by Jose Moreno
CHAPTER VI***
Everyone removed their sheets and sat down to relieve themselves from inertia. They stretched. Then, they all greeted one another tacitly while they were rubbing their stiff necks trying to relieve themselves from the stress they had just gone through. The windows of their high technology Trojan horse were still dark. They did not know exactly on what part of the freeway they were.
Barón said, “Oliver, can you make the windows slightly transparent?”
“Sure,” Oliver responded with a frown. “Do you want anything else your highness?”
When those windows became transparent, all the teen-ager faces lit up: They could see some hills far away as pretty as they had seen in some pictures. They enjoyed watching, in a strange feeling of ecstasy, the blue sky, the happy birds, the welcoming sun light filtering through the morning haze, and the ivory highway pointing towards their bewildered destiny.
“Look at those hills! Aren’t they beautiful?” Mary said to Barón
“Yes, they are. The place where we are going is going to be will be even more beautiful. We will be inspired for poetry.” Barón responded imagining himself in the middle of a heavy vegetated area with trees so tall that masked most of the sun, white rabbits frolicking all around him while he walked on a road as brown as clay, in a misty morning serenaded by exotic birds. In just a few minutes, he had elaborated en entire romantic story.
Martin, who was seating in the seat behind Barón’s, noticed that Barón’s eyes seemed to be looking at nothing, indicating that Barón was daydreaming. Sarcastically, Martin said to Barón, leaning forward, “I am going to write a poem!” then, he took out an old fashion pen and notepad; showing the items, Martin added, “Oh look! I got my notepad and pen… I will be writing with these antiquated devices.”
Barón came out of his daydream. He understood why Martin had made that comment. Then, he looked at Martin and said, “I know we are not used to utilizing these antiquated items; however, you know that we could not take with us any electronic devices given that they could track us down like that. I think it is going to be good for us to learn to live without functiomatons or anything that works with a flow of electrons.”
“Yeah…It will be nice to live without electronic devices. I will miss them very much. As much as my parents,” responded Martin with a tone of sadness.
Barón was able to sense Martin’s melancholic state of mind. Then, looking at the eyes of the other two teen-agers, trying to capture their reactions to Martin’s comment, he was able to notice that they were also slightly depressed. In order to lift up everyone’s spirit’s, Barón said, “Remember why we are here: We do not want to let functiomatons define our lives. The functiomaton ‘devil’ will tempt us constantly,” and Barón returned to his deep day dreaming letting them meditate about those words.
Martin, Mary, and Carl became melancholic thinking about their families. Their families had been loving and supportive. They provided everything they needed. They could not blame them for their decision to leave them. They all momentarily felt guilty of treason. However, in the spirit of Barón’s words, they were all intelligent and capable of conceptualizing a cause greater than the loyalty for their families. Loyalty for all of humanity was greater than that. “That is why they we here,” they all finally rationalized.
In order to avoid feeling melancholic, they began to talk to one another about anything that they found interesting; they thought that it was better than just seating there with long faces.—After all, they successfully escaped the city. Martin made the first move. He talked for several minutes about the things he had read on a political science journal last week about the rise of communism in Latin American Countries. Martin claimed that the fall of communism last century confirms that it does not work. That initiated an engaging debate between Mary and Martin for several minutes. Once they exhausted their mental energy and ran out of aspects to discuss, Carl cleverly introduced a new topic of discussion. Carl mentioned recent evidence that suggests that life on earth could have been originated from material transported by an asteroid that collided. Martin and Mary listened to every word that Carl was saying. They had never heard him talked so much. However, the important thing about their discussion was that it helped them forget their woes. Chatting back and forth had the desired palliative effect on their souls.
The teens maintained their conversation for several hours while Oliver remained silent; he was driving as fast as it was possible. He was thinking about the ordeal that he was going to go through right after dropping them. First, he was going to drive towards the coast. Then, he was going to dispose the vehicle to make the task of the investigators more difficult. He was going to take off his wrist monitors. Finally, he was going to board one of the clandestine boats that smuggle people into Mexico. Dropping the teen-agers was going to be the easy part of his day.
“I almost forgot,” thought Oliver, remembering that he had illegally purchased donuts from a vehicle that had, somehow, crossed the border—the donuts had been illegally imported; it was illegal in the United States to make traditional, high fat, high cholesterol donuts with the intent to distribute for profit due to frivolous health regulations in the city. Although Oliver could have baked the donuts himself, he had purchased them with defiance in his mind.
It was 8:47 am and Oliver suddenly interrupted their conversation, “Kids, who is hungry?”
Martin, Carl and Mary, abruptly stopped their heated conversation on what constitutes scientific knowledge. Barón snapped out of his deep meditation and the mental poem he was composing in this state of mind. Then, listening to their stomach’s cries for food, everyone said out loud, “Me!”
Then, from under Oliver’s seat, Oliver pulled out with his right hand a box and lifted it up so that everyone could see it. “I got some food here imported illegally from Mexico”
Barón lifted his body from the seat, bent forward, and stretched his arms to reach the box. “Let’s see what you brought…Oh! This is a box made with old materials….Oh! What is this?” said Barón with a face of scorn. While holding the box with his right hand, Barón used his left hand to pull a plastic square from the backing of the seat where he was seating. Barón put the box of donuts conveniently on the one foot by one foot plastic square between Barón and Carl. Then, he opened the box.
Once the box was opened and all the teen-agers where looking at them, he said “Those are called ‘Donuts’. They are made with flour, eggs, fat, a lot of sugar, and fat and…”
“Is it safe to eat this kind of stuff?” Martin asked looking at the box of donuts while his eyes where opened wide.
Oliver responded, “Well…people used to eat this kind of stuff without many restrictions during the last century”
Mary was not shy and reached out for one of them. “They cannot be bad for you. I like the one with the red stuff”
“They call it ‘jelly’,” Oliver responded.
“Let’s all have a donut!” Martin commanded everyone.
“I do not mind experiencing a donut,” Carl responded while nodding.
“Well…I will join you all,” Said Barón hesitating. “Do you want one Oliver?”
Oliver smiled, nodded and said with certainty, “I will have one.”
Then, all the teen-agers, almost simultaneously, as if someone had opened the door of an orphanage for some kids living on the streets, reached the box and grabbed a random donut. Then, they all began to masticate slowly trying to dissect the sensation they were feeling in their mouths. Their facial expressions began to change with every move of their jaws.
“My god! This is so sweet! It has a nice texture! Wow!” Martin said with excitement not being able to recognize the taste –It was like nothing he had eaten before in his life.
“This is just great!” said Mary looking at Martin.
“I agree with you all” said Carl just to agree with them; however, he was thinking that donuts were not better than his daily meals.
In the mean tim
e, Oliver was enjoying the sight of everyone’s facial expression which he could observe on his dash board monitor –There was a camera next to every seat. Oliver said, “I love donuts. I am addicted to them. When I get to Mexico, I will have donuts once a week”.
Immediately after Oliver said that, Barón swallowed the big chuck of donut he had in his mouth and stopped taking bites from it for several seconds. Barón just stared at the donut for a few seconds thinking about the emotional ramifications of the words that his brother had just said, realizing that Oliver was abandoning the country and they were not going to see each other again as soon as they were dropped. However, Barón pulled himself together and suppressed that thought by continuing to focus on the nine heavenly pastries that remained in the cardboard box. He thought the donuts were delicious.
After all the teen-agers realized they had finished their first donut, they were shy about reaching for more donuts. For six minutes after they finished their first donut, they remained silent while they were looking out the smudgy windows. Then, Barón turned his head and looked at the box; Mary did the same. Martin noticed that both of them were looking at the box. Martin thought, “It is the time to make fun of them.” Martin lifted himself up and leaned forward; then, he put his face fourteen inches away from the box in order to imply to Barón and Mary that they were just too shy to reach for another delicious donut. Then, they all looked at one another and Laughter exploded.
Barón said, “If you want another one, just go ahead.”
All of them grabbed another donut –Even Carl who was not impressed by them—and finished them more quickly than the previous one. Once they finished their second donut, they all had a third donut. After all of them had finished eating their donuts, they all remain silent while they all looked out the windows, looking at the clear bright sky and the vegetation that was becoming more abundant as time progressed, thinking again about the things they were all leaving behind. Then, they all began to show signs of lethargy resulting from eating 2100 calories and 210 grams of fat in just one meal. Meanwhile, Oliver was amused looking at their somnolent facial expressions on the monitor knowing the side effects of relatively high calories on properly fed teen-agers –Oliver was satisfied of having committed the crime of endangering several minor’s health through malnourishment. All the teen-agers remained asleep for a few minutes.
At 9:53 am, Oliver said, “Quickly, guys wake up! We are almost there. It is good that you slept because you are going to need your strength.” When they opened their eyes they noticed that the façade of the exterior environment had changing from a rugged to flat: They had entered an herbal sea extending for miles on both sides of the thin line of light grey, resplendent concrete they were moving on; the iridescent vegetation was a sign that they were entering the distinguished Northern Valley of California. They were delighted by the colors of the flowers; the superfluous vegetation that seemed to merge with the light blue sky far away in the horizon in front of them; the unusual flat, opened landscape that hid the faraway ridges with haze on their left and right; the humid, warm air flowing through the half opened windows of the vehicle.
“I think I woke up in paradise. This is my new home,” Barón said trying to open his sleepy eyes widely after having woken up from a deep nap.
“Wow! This is so beautiful!” Mary said feeling certain that she had made the right decision.
Barón replied, “I could sit on a rock, stare at all those flowers and write the best poems in the world. I could even write one for another pretty flower” while he was looking at Mary in the eyes; He was trying to imply his special affection for Mary without any intimately physical consequences.
Mary, sensing Barón’s suggestion of special affection for her, trying to play the same romantic game, responded with platonic excitement “Oh! Thank you Sir Cortez!”
While Barón and Mary were displaying their affection to everyone, the rest of them remain silent thinking about the practical issues that they were going to take care of as soon as they were dispatched to their initiation point.
Trying to change the tone of the conversation from aesthetic to pragmatic, Martin cleared his throat and said, “Well, I do not see a lot of technology around. We are certainly in the right place. I do not even see many cars around. Where do people live?”
Trying to maintain the momentum of the practical issued that Martin was bringing up, Oliver responded with empty platitudes, “Mostly, Houses are in towns. Outside of those towns, you are on your own. Towns are widely separated…”
“Yeah, we can see that” Barón said knowing that it was time get ready for the difficult day ahead. “I think you need to start getting your backpacks ready.”
Then, Oliver went out of the main highway into a smaller road. Then, he drove into another road. Then, he began to drive on grass and soil. The land vehicle was rocking. Occasionally, the vehicle sank in hidden holes on the muddy road making it produce an explosion-like sound when the base of the car quickly slammed on the ground. At times, the vehicle glided, making Oliver think that he was losing control of the vehicle. Oliver was driving fast. Then, he was dangerously driving among trees; there was not much space between the trees; nevertheless, he was moving between the trees at amazing speed using the “collision software” and Oliver’s god given driving talent. The kids were very nervous.
Then, the rocky hills were becoming more abundant. For several minutes, Oliver forced his vehicle through the rugged troughs among those small hills; however, he realized that he was now risking the condition of the vehicle.
At 11:42am, Oliver stopped the car making all the teen-agers relieve their anxiety. “Ok. I think this will be a good starting point for you guys. This is the edge of the valley. As you can see, you have hills and mountains close to you in case you need to hide. Furthermore you are isolated from any town,” Oliver said in a calmed toned of voice.
Everyone came out of the vehicle. They all took a look at the place in all direction as soon as they had the chance to walk on the rocky, muddy ground.
“This place is perfect for guerilla warfare. We have plenty of trees and rugged hills,” Martin said looking at the island of trees on the south direction, disregarding the wall of small rocky hills on the on the north, east, and west.
“I can leave here” said Carl feeling that he had to comply with the others.
“I think this place is romantic!” said Mary while she was looking at Barón trying to remind him of the love for poetry that both of them shared.
Martin, not being moved by the beauty of the placed, responded, “Well, it is time to set our tents”
Then, it was time for Oliver to leave as soon as possible: He was not sure if police agents were already looking for him –Sooner or later, He knew that security agents were going to revise the ODFs and determine he was responsible for the disappearance of four teen-agers. Oliver said to Barón, “It is time to go. Let as make it easy: Let’s just shake hands. Maybe someday we will see again.”
Barón tried not to shed tears and said “Yes, maybe someday”. Then, Barón walked towards Oliver, stretch his arm, and Oliver shook his hand. Barón added, “Thank you for everything.”
Oliver simply responded, “Do not mention it,” trying to remain stoic about their goodbye; Then, he turned around and boarded his vehicle. As soon as he was in the vehicle, he initiated the car, backed it up, turned it around and returned in the same treacherous way.
***