Childhood of the Dead

by Jose Louzeiro

  “He wants you to go talk to him, so you won’t get in trouble.”

  Dito didn’t know what to do. What if it was a trap? “How long’s he gonna beb there?”

  “All week, then he travels.”

  Dito lay down again at the edge of the fountain, feeling confused. He couldn’t figure out Crystal.

  “Tomorrow or so I’ll go there. I just want to see what story he’s gonna tell me.”

  Encravado threw the candy bag and the sweets to Smokey. The little black boy smiled broadly and began to dance, to jiggle as if he were in the front row of a samba parade.

  “And what are we gonna do today?” asked Encravado.

  Pin explained.

  “We already got the women ready. We can earn money by day, by night, and hump the girls in the off hours.”

  “I’m gonna bang them too,” said Smokey.

  “Forget it, shrimp. Go suck your candy and don’t bother us,” Pin said.

  “We get some action for a while in one place and later we move,” said Dito.

  “I got me some hardware in Rocinha today,” said Encravado.

  Dito wanted to see the gun. So did Pin.

  “Great. It’s gonna help a lot!”

  “What about Mother’s Scourge? Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. Let’s just go see the girls,” Pin said. “Smokey stays here.”

  X

  Encravado sat down on the sidewalk at the curb, in front of the rooming house.

  “Jeez, man, this place is falling apart,” Dito said.

  “At night all cats are brown. The john who comes here only has eyes for the woman.”

  The big house sat on a large open lot. Props and rafters supported much of the ceiling and some of the walls. Most of the bedrooms were empty. Pin walked towards one of them and knocked at the door. Dito followed some steps behind. A young woman showed her head.

  “Come in.”

  She told Dito to sit down. She had sad eyes, a thin face and long hair. She was just getting dressed.

  “Sueli went to call Carla.”

  “And what’s your name?” asked Dito.

  “I’m Beth.”

  She put her foot on a chair whose stuffing was falling out, raised her dress and hitched up her stockings. Dito observed the well shaped leg, the manicured hands. Pin seemed to be intimate with her. When he put his arm around her shoulders, she made sure not to muss her hair.

  “When can we start out, doll?”

  “Let’s see what Sueli says. She’ll be right here.”

  “I think it’s gonna be good for all of us,” said Dito.

  He wanted to talk some more, to say a bunch of things that crossed his mind, but he didn’t know why the presence of that young woman inhibited him. When he was least prepared for it, she looked at him sadl and sweetly. Pin opened a cabinet looking for something to eat. Beth asked Dito to pull up the zipper at her back. He came closer and saw himself in the mirror lighted by two bulbs. His face looked angry, with narrow eyes as if he were an Indian, thin lips, straight hair falling over his forehead. Very few times had he ever seen himself in a mirror. Beth smiled and squeezed his hand.

  “I want you to be my friend.”

  He didn’t understand the spontaneous request, didn’t know how to respond immediately. So, he just nodded, agreeing with the girl. She smiled, posed for him, and asked how he thought she looked. Pin hurried to whistle, Dito only smiled. “You’re the most elegant woman I’ve seen.”

  “Jeez, no fair! You’re gonna turn everybody’s head,” said Pin excited.

  Someone knocked at the door, Beth opened it, Sueli and Carla showed up. Pin whistled again. Sueli was dark, strong. She had put on some tight pants, modelling her thick thighs. Carla was blondish. She had a beautiful smile and appeared sociable. She kissed Pin, sat on his lap in the chair, and smiled. Beth explained the arrangement of the house.

  “Ain’t but two bedrooms here. It was just an apartment Sueli and I once shared. We can bring only two guys at a time. The extra one has to wait.”

  “That’s no problem. If the two bedrooms are occupied, one of us stays outside. That’ll be the red light.”

  “And how are the guys gonna leave?” Beth wanted to know.

  “One at a time,” Dito explained, “to avoid confusion.”

  She smiled. She came closer to him and began playing with his hair. “How old are you?”

  “One hundred and sixteen, just about. I’m getting old!”

  “And how do we begin?” Carla wanted to know while being fondled by Pin.

  “Right now,” said Dito, searching his pocket and pulling out a bill of one hundred.

  Carla kissed the money she got, Sueli cheered up.

  “I’m a little afraid,” said Beth.

  “Don’t be silly,” said Pin. “Everything is gonna be all right.”

  The women got ready to leave. Dito observed that Carla continued to laugh, that Sueli had an attractive body and that Beth kept looking at him.

  “Call Encravado.”

  Pin went to the door. Dito stayed for some moments in that little room with the two bulbs lit over the mirror. He glanced at the peeling walls, at the pictures of naked women and soccer players tacked to the walls, at the woman’s hair ribbons hanging from a nail. He pushed open the door. In the other room there was the bed. A stale and musty smell exuded from it. The big house was quiet, but Dito wasn’t worried about that. He took his gun from his pocket, examining the bullets in the cylinder. He locked it again and put it back in his waistband. Encravado arrived with Pin and explained how the plan would work.

  “The girl comes with the guy. We hide. She takes the john directly to the bedroom. They begin to hump, and we come in. The girl gets out, we wait a bit, and finally send the duck out alone. You stay cool, outside. Any false move, you give the alarm and we run.”

  “And where do we take the girls tomorrow?”

  “Don’t think about tomorrow. If tonight’s harvest is good, we spend a couple of days out of circulation.”

  “I think this is gonna be better over by Aterro,” Encravado said.

  “We can discuss this later. We have to use several places. Now go on. Pin will stay with you for a while. When the first girl shows up he goes to his position and brings the gun. If he doesn’t wanna do it, you come in his place. I am gonna be getting some ropes. We may need to hold some of these guys longer. We never know.”

  * * *

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I

  Beth sat alone at one of the tables in the Glo’ria Tavern, Carla went to get a place on the other side, and Sueli thought it better to stay at the bus stop: “That’s where the old men go after women.”

  There were always lots of people at the stop, so she kept some distance from it. The first car that went by, the driver just offered her a ride. She wasn’t interested. Two buses showed up, one after the other, and took away half of the people at the stop. A second car appeared, with only its parking lights on; Sueli bent over to talk to the guy, and he promised to park and come back. She was tired of this routine. She wasn’t going to wait. She walked to the door of Sao Joaquim Palace, then down the street. From where she was, she could see Carla, and noticed her friend already had a man with his arm around her shoulders. Beth remained alone, the waiter serving her glass after glass of beer. An old man passed Sueli with his eyes fixed on her legs. He stared at her dark face, at her hair bound up in an elegant ponytail.

  “Where is the princess going?”

  “Wherever daddy wants me to.”

  She said this and smiled, flashing her white teeth. The old man, who carried a briefcase, didn’t know what to do. He had not expected a challenging answer. For a couple of moments he thought of his alternatives: continue his walk, or accept the provocative invitation?

  “And where can we go?” he asked shyly.

  “Close by, where I live.”

  He had a fat and pinkish face, greying hair, and wore glasses. Because he made nerv
ous gestures when he spoke, Sueli knew he was embarrassed. He searched for words, wishing to kid around, but he was unable to find any. She didn’t wait for him to decide. She grabbed him by the hands, noticed they were cold and asked, “What’s the matter, love?”

  The man laughed and didn’t know what to do. It would be difficult to explain. At his age, instead of being on his way home, he was getting himself in an adventure with a foxy lady. She had a beautiful body and hair that fell to the middle of her back.

  “What is it you like to do the most?”

  The sucker only smiled.

  “Then, let’s go. I’m gonna be all yours, for as long as you want.”

  The old man couldn’t stand it anymore. His lips trembled, he was breathless. He calculated, mentally, how much he had in his wallet, and how much he could spend on the girl. Sueli was talking, laughing, chattering on; the man recollected the slippers his wife put at the bathroom door whenever he got home. In twenty-odd years of marriage he had never been late, except for the days he brought the accounting up to date. Even so he used to call. Therefore, one time only wouldn’t be a problem. He had almost forgotten these girls, it had been such a long time! And while he fantasized and laughed, he went on agreeing with Sueli, feeling the heat of her soft young hand on his arm. It was, however, as if he knew the people who met them in the street. Some, mostly women, looked at him, as if accusing him of adultery. He wanted to hide his face until they got to Sueli’s street. Then, they could go slowly. At the bus stop, in front of a pharmacy, passing by the bakery, he was red with embarrassment. What if someone he knew, should see him? How would he explain that?

  “Would you like to have a drink first?”

  “If you have cognac at home, I’d be thankful.”

  “Cognac, I’m not sure, but scotch I can guarantee. I got a bottle for my birthday.”

  The old man felt his tongue loosening up. Now, he could say some things and even be a little blasé.

  “How old are you?”

  “A woman shouldn’t have to answer this question but, for the time being, I have no reason to hide it.” Both Sueli and the old man laugh. “Eighteen. I’m Pisces. And you?”

  “Me?”

  He didn’t know what to say. He was disturbed again. After enunciating the word Pisces, Sueli had stretched her body as if to tell him a secret. And he didn’t know his sign and was embarrassed to tell her his true age. That’s why he reduced it by five years.

  “I’m fifty-one, I’m Aquarian.”

  “Huhn, how wonderful!”

  As he was about to say something, Sueli interrupted him, pointing, “That’s where I live,” she said of a big house with two or three windows lit up. “It’s better than a hotel!”

  The old man agreed. He had never liked to expose himself in hotels, to sign the registration book, show his identity card, or subject himself to such police sweeps as he frequently read about in the newspapers. It would be a nightmare if he were taken to a police station, for being in a bedroom with a prostitute. The scandal would ruin his prestige in the company, his wife would have a heart attack, his married children would stop talking to him. His picture could even appear in the tabloids. He was sure Sueli’s choice of a place was the best option.

  “A modest big house, but comfortable. You’ll like my home.”

  “And you,” he ventured a little more at ease.

  Encravado observed Sueli and her man coming in. They climbed the steps, passed the patio, and walked by the closed bedrooms. She took the key from her purse, turned it in the lock. The door opened with smooth clicks. She turned on the light and hugged him. He rushed to shut the door. The sensation of that young woman, glued to him, so warm and slim, stirred the man up. Sueli loosened his tie and he placed his briefcase on a chair before she helped him take off his jacket. He wanted to say that the room was too small, that the heat was suffocating; but he didn’t dare, for the girl was all over him. Now, he only had his pants on and was barefooted; she pulled him to the bedroom and then to bed. She didn’t turn on the lights, the brightness of the lamp in the living room was sufficient. Sueli, in blouse and panties, unbuckled his belt, and as he sat on the edge of the bed, took his pants off. He wore boxer shorts, open in the front. When the girl pushed him, his clothes came off and he had no time to fold them, nor did he worry about it. Seldom had he met a girl like this one, and he let himself be guided. The old man kicked his underwear aside, as Sueli took off her blouse. Firm, tanned breasts appeared and the old man touched them with trembling hands, as if afraid of damaging them. He leaned over to kiss them, Sueli supporting his head, and he closed his eyes, overcome with delight. But a light was turned on and he was caught by surprise while Sueli caught her breath. The old man opened his eyes wide and couldn’t believe what he saw.

  “What are you doing with this creep?” asked Dito, angrily.

  Sueli fled to the other room. The old man tried to stand up, but Dito didn’t let him, pointing his gun.

  “You make a move and I’ll burn you!”

  Pin was in charge of the clothes. He took the pants and the coat to the sofa in the living room, while Sueli got dressed. She winked and left the house through the patio, barely lit by the street lights’ glow. An agenda, a wallet, a check book and various papers were taken from the clothes. Pin opened the wallet, when Dito’s threats began, followed by the old man’s lamentations. He took out the bills and was undecided about keeping the documents. He called Dito and exchanged places with him. Holding the gun he pushed the old man back down when he tried to sit up.

  “Keep quiet if you don’t want me fill you full of lead!”Dito counted the money Pin had put on the bed and examined the papers. Then he had an idea: he would let the man go but would keep his underwear, his documents and his money. Pin mocked the old man, and Dito calculated the odds of exploiting that jerk forever.

  The old man was nervous. He showed up at the door, completely naked, and Dito threw him his clothes. He didn’t say a word. He put on his socks and searched for his underwear.

  “We’ll keep it. It proves you’ve been here, after the little girl. You make any mess, and your family will know all about it.”

  “If it’s money you want, I can give.”

  “You had what we needed for today. We’ll need more on Thursday,” Dito said coldly.

  The guy was now dressed. He had put on his tie carelessly and Pin helped him return the papers to the briefcase.

  “The photographs and the club card will also stay with us,” Dito said.

  The man opened the door, leaving nervously.

  “What if he talks?”

  “He won’t.”

  Dito pulled a cushion off the sofa, threw the underwear there, then lay down for a moment.”Actually, it wasn’t difficult.”

  From where he was on the sidewalk, Encravado saw the frantic man trying to grab a taxi. When he left, Encravado came running in through the patio.

  “How was it?”

  “Cool,” Pin answered.

  “He left his underwear and a thousand bucks.”

  “Then let’s go,” Encravado suggested.

  “No need to. He’s going straight home.”

  “What if he goes to the police?”

  “He is not the type that’ll get involved with the police.”

  Dito gave money to Encravado.

  “Go on back. Tonight we’ll make a bundle”

  As soon as Encravado got back to his lookout post, he saw Carla approaching with a strong man in dark clothes. He couldn’t see his features, but he saw her talking and laughing as they crossed the street embraced, the man’s arm on her shoulders. They entered the big house, and she turned the key in her lock. She held on to his body tightly and seeing he wasn’t amorous sat on the sofa. Carla then took the initiative, taking off her shoes and skirt. Slowly he unbuttoned his shirt and she asked if he would like to have a drink, which he accepted.

  She opened a cabinet, as old as every other faded thing in that small living
room, to get a scotch bottle and a glass. The man smiled. She chatted, not liking his behavior, since it appeared he was not attracted to her body. The man poured a good shot in the glass and offered some to her which she sipped to please him. And she kissed him. When he tried to hold her, she slipped away to the bedroom. The man remained on the sofa. He didn’t seem at all excited. Carla kept calling him, the weak light shining on her tired body. The man took off his shoes, looked to see if the door was well locked, put his shirt on the back of the chair and folded his pants. He sat next to Carla, whispered in her ear, melting her away in laughter and murmurs. The john stretched himself out next to Carla and kissed her with fervor. From behind the curtain, where a chair could barely fit, Pin and Dito stepped out.

  “Stay where you are!”

  The stranger didn’t seem bothered by the threat and tried to stand up. Dito shot him. The bullet hit him in the leg.

  “Son of a bitch, what do you think you’re doing?”

  Dito had not foreseen that reaction and cocked his pistol again. Pin interceded as the big man wanted to stand up. Dito hit him on the head with the gun. Carla could not leave the bedroom. There was no space for her to pass but she wanted to disappear. Dito was also very nervous, for he didn’t know exactly what to do next. He had not counted on the guy’s reactions, and the only solution he saw was to kill him, though Pin was against it.

  “You’ll make problems for Beth!”

  The stranger, though dizzy, was still mumbling words that made no sense. Dito composed himself.

  “Let’s tie him up. Then we leave.”

  Pin found some rope. Dito wrenched the man’s arms to his back and made the first knot; with a piece of fabric they gagged him and tied his legs.

  “We should pull him out back and leave.”

  “What for? Leave him right there,” Dito said.

  Pin was nervous but Dito looked as if he had regained his composure. He looked for documents in the man’s wallet and discovered the guy almost didn’t have any money. He couldn’t even have paid Carla. That was very disappointing. He felt like hitting the guy over his head. Since he didn’t want to make problems for Beth, he instead destroyed the man’s documents. He also tore up his clothes and told Pin to throw his shoes and socks in the trash can by the building’s entrance.