola and her best friend Nicoletta (Nicole for her friends) hid in the alleyway right next to their school, making sure that no one saw them leaving.
Having grown tired of their daily routine of getting up early and having to go to school to learn, the two girls had finally caused them both to decide to play hooky. They never wanted to step foot in a classroom again. All they wanted to do was anything they desired and today they desired to play.
Like a common girl in the Italy of 1890's, Paola was wearing a blue dress decorated by a white sailor style collar and a black sash around her waist. It was complete with a yellow ribbon trimmed hat, while Nicole wore a red pinafore tartan dress with a white cotton lace surrounding the lowest part of the long skirt and a white cotton peasant blouse under the dress. Nicole also wore a beret that matched her dress and, just like Paola, a pair of black Mary Jane shoes.
Although they weren’t related to each other, both Paola and Nicole could have easily been mistaken for sisters. They both had similar faces and a small patch of freckles on their face. The only thing that Paola had that Nicole didn’t was the hair color, Paola had long blond hair and Nicole had long ginger hair.
"D-do you think a-anybody saw us?" Paola asked her friend nervously.
"No, I don't think," Nicole replied.
"Good," Paola sighed in relief. "Let's go to the park to play ‘Game of Graces’."
The girls made their way to their village's park, making sure it was safe from view of any adults who might wonder why they both weren't in school. The ‘Game of Graces’ was an old game that involved tossing a wooden, ribbon-covered hoop off two smooth sticks to another player who attempted to catch the hoop on her two dowel-like sticks. After playing that game, the girls played Hide ‘n Seek, hand clapping games and jumping rope.
When they got tired, the girls sat under a tree until the sun had finally set and night was upon them. Then, Paola and Nicole decided to move on and do something else.
"Want to go on down to Lorenzo's candy store and get something to snack on?" Nicole asked.
"I don't have any money, Nicole" Paola replied sadly.
"Don't worry, Paola," Nicole said as she rummaged through the front pocket of her pinafore dress, "I've got us both covered."
And with that the friends set off for the Candy Store.
They had scarcely made it halfway there when they were approached by a large Man wearing a red overcoat and a grey top hat. They could both tell he was an older man as his blonde hair had begun to gray.
He seemed very friendly. "Tell me, young ladies," the man asked them in a gentlemanly tone. "Where might you two be off to?"
"To get some candy from the store," Paola replied.
"And do you have any money?" the Man asked.
"I've got a little," Nicole replied.
The Man smiled at them. "How would you both like to go to a place where you get to have any candy you wanted for free?"
"What place?" Paola asked, becoming very intrigued.
"Why Pleasure Island of course!" the Man exclaimed.
"Pleasure Island?" Nicole asked, having never heard of it before.
"Surely you girls have heard of Pleasure Island?" the Man replied back. "No? Well, it’s a land where kids like yourselves can do whatever you please. You can stuff your faces with cake and ice cream. You can ride all sorts of fun rides as many times as you want. And best of all, there are no rules and no adults telling you what to do."
"Really?" Paola and Nicole exclaimed in surprise. This sounded like a place they just had to go to.
"It's the world's largest amusement park, ladies," the Man told them. "You can stay there as long as you like."
Paola looked to Nicole, who seemed just as interested in Pleasure Island as she was.
"How do we get there?" Paola asked eagerly.
"Why I can take you there, my sweet young ladies," the Man replied with a smile. "I have a Coach waiting on the edge of your village. It's already got a few boys and girls aboard already, but there's plenty of room for you two. Let me take you there. After experiencing all that Pleasure Island has to offer you... I'm sure you'll never want to come home again."
Once more Paola turned to her friend to get her opinion. Nicole nodded her head enthusiastically and like her was willing to go. What did they have to lose anyway?
And so they left with the Man and stalked off into the night, ready for a night that neither of them would ever forget.