Falling Too Fast

by Malín Alegría

  He would get away, she told herself. He had to.

  “Mija, what happened to your cell phone? I tried calling you all morning,” her mother asked the next day at the family restaurant.

  A shiver raced down Alexis’s back. “I lost it,” she mumbled into the hot chocolate she was drinking out of a clay mug. It must have fallen out of her back pocket, she thought. What if the cops found it? She swallowed hard. Alexis had tried calling Christian several times from her home phone, but his calls went straight to voice mail. She was sick with worry, but she couldn’t tell anyone about it. Her mother would hit the roof if she found out where Alexis had been.

  “You better cancel that phone right away,” her grandmother Alpha called. She sat at the counter with the morning paper in her hands. “La mafia steals phones, you know. They do all their dirty negotiations and you get hit with the bill,” she said, turning the page.

  Her mother rolled her eyes behind Abuelita’s back, making Alexis smile.

  “Aha!” Alpha squealed with joy. “Mira, look at that. They finally caught those rascals.” She slapped her thigh with pleasure.

  Alexis turned. “What are you talking about?”

  Her grandmother beamed. “There was a drug bust last night out near Villa, and they caught all kinds of narcos,” she cheered. Abuelita Alpha was obsessed with the lives of major drug dealers along the border. She talked about the infighting and who did what to whom like they were characters on television soap operas and not real-life criminals. But this news was different. Alexis had been near Villa last night.

  “What happened?” Alexis asked, trying not to seem too interested.

  “Aaah.” Her abuelita winked. She raised her magnifying glass and read, “‘US authorities uncovered a major drug-smuggling operation last night. Over twenty people were arrested at an illegal drag race, where they found over eight hundred pounds of marijuana.’ ¡Híjole! That’s a lot, no?” She looked at Alexis for confirmation.

  “Arrested?” Alexis got up to peer at the article over her abuelita’s shoulder. There were pictures of trucks with the back doors wide open, revealing blocks of marijuana wrapped in plastic. She shivered.

  “Scary, no?” her abuelita said, noting her reaction.

  Alexis couldn’t help but worry about Christian. She hadn’t heard a word from him. He wasn’t mixed up in drugs. Surely, the police wouldn’t have been interested in him? Alexis knew he didn’t do anything wrong. But would the authorities believe that? For as long as she could remember, the communities along the border had been riddled with violence and drug crime. People didn’t like to talk about it, but it had seeped into all parts of their lives. “Let me see that,” Alexis said, reaching for the paper.

  “My paper,” her abuelita snapped, holding the paper to her chest.

  “Fine,” Alexis sighed in frustration. “Read me some more, then.”

  Alpha smiled triumphantly and shook the paper out in front of her with great gusto. She raised her magnifying glass and read the rest of the article. There wasn’t much more to tell. The authorities had been following a lead involving illegal drag races and drug trafficking for over two months. The roundup was considered a success and they hoped it would lead to more drug busts. Alexis sighed, feeling her heart flop. Well, at least there was no mention of Christian, she thought. That had to be a good sign. Then she thought of something.

  “Abuelita, what happens to the guys who get caught? The ones mentioned in the article.”

  Her abuelita shot her a curious glance. “Do you know any of them?” she asked in a shocked tone.

  “Of course I don’t,” Alexis said forcefully. She tried to smile. “I was just wondering, that’s all.”

  Alpha studied her, squinting as if she could read Alexis’s mind. She seemed to believe her and motioned for her to come closer. “I think they take them to a detention center, where they tie them up and try to get information out of them. They lock up some and toss the others to el otro lado.”

  Alexis jerked like she’d been slapped on the back with a ruler. “What do you mean they toss them to the other side?”

  “The illegals. They deport those that don’t have papers.”

  Christian, she thought, feeling her chest tighten. Alexis grabbed the back of her abuelita’s stool for support.

  “Mija” — her abuelita studied her face — “are you all right? You look like you saw a ghost.”

  Alexis tried to breathe deeply. I’m sure he got away. He probably lost his phone like I did, and hasn’t gotten a chance to call another way. “I’m fine,” she said, trying to smile. “I think I just had too much hot chocolate and it gave me a head rush.”

  Her abuelita raised her index finger in a scolding manner. “You watch out with that chocolate, especially if Trini makes it.” She leaned in and said in a hushed tone, “That stuff can make you loose. If you know what I mean.”

  As the hours turned into a full day, Alexis couldn’t ignore her anxiety. There’d been no word from Christian. She thought about going to his house. But Mrs. Luna already didn’t like her and probably wouldn’t give her any information if she had some. Alexis chewed at what was left of her nails. She was going to lose her mind if she didn’t get some news of Christian.

  The door chimed and her cousin Santiago walked into her family’s restaurant with a cheerful grin on his face. He stopped in front of the register with his arms akimbo and took a deep whiff. “What’s good today?”

  Then Santiago wandered to the back hallway and Alexis followed him, assuming he was headed to the men’s bathroom to wash his hands.

  “Santiago, we have to talk,” she said, following him inside and blocking the bathroom door behind her. She startled a customer who was drying his hands. Her cheeks reddened as she moved to let the guy leave.

  “Whoa, Alexis, what’s gotten into you? The men’s bathroom is a sacred space for men only.”

  “It’s Christian. I’m worried sick. His cell has been off and he hasn’t returned any of my calls.”

  Suddenly, the door smacked Alexis on the bottom. “Hey,” she snapped. “Occupied!”

  “What are you two doing in there?” her big sister called through the door. “Let me in,” she said, pushing her way inside. She glanced from Santiago back to Alexis. “You two are acting very strange. What are you up to?”

  Alexis explained what had happened the other night, the drag races and the drug bust. Fabi’s face darkened when she discovered where they’d been, but when Alexis got to the part about Christian, Fabi hugged her. Alexis relaxed into the embrace, thankful for her sister’s understanding.

  “We need to find him,” Fabi said, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Yes,” Alexis cried, feeling her hope rise. Fabi always knew how to make things happen.

  “But where do we start? If the cops picked him up, there are a bunch of jails and detention centers,” Santiago said, sounding nervous.

  Fabi pulled out her cell phone. “I’m going to call our cousin Bobby.” Bobby Sanchez was a police officer. “He’ll know what to do.”

  “Don’t say nothing about me being at the races, all right?” Santiago said in a worried voice.

  Officer Bobby Sanchez recommended that they check out the detention center in Hidalgo. Bobby didn’t ask for any information, nor did Fabi volunteer any.

  Santiago drove them to the detention center way out in the rural countryside. Alexis’s heart sank as they approached the facility. A series of officelike gray buildings surrounded by a menacing barbed-wire fence loomed ahead of them. Alexis couldn’t imagine Christian in this prison.

  But Christian was there.

  When Alexis, Fabi, and Santiago made it inside, they learned that the police had turned him over to some Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. They were keeping him isolated while they questioned him about the drug bust. He was not allowed any visitors at the moment, except for his attorney.

  For a minute, Alexis thought her heart had actually stopped. Her
sister reached for her hand, just as Alexis burst into tears. Thankfully, her sister was there to do the talking. Fabi was good at keeping a cool head in tough situations. She managed to get the name of his attorney from the staff. As they headed out of the building, Alexis recognized a woman coming through security. She had a stern expression ironed on her face and caught Alexis’s eye right away.

  Alexis swallowed. She tried to give Christian’s mom a comforting smile.

  “Have you no shame,” his mother said, walking up to Alexis. Her eyes were swollen from crying. “This is all your fault. I knew nothing good would come from his hanging with you!” she snapped. The group of people in the waiting area stopped to stare at the scene. “You bewitched my son. You put a spell on him. I know it, and now look what you’ve done.” Mrs. Luna crumbled, falling into the arms of two security people who had approached her from behind.

  Fresh tears pricked Alexis’s eyes. This was her fault. She wanted to tell Mrs. Luna how much she cared for Christian and that she never meant for this to happen. But Alexis didn’t dare. Mrs. Luna was like a wounded animal, ready to snap and dig her claws into the closest person.

  “Let’s go,” Fabi said after a while. “There’s nothing more we can do here.” Alexis nodded and followed her sister and cousin.

  At the door, she glanced back. Someone had brought Mrs. Luna a cup of water and another person was helping her to a chair. Alexis’s heart felt heavy. She wished that she could have talked to Christian, or even just gotten a glimpse of him.

  On the drive home, Alexis was haunted by Mrs. Luna’s words. They cut deeply. Not only because she blamed herself for his arrest but also because of the love spell she had used to bring him into her life. The memory of her visit to the botánica came back clearly. She had wanted a love story of her own — but she hadn’t wanted this.

  A week later, Christian was still in custody. No one but his mother and lawyer were allowed to visit him. Alexis tried to stay positive. They have to release him, she told herself. Christian was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

  She tried to busy herself with rehearsals for the upcoming mariachi presentation. Even though the group hadn’t raised all the money to purchase new mariachi suits, Castillo was still making them perform. However, all the performing they’d done in public to raise money had helped make their ragtag group a bit more confident. At the rate they were collecting money, they would be able to afford replacement uniforms very soon.

  The night before their first competition, the ensemble piled into the yellow Dos Rios school bus. They were scheduled to begin at eight a.m. sharp, so they would have to drive all night to get there. Alexis took a seat near the back. Her cousin slid into the seat across from hers and put his legs up. The rest of the group filed in, taking seats, playing around, and shouting excitedly until AP Castillo yelled for everyone to be quiet. Alexis smiled at Nikki as she sat next to her with her backpack in one hand and a bag of home-cooked goodies in the other. The smell of brownies made Alexis perk up.

  The bus roared to life. Alexis felt butterflies in her stomach. She put her nose to the cold window and watched as they drove out of town. She wished Christian were able to come see their first real performance. She knew he’d be proud. The bus was traveling northeast, past San Antonio. Alexis had never been so far from the Rio Grande Valley. She knew that when she became famous, she would have to get used to leaving the Valley. But that didn’t soothe her aching heart.

  The rocking motion of the bus mixed with the rural countryside soon lulled everyone to sleep. Alexis awoke in the middle of the night, when the bus suddenly stalled. She rubbed her eyes and yawned loudly.

  “Are we here?” she asked, stretching and glancing out the window. It was dark outside and she couldn’t make out anything.

  Nikki opened a Tupperware bowl of Rice Krispies treats and passed them over. She shrugged at Alexis. “I don’t know. Doesn’t look like it,” she said, squinting out the window.

  Castillo was talking to the driver. Alexis leaned in to hear, but she couldn’t understand a word over the chatter of waking students.

  “Yo, Castillo, can I go take a leak?” Santiago asked, getting up.

  Castillo waved him away like he was an annoying fly. The driver was shaking his head in irritation.

  “I got to go bad,” Santiago whined, dancing from one foot to the other.

  “Fine,” AP Castillo said, “but don’t go too far. We have to get back on the road.”

  Then everyone wanted to go. Half the group followed Santiago out of the bus. Since there weren’t any restrooms, students were using the lights of their cell phones to find a bush or tree to go behind. Alexis heard a tapping sound coming from outside her window. She turned, expecting to see Santiago’s funny grin, but he wasn’t there. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a flapping motion. But it was gone too quickly for her to be sure.

  Alexis stood up. “I’m going to go see what’s going on,” she told Nikki, climbing over her and into the aisle.

  As she approached, AP Castillo waved her away. “Have a seat, Garza,” he said in a commanding voice.

  She noticed the driver scratching his head and trying to turn the ignition on. The bus didn’t respond. It was dead. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  The driver sighed and glanced from Alexis to AP Castillo. “We were driving and everything was fine, but then all of a sudden the engine stalled.” He tried the knobs on the radio. Nada. “Everything is dead.”

  Suddenly, they heard screams outside. Students rushed through the narrow doorway, pushing and shoving their way through, blocking her view. Then she heard flapping. It was loud and strong like a steady heartbeat. The shape of a huge birdlike creature swooped in front of the bus. What was that? Alexis thought as she reflexively ducked.

  “La Lechuza,” the bus driver screamed. He covered his face in his hands and crouched down behind the steering wheel. AP Castillo stared. His mouth hung wide open. The students cried out in fright, scampering over the seats to hide. Karina pulled out a rosary from under her shirt and started to pray in a shaky voice. Alexis stared at her in shock. She never knew Karina carried a rosary.

  “We need a rope or a string,” Justin said, coming down the aisle. The dark and deserted landscape was putting everyone on edge, but not him. Justin seemed calm and purposeful.

  “How about a shoelace?” Pedro volunteered, holding up a white cord he’d removed from his sneakers.

  Justin nodded and mumbled thanks as he made a series of knots on the string. Alexis was confused. How were the ties supposed to protect them from a scary witch-bird? Justin looked up at Alexis as if reading her mind. He blushed.

  “My grandma always said whenever you saw La Lechuza you better tie a string with seven knots for protection.”

  “Lechuga?” Marisol asked, waking up slowly and mishearing “lettuce.” How could she sleep through all the screaming? Alexis wondered. Marisol looked at her. “What’s going on? Are we stopping for food?”

  “Le-chu-za,” Justin said slowly, “not le-chu-ga. You never heard about her?” Marisol shook her head. “She’s a witch-bird that attacks people on deserted roads,” he explained. “Some say La Lechuza is a bringer of death, and if you look her in the eyes she will take your soul.”

  “Where’s Santiago?” Alexis asked when she realized he wasn’t on the bus.

  Then she saw him. The moonlight outlined Santiago’s figure. He pulled back on something small in his hand as he shouted.

  “Yeah, I ain’t scared of you, owl! Take that.” He shot a rock into the night.

  The sound of the flapping wings was loud — louder than any bird Alexis had ever heard before. She watched as her cousin fearlessly confronted La Lechuza with a slingshot. Suddenly, the bird swooped down, right at Santiago. He screamed as he reached for his head and dropped to the ground.

  Alexis cried, “Santiago,” as she slid past AP Castillo and out the bus door. Her heart pounded in her ears. The flapping sound cam
e again. It was right above her head. Alexis hurried to shield her cousin from another attack. She heard the bird screech in her ear as it swooped past them.

  “That bird is crazy,” her cousin said, handing her a sharp rock.

  Alexis looked around near her. Santiago had dropped his slingshot near the left bus tire when he was attacked. She grabbed it and aimed toward the sky. The flapping of the large wings interrupted the silence of the wilderness. In the glow from the moon, she was able to see the huge bird making a wide circle above the bus. Alexis aimed the rock at the owl’s head.

  The owl screeched as it dove at her. Her arms were shaking and sweat was dripping down her face. She watched as the crazed bird plunged straight for her. Its yellow eyes reminded her of the ones she’d seen from the restaurant patio. At the last possible moment, she released the shot.

  A high-pitched shriek filled the air. The noise was so loud it almost sounded human. Then she heard the sound of something crash into the ground. Santiago squeezed her shoulder.

  “Good shot, prima.”

  Suddenly, the bus woke up. The engine roared as the Johnny Cash song “Ring of Fire” came on the radio. Santiago and Alexis stared at each other.

  “Get on the bus,” AP Castillo hollered, hanging out the door.

  They got back on the bus and drove away. Everyone stared as Santiago and Alexis made their way to their seats in the back.

  No one wanted to say it, but seeing this strange owl the night before their very first competition was not a good sign.

  When they finally arrived at the event the air was brisk and the sky overcast. The plaza was decorated festively. Tissue paper had been cut into elaborate decorations, and hung from tree to tree like shirts on a clothesline. There were balloons, a small stage, and food booths.