Las Hermanas

by Raedene Jeannette Melin

  She took off, running up to the spot and carefully wading through the water. She could hear Marcelo calling after her, but she didn’t care. If this was the way Giovana went, she was going to follow.

  The water was deeper than she expected and she inhaled sharply as it rose up past her thighs, a cold feeling passing over her warm body. She was halfway through the river when she spotted the caiman, its beady eyes peering at her along the surface of the water, but she didn’t stop, locking eyes with it as she crossed, daring it to come at her. When she felt her feet hit the riverbank and saw that the caiman was still in its spot, she smirked and burst into a sprint, her legs pounding against the dirt.

  She ran hard, finding a rhythm and easily moving through the trees, darting around fallen logs and dense brush as she went. Her muscles were tired but it felt good and she pushed harder, beginning to lose sight in the dark.

  She heard the shot at the same time she felt it whiz past her cheek. She skidded to a halt. Scanning the trees around her, she searched for the shooter, but seeing no one, she took another step forward. The second shot landed less than an inch from her toe and she stopped, raising her hands in the air.

  “Gio, please. Talk to me.” She barely got the words out of her mouth before Giovana emerged from the bushes, gun aimed directly at her head.

  “I’m not going back. Not without her. You can’t make me.”

  Adi quietly lowered her hands. She didn’t know what Giovana was talking about, but if she decided to pull the trigger, having her hands raised wouldn’t stop it.

  “Where are you going?” She had so many questions, but figured this was the best one to start with.

  Giovana practically huffed at her. “Oh, so now you care?”

  Stunned, she didn’t know what to say.

  “All you do is sit in that room with her. You don’t give a shit about us anymore.”

  Her words were said with such anger that she involuntarily took a step back. But when she stood there, failing to figure out why Giovana was so mad, she decided it didn’t matter.

  “I’m not going back,” Giovana repeated.

  “Okay.”

  Giovana looked at her suspiciously for a moment before she turned and started walking away. But when Adi followed, she stopped. “What are you doing?”

  “Where you go, I go. That’s how this works.”

  When her hard face softened just a little, Adi knew she had her.

  •

  It took much longer than Adi wanted to convince Lupita to return to the village. She didn’t understand why she had to stay while Catalina, Marcelo, and Rodrigo got to go, but eventually she went, much to Adi’s relief. It wasn’t just that she needed someone to tell Helena what they were doing; Adi needed to know that the others would be safe while they were gone and Lupita would do that. She wasn’t just brave, she was the smartest person Adi knew and if something happened, Lupita would make the right decision.

  Giovana had been headed in the right direction, the terrain feeling somewhat familiar as they followed a lightly-worn path down the mountain. Being blindfolded on the way here meant that none of them knew exactly where they were going, but when they arrived at a large river, Adi remembered the boat ride and knew they weren’t far off.

  “What now?” Marcelo asked above the noise of the water.

  She closed her eyes and tried to picture the map in Helena’s room, the one with all the x’s. She remembered the marks, and if she could just remember the river, she would be able to get them around it. A sharp whistle cut through her thoughts.

  They said nothing as they walked over to Thiago, his foot resting on a metal hull peeking out from underneath a camouflaged cover.

  “Well?”

  Climbing into the boat, they pushed away from the shore and into the current. The sudden revving of the engine gave Adi a jolt and the boat sprang to life, cutting through the water. She couldn’t help but smile as the wind stung her face, making her eyes water and her hair whip behind her. She had never gone so fast, it felt like she was flying, but by the time they docked the boat a while later, she was happy to be back on land.

  “I can take you to where we found you,” Thiago said after hiding the boat. “But then it’s up to you.”

  The darkness made it difficult to run as they found their way back into familiar territory. The slow pace allowed Adi’s mind to wander and she wondered what exactly they were going to find. When Giovana told her she was returning for Yumi, Adi felt a pang of guilt. They had been living in a safe place for some time and only now were they returning for the others. But as they stopped for the night, she pushed her feelings aside. She had much more important things to worry about.

  It took less than a day to reach the place where Adi and the others had been taken and as soon as she recognized it, she was ready to get going. Catalina led the way, running quickly through the jungle, everyone else right behind her. They travelled from sun up to sun down, stopping only when they had to and speaking little. After a few days as they neared their former home, they slowed down, unsure of what they’d be walking into.

  “We’re just south of the camp,” Rodrigo said on their next break. “If we go straight, we’ll be there by dark.”

  Adi nodded. “Let’s go.”

  They headed directly north, the tension palpable as they silently moved through the trees, watching every angle. They were nearing the river south of the camp when Rodrigo suddenly signaled for them to stop, his hand shooting straight into the air. No one moved, listening intently to the jungle around them. Motioning to his right, Rodrigo crouched down low and crept forward, the others following. He stopped and Adi looked past him just in time to see an arrow fly out in front of them, striking a small capybara directly in the neck.

  It was if they were collectively holding their breath, no one daring to move as they waited for something to happen. Ten seconds later, they watched as someone ran out from the trees and lifted the animal onto their shoulders. It wasn’t until she turned, looking around her cautiously, that Adi saw her face and recognized the girl in front of them. Yumi.

  They all jumped up at once, but she was already gone, running faster than Adi could have imagined. There was no sign of her until Giovana suddenly called out and they followed, trying to catch up. Focused on the tracks ahead, they didn’t notice Yumi slip out from behind a tree and aim an arrow right at Thiago’s head.

  “Yumi,” Catalina said, raising her hands. “It’s us.”

  She gave no indication that she recognized any of them and as she warily looked around, Giovana walked forward.

  Nothing was said as the two of them looked at each other, the seconds ticking by. Yumi still hadn’t lowered her bow; Giovana’s face not ringing any bells. Suddenly, Giovana rolled up her sleeve and stuck out her arm.

  Adi had seen the scar before, the crisp line seamlessly splitting her forearm in two. She didn’t know what it was from, but as she watched Yumi lower the arrow and turn over her arm, she was shocked by what she saw. They had the same scar, in the same place, on the same arm. In fact, if you were to measure it, it would be a perfect match, down to the millimeter.

  Relief poured out of Thiago as he exhaled, his head no longer a target. Giovana had wrapped Yumi into a hug and they waited silently until she finally let her go.

  “Come.” Yumi picked up the capybara and turned southeast.

  It didn’t take long to get there and they followed Yumi into a cave, the small entrance deceiving as it opened up into a large space, the faces of a few kids coming into view. They had barely made it inside when Adi saw him walking towards them.

  “Salvador!” Rodrigo said as he moved forward, dwarfing the smaller man as he happily embraced him.

  Adi felt relieved until Catalina asked, “Where is everyone else?”

  Salvador said nothing as he led them back out of the cave. “It happened like you said it would,” he said once they were outside, his eyes resting heavily on Adi.

  She met his g
aze for a moment before she looked away, watching Pablo and Yumi prepare the capybara for roasting, all too familiar with how this story would end.

  “They attacked hard and fast,” he continued. “It was like they knew everything about us. We didn’t stand a chance.” He cleared his throat. “They took several girls but a few managed to escape. It was chaos and when it was over, we were completely scattered. It took me days, weeks even, to find these guys.” He sighed. “I didn’t know how many died ‘til I went back there.”

  “How many?” Marcelo asked.

  “Two, three dozen,” Salvador replied. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Maybe more, I’m not sure. I didn’t stay long, as you can imagine.”

  “Valentina?” Rodrigo asked, his voice quiet.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t find her body so she might have escaped.”

  Adi winced. While Salvador had attempted to sound hopeful, he failed miserably. She tried to give Rodrigo a smile, but she couldn’t, instead finding herself simply staring at the pain on his face.

  As Catalina began telling Salvador about Helena’s, her thoughts lingered on Valentina. At first, she thought it was just guilt at not coming back for them sooner, but when she remembered what Salvador said, she interrupted their conversation.

  “Wait. You said they took girls.”

  Salvador nodded.

  “How old were they?” The confusion on his face made her elaborate. “Were they younger like Lupita or were they older like me?”

  He paused for a minute, thinking it over. “They were older,” he replied. “All of them were your...”

  He didn’t have to finish his sentence as the others got it and Adi watched as they exchanged alarmed glances.

  “Fuck,” Marcelo cursed.

  “He’s alive then,” Rodrigo said, the pain on his face replaced by anger. “No doubt about it.”

  “We need to go,” Giovana said.

  Adi couldn’t agree more. “Pack what you need,” she said. “We’re leaving.”

  As the others ran around getting ready, Adi took a moment to try and calm the panic in her brain. While a small part of her had known she hadn’t killed him that day in the village, she thought that even if he was still alive, he’d at least give up. But to know that he was still out there looking for her filled her with dread and as she paced the ground, trying to think of where he might be, Thiago walked up and planted himself right in her path.

  “You know,” he began, his arms folded across his chest as she walked around him, refusing to stop moving, “when I helped you in that town, I did that for my abuela, knowing how much she cared for you. And when I helped you at the river with the boat, I did that for you, thinking that somehow you had changed after our trip up the mountain. But this—whatever this is—you’re going to have to explain it to me because I’m running out of reasons to help you, even if you are the granddaughter of Las Hermanas.”

  The mention of that name broke Adi from her focus and she was in his face in less than two seconds. “You will not say that out loud again,” she said, the warning in her tone made crystal clear as she held his gaze. She glanced around, hoping no one had heard. She hadn’t told the others, not even Benito, and when Helena questioned her about it, she couldn’t give her an answer. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to believe it or maybe it was because she was afraid people would start expecting things from her. Whatever the reason, she wasn’t ready for them to find out.

  “Well then,” Thiago said, a knowing look on his face. “You better start talking.”

  It took her a while to explain the entire story, Adi skipping over the unessential details and when she finished, he was quiet.

  “So, by him taking older girls, that means he’s still looking for you?” he asked eventually.

  She nodded, resuming her pacing once again.

  “I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit.”

  His response surprised her and she stopped.

  “There are a million other reasons why he might want them,” he said, giving her a look like she should know what he was suggesting. When the confusion stayed on her face, he sighed. “Sex, slavery, drugs. Pick one.”

  Adi smiled. “No. He’s not interested in any of that.”

  “And how would you know?”

  She opened her mouth, but then closed it, trying to think of how to explain. “You know when you meet someone,” she began, “and you get this feeling like you know the deepest parts of them, like you’ve known them your whole life?” She looked up at him, his focused eyes staring down at her and he nodded. “Well, that’s how it is with him. I know him. I know what he likes and what he doesn’t. I know what he’s capable of. I’ve known it since the first time I saw him, the first time he touched me, the first time I felt his breath on my neck.” She self-consciously touched the side of her throat, as if the bruises were still there.

  “Adi,” she heard Rodrigo call. “We’re ready.”

  Lost in her thoughts of him, she had forgotten Thiago was there. A little embarrassed, she gave him a strained smile before walking off towards the cave.

  Thiago went to follow, but was stopped by Rodrigo’s hand placed directly on his chest.

  “I don’t know why you’re here and I honestly don’t care,” Rodrigo began, his hostile tone getting Thiago’s full attention. “But we need her if we’re gonna get outta this alive. So stop focusing on what you want and start thinking about what she needs.”

  Rodrigo was already walking away when Thiago asked, “Which is what exactly?”

  He stopped and turned, a smirk on his face. “The fact that you need to ask just proves my point.” He paused for a second, the smile quickly fading. “He’s going to kill her, you know that right? No matter what happens, he won’t quit. So if you care about her at all, do her a favour and start pulling your weight.”

  •

  The journey back was made in silence, the little ones not needing a reminder to be quiet. They could practically taste the anxiety swirling around them.

  They were a total of seventeen and as they walked with the youngest in the middle, Adi couldn’t help but feel that they were going too slow. At night, it was even worse. Being unable to find a safe space big enough to hide forced them to sleep in more vulnerable places. They considered splitting up, but as soon as it was suggested, Salvador immediately said no. They would not be separated, not with what had happened, so they carried on, moving slowly through the trees and sleeping uncomfortably under the stars. She was down by the river, washing the long, sleepless night off her face when she felt the barrel of a gun press lightly against the back of her neck.

  She should have been surprised or at least a little shocked, but she wasn’t. In her mind, it was bound to happen.

  “Hands up.”

  Adi hesitated, trying to think of what to do when another gun jammed into her ribs, making her double over and re-think her choice. As she slowly raised her hands, the muffled voice asked, “How many you got with you?”

  “None,” she lied, perhaps a little too quickly. “I’m alone.”

  The gun slammed into her body and she folded again.

  “No one likes a liar,” the voice replied. Her hands were yanked behind her and secured tightly with rope, the thread digging into her wrists.

  As she was walked into the trees, Adi got a look at her captors. They weren’t what she expected. Their clothes worn and their faces masked, they were strong and had caught her off-guard. She hoped the others had escaped their attention, but as they rounded the corner, she saw them sitting in a circle surrounded by armed men, Catalina held down on her stomach while Rodrigo’s face dripped with blood.

  Pushed to the ground and instructed to sit, she did so strategically with her back to Giovana. If anyone could get out of their binds, it was her. Adi sat close, pressing tightly against her leg, hoping she could secretly untie the knots. As soon as she felt her fingers go to work, Adi hid her smile and looked up expectantly at the men.

&n
bsp; Three of them were huddled together, talking in hushed tones as the rest stood in silence, casually watching over the group. As she surveyed them, it became clear that they didn’t work for him, but what wasn’t obvious was what they wanted and so she waited, one of them finally stepping forward.

  “Which one of you is in charge?” When no one answered, he grabbed a small girl and pointed a gun to her head.

  Hearing her whimper, Adi couldn’t help it. “Don’t,” she said.

  Letting the girl go, he crouched in front of her. “What are you doing in this part of the jungle?”

  She was about to give him a smart-ass answer when she saw the seriousness of his eyes. They were dark, almost black, and as they stared at her intently, she knew they weren’t fooling around. “We’re on our way home.”

  He held her stare, as if he was trying to read her, and she dared not blink. He must have been satisfied because he continued. “And where is this home?”

  As soon as she heard the question, she inwardly groaned. There was no way she, or anyone else, was going to give up that information and she took a deep breath. “Ask me any other question and I’ll answer it, I swear. But I can’t tell you that.”

  He looked at her for a moment before he placed the gun against her head, some of the children beginning to cry.

  She nodded. “Do it. Pull the trigger. But you’ll have to kill every single one of us and you still won’t know.” She sat unflinching as he contemplated her answer, the seconds dragging on slowly. When he finally removed the gun, she exhaled a little louder than usual.

  “What are you doing with all these children?” he asked.

  “Bringing them home,” she replied, keeping her word.

  “Where are they from?”

  Adi shrugged. “All over.”

  “They have no parents?”

  “No.”

  He paused, thinking about his next question. “And why do you have them?”

  She hesitated, unsure of why he was interested, but eventually she said, “We’re trying to save them.”