Ordered to kill me on sight.
1300 Words
Arturo was moving boards and got a ladder to go down and pull me up.
He was too big. Maria said she would go.
Manuel saw her as she went into that hole.
" What is it?" He asked Arturo.
Arturo shook his head.
" We found her, I didn't kill her yet. I think she is already dead though." He told Manuel.
Manuel grabbed Maria as she tied a rope around my body.
I coughed and wheezed as they jerked my body up and into the kitchen.
" She's alive!" Maria yelled.
" What is she holding?" Arturo asked.
" My phone. I sent her to get me my phone. That was two days ago." Manuel said, taking me to the lawn.
There were tents set up outside for temporary housing.
He tried to take the phone from my hand. I couldn't open it to let it go. It was as if it were frozen to my skin.
" You fell though the floor trying to get my phone for me." He said in shock.
Arturo arrived with a shot gun.
" Move aside Manuel, I got this." He racked the barrel and aimed it at my head.
I just looked at Arturo. He winked at me.
Manuel grabbed the gun.
" No, don't kill her. She will be dead soon anyway. Go now...get the doctor please." He said.
Manuel took my cold body in his arms and held me.
I whispered to him.
" Please, don't kill...."
He shushed me.
" I'm not going to kill you." He said.
I shook my head. "My sis...my neice..parents."
He remembered he had threatened to kill then all in his blind rage.
"You could have left me to die there, you saved me?" He asked me.
I shrugged. Still fearful of his anger that seemed to come out of nowhere.
He nodded. "I won't kill any of them."
I closed my eyes in relief. The whole time I was down in that hole, I saw my dear lovely niece Sophia lying dead. All my fault.
" I thought you sent someone to kill her, she's just a little girl. Just a baby girl." I cried.
Manuel had tears now.
" I didn't. I wouldn't kill a child." He admitted. " I wanted to hurt you, make you pay."
" I paid." I said quietly.
My body shook with the fever.
I had been so anxious that I lost a little bit if my mind, I admit.
I never stopped dreaming about her dead little body. Everytime I closed my eyes she was there, dead in the water next to me.
____________
The next week, I was slowly healing. The doctor gave me a few shots of penicillin. I had pneumonia he said.
Manuel was very attentive. He stayed near me, reading and watching me.
Arturo informed him he could still shoot me if he wanted him to.
Manuel kicked him out.
I just looked at him to see if he hated me still.
He assured me he did not.
I couldn't believe him. I was feeling scared of him now.
I heard he had ordered for me to be shot on sight. Arturo knew it was a ridiculous order, that's why he kept offering to do it, or so he said to me.
" Are you thirsty, I can get you some cold water?" Manuel offered.
I shrugged again.
" Ok, I guess that is a yes. Be right back." He stood up to leave me and get the water.
I hurriedly crawled out of bed. I had to leave him. He was dangerous and might decide to kill my family again.
I quietly made my way to the garage. I needed a car to steal.
I saw a motorcycle there, the keys were in it.
I lay over the seat, I was still so weak.
I started the bike and rode off, away from the compound.
He was going to eventually kill me anyway. I had nothing to lose.
I made it to the boat dock and hid in an outbound boat.
I felt it rock as it moved in the water. It was sailing away. I took a deep breath. I had escaped the monster.
I knew I had to find my way home somehow.
I fell asleep under a tarp.
____________
Manuel
When I returned, she was gone. I didn't think she could get far, but I misjudged her will power.
Even in her condition, she slipped away from me.
I knew that I did this to her. I scared her telling her I would kill her sister and niece. It was a fatal mistake on my part.
I killed any love she had for me, replacing it with unfathomable fear for her family. Of course she would try to get home, to protect them. She was a fierce protector like that. She protected me, even as I ordered her death.
I felt panick not finding her.
Arturo said there was a motorcycle missing.
We drove down the road, following the bike tracks.
The motorcycle was there at the dock, dumped in some brush.
" Arturo, I ruined everything didn't I?" I lost her.
He pat my shoulder.
" Do you know where she is running to?" He asked me.
" Home, she's going to her home in the states." I knew it.
She had to go, she knew I might have lied and killed them all, I was so mad at her betrayal.
But, she never really betrayed me.
She was right, I wouldn't have liked it to hear about Daniel being CIA. I would have hurt her if she told me this before.
I prepared my passport. I was going to go after her. Beg her to come home to me.
I had to try. I love her.
_____________
Josephine
When the small boat landed, I snuck out and made my way to the ferry terminal.
I snuck on the back of a large truck and hid as it drove onto the ferry. I was going back to the states. I just needed to cross the water and I would be in Texas.
It went much smoother than I had imagined.
I saw a boarder control guard and ran to him.
" My name is Josephine Brennan. My family is looking for me. Please..."
He knew my name well as my family saturated the whole area with posters and increasing rewards.
He called his supervisor, I was taken to the city jail where they finger printed me to see if I was who I said I was.
I was indeed Josephine Brennan.
My father and mother caught a flight to Galvastan.
Charles was out of the country with his new wife, Lana. He had given me almost two years to come home, but finally gave into Lana's pressure.
I asked my family not to disturb him, it was for the best.
My sister brought my niece to me. She moved away, unsure who I was.
I hugged Brea and kissed her neck. " I'm home."
We celebrated quietly in the house. I couldn't stop staring at Sophia. She was so pretty.
My name was plastered all over the news. I was hounded by media to do interviews.
My lovely father hired the best lawyers to protect me.
David and my sister Brea spirited me away secretly in the night. We went to Europe. Brea was so afraid that the Mexican cartel would come for me.
I knew Manuel would. Then he would slaughter me as promised.
Mom and dad pretended I was still home. They protected me. No one knew I was gone, into hiding.
I changed my hair color, it was now a dark brown.
I wore glasses and dressed modestly, not drawing any attention.
- Writer
