Las Hermanas

by Raedene Jeannette Melin

  “From what?”

  She paused again, wondering how much she should tell him when she decided it didn’t matter. If the man came, they were as good as dead. She should at least warn him, let him know what he would be up against. “Not what. Who. I don’t know his name. All I know is what he looks like.”

  Even behind the mask, she could see his brow furrow. “What does he look like?”

  When he asked the question, something about it was different, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. He seemed interested, his body rigid as he leaned even closer to her, as if he was waiting with eager anticipation.

  “He’s a gringo,” Adi began, the man not moving. “And he has a scar that goes from his eyebrow all the way to his mouth. Like the shape of...”

  “The moon,” the man finished for her. He sighed and leaned back on his heels.

  Surprised, Adi was suddenly unsure of who he was. Maybe she had been mistaken, maybe they did work for him, but as he slowly took off his mask, she could do nothing but wait.

  “Cut them loose,” he instructed. The men hesitated until he motioned at them with his head. He leaned forward and cut the rope from Adi’s wrists before he sat down heavily on a nearby stump and pulled out a hand-rolled cigarette. He lit it, took a long drag, and blew the smoke up into the air, taking a moment to look at the sky above him before he turned back to Adi, offering her the smoke. When she shook her head, he began. “The man you have described is known around here as El Diablo.”

  Adi rubbed her sore wrists, watching her friends being cut from their binds.

  “He used to live in this area, just south of here,” he continued. “I was the one who gave him that scar.”

  She stayed quiet, eager to know more.

  “He grew up with my son,” the man said. He took another puff and exhaled slowly, the smoke coming out of his mouth in a steady stream. “But then one day his family moved and I thought I’d never see him again, until ten years later, he showed up at our door. We welcomed him in, like any friend would, but it was not the same man that walked into my house,” he said, his voice low with warning. “It was something else.”

  Adi nodded in understanding. “El Diablo.”

  He grunted in agreement. “He told me he was a botanical researcher.” He said it so softly, she barely heard him. “Said he was doing research for a company that made life-saving medications.” As he spoke, his voice grew louder with anger and Adi had no doubt that everyone could hear him now. “But that’s not was he was doing.” His eyes landed on her face and he stared at her for a moment. “He was doing what he is doing now: murdering people and burning villages to the ground. Tell me,” he said, leaning towards her once more. “How does he do it?” When he saw the confusion on her face, he elaborated. “Does he kill them all at once or does he kill them one by one, like he used to?”

  “All at once,” she replied.

  The man nodded.

  “He has a group of men that he uses. But some he takes instead of kills,” she continued, remembering the girls at the camp. “Some he likes to kill himself.”

  The man quietly studied her, the cigarette burning in his hand. “You seem to know a lot about him,” he said eventually, his eyes not leaving her face. “Much more than you should.”

  Adi couldn’t help but smirk, the sadness of the truth setting in. “He has two scars now,” she said as she met his gaze. “One on his cheek, the other across his throat.”

  Her words surprised him and she watched a small smile spread across his face as he took one last drag on his cigarette, crushing the ash with his fingers before putting it back inside his pocket. “You’ve killed him then?”

  “No,” she replied, watching him carefully.

  The man nodded. “Good.” He slapped his hands on his knees and pushed himself back up.

  Confused by his reaction, she stayed seated, waiting for him to explain.

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  She could tell by his tone that it wouldn’t be good, but as soon as he started telling her his plan, she knew what her answer would be.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “This is a horrible idea.”

  Adi smiled as they made their way home, finding Rodrigo’s comment oddly amusing. It was a horrible idea, but it was the best one they had and she was all in, determined to make it work no matter how risky.

  “There’s got to be another way.”

  She sighed. While she loved him deeply, his protectiveness was beginning to annoy her. Deep down, she knew he thought he could save her somehow, but ever since she met him—the man—she knew that there was no way out for her.

  “We need a better chance at killing him if you’re gonna be bait.”

  She stopped walking.

  “What?” he asked, stopping beside her.

  Surprised, she simply smiled. Finally, they were on the same page.

  They made it to the river, piling into the boat before jetting off through the water, the red marker on the tree slowly fading in the distance. When Adi agreed to the plan, she insisted on starting right away. Her new friend Jacobo left immediately to gather the rest of his men. They had decided to meet by the marked tree the next morning, but the moment Adi spotted black smoke wafting above her, she knew the plan no longer mattered. Looking back at Thiago, the boat leapt forward, the throttle jammed as far up as possible. He had seen it.

  They flew up the river, the smoke thickening the closer they got, and by the time they hit the riverbank, silent fear had settled among them. For a moment, no one moved, and Adi was about to ask Thiago something when she realized he was already gone, catching only a glimpse of him as he sprinted up the mountain.

  “Everybody out,” Adi said as she swallowed, forcing herself to focus. “Yumi, Pablo, Gio, stay here with the kids. Salvador, do you know how to drive a boat?”

  “No, but I’ll figure it out,” he said as he turned some nobs, the noise of the motor snapping the others out of their haze.

  “Don’t come near the village ‘til you hear the whistle, alright?”

  Giovana nodded.

  Adi turned and looked at Rodrigo, Catalina, and Marcelo. “Let’s go.”

  They ran up the mountain, ignoring the path and going the most direct route, desperate to get there. It wasn’t just the smoke that alarmed Adi, it was also the silence, the jungle completely still as they climbed. Finally reaching the top, she pushed past the stinging in her muscles and found another gear, flying through the trees, the air heavy with smoke. As soon as she saw the village, she slowed down, crouching low as she approached, not seeing Thiago anywhere. The gate was open but there was no one around and she watched for a moment before she carefully moved towards it, knives out and ready.

  Nothing in her life had prepared her for what she saw upon entering the village, her mind unable to form a single thought as her arms dropped down uselessly to her sides. Dead bodies covered the ground, blood staining the dirt between them as the fire hungrily burned through what was left of the buildings. She suddenly found it hard to breathe and it was as if she couldn’t move, the shock of what she saw too much to process. She didn’t know how long she stood there, but when she felt Catalina’s hand on the back of her shoulder, she took an unsteady step forward.

  They walked through the village, checking over each body as Adi’s fear grew with every face she recognized, their lifeless eyes staring back at her. Seeing Mariana, she fell, her knees hitting the dirt as she lovingly touched her face, the blood smeared across it almost dry. She wanted to stay there forever, cradling her friend, but she made herself get up. She had to continue. She was afraid of what she would see next—a vision of Benito’s dead body flashing before her eyes—but as she walked past the side of a house and into the centre of the village, she never could have guessed what was waiting.

  She stood there in shock, hoping with every part of her that it wasn’t real, that she was somehow hallucinating. But as she walked up and shakily touched the foot dan
gling just above her head, the breath slowly left her and she stepped back in horror. There, hanging above her, was Helena’s mutilated body.

  She didn’t want to see it for another second, but her eyes refused to look away and she couldn’t move, locked onto the sight of her. At first, she didn’t notice, but as she stared, the letters suddenly jumped out, and it felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Double A’s carved into Helena’s chest beamed back at her. She closed her eyes as she tried to erase the image, but she couldn’t. Suddenly hearing a noise around the corner, her eyes shot open.

  It was as if she had lost the ability to speak, her tongue so big it filled her mouth as she helplessly watched Thiago walk towards the wall blocking his view of his grandmother.

  “Adi,” he said as he approached, the devastation on his face fading into confusion when he saw her tormented expression. The moment he turned the corner, she looked away, unwilling to watch as he saw his grandmother’s body for the first time.

  She felt helpless as Thiago tried to take a step forward, his body failing as his knees buckled out from underneath and he hit the ground, a small gasp escaping his body. She knew she needed to leave, to keep looking for the others, but as she stood there trying to find the will to keep going, she realized she no longer wanted to. No matter what they did or where they went, he would find them, and as she watched another family being ripped to shreds, she no longer cared to try. It was over. She was done.

  She didn’t bother turning around as Catalina and Marcelo walked up, their stunned silence saying more than words ever could.

  “Those are A’s,” Marcelo said slowly after a minute, his tone a mixture of shock and awe.

  “Have you found him yet?” Adi asked, no longer wanting to be there. When they didn’t answer, she turned around. “My brother.”

  “No,” Catalina replied. “He’s not here. None of the children are.”

  A small surge of hope jolted through her, but she shut it down, unwilling to let it cloud her judgement. She had been living in an illusion, a fantasy, and she would no longer allow herself to be so naïve. Just as she turned around, an urgent whistle cut through the air.

  Catalina and Marcelo ran towards the signal, but Adi simply walked, knowing nothing she did would save any of them. Catalina looked at her oddly, but she ignored her and went up to where Rodrigo was crouched down, examining a hole in the wall.

  “It’s small,” he said as he glanced up at her, but getting no response, he looked back at the hole. “But big enough for them to squeeze through. They might have made it out.”

  They looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something, but when she didn’t, Marcelo said, “We’ll go check it out. You should let Gio know it’s safe.”

  Adi almost laughed as Rodrigo nodded, Catalina and Marcelo leaving the village. While the people who had done this were gone, safe wasn’t the word she’d use. But as she listened to Rodrigo send one loud long whistle into the air, she told herself not to care and got to work.

  It was pointless, she knew, but Adi lifted another body onto her shoulders and carried it to the corner of the village, determined to keep busy as she waited for the others to return. She should have gone and looked for Benito herself, but in that moment, she was too afraid of what she’d find. As she started digging the next grave, she felt incredibly ashamed. It was a new feeling for her and she dug faster, trying to keep the giant ball of emotions that threatened to destroy her at bay. She would not feel anything.

  She dragged the body into the hole, quickly shoveling the dirt on top before stepping out, ready to go get the next one. As she dropped the shovel and turned, a hand latched onto her arm, pulling her back.

  “What?” she asked, Rodrigo’s worried face looking down at her.

  He was quiet for a moment, his eyes searching hers as if he wanted to say something important, but simply sighed. “You need to do something about Thiago.”

  Adi bristled, becoming defensive. She didn’t need to do anything. In fact, she was tired of it. Tired of always being the one running around fixing things. She was about to tell him as much when he continued. “He’s been sitting there, holding her body for hours. He needs to let her go.”

  Adi took a moment, fighting to control her anger. “Why do I have to do something?”

  A look of disbelief passed over Rodrigo’s face, but he closed his eyes and took a breath. “Because,” he replied evenly, “I tried talking to him and he shoved a gun in my face.”

  “And what makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

  This time, Rodrigo didn’t react so nicely. “Are you about done?” he asked, his tone hostile. “This pity party you’re throwing yourself, is it almost over? Cuz I’ve had e-fuckin-nough of it.”

  She struggled to find the words, feeling so angry she could only glare at him.

  “You think you’re the only one that’s hurting?” he almost yelled at her, the frustration tumbling out. “That you’re the only one who’s struggling with this? You’re not!” He was up in her face, hands angrily placed on his sides. “So you don’t get to do this. You don’t get to check out and give up. That’s not how this works.”

  She kept scowling at him, wondering what made him think he could talk to her that way, even though deep down she knew he was right. Unwilling to admit that to him, let alone herself, she stormed off, feeling the weight of his stare on her back.

  She had planned on leaving the village, wanting to go into the trees to cool off, but as she walked past Thiago sitting there, she couldn’t help but stop. He was on the ground, exactly where she had left him, holding Helena so gently she almost cried, but she looked away, quickly shoving the tears and the feelings down.

  Walking up, she crouched in front of him so he could see her face. At first, he didn’t look at her, his eyes focused on his grandmother. But when Adi reached out and softly placed a hand on top of his, he almost jumped, looking up to see her there for the first time.

  “I’m sorry.” It wasn’t enough, she knew that, but it was all she had.

  He didn’t reply and instead looked back down at Helena, the pain twisted on his face.

  Adi stayed there for a few minutes before she stood back up, having no words of comfort. She knew Rodrigo would want her to try harder, but Thiago clearly wasn’t ready to give Helena up and she wasn’t going to make him.

  “It’s your fault you know.”

  The voice was so quiet and low that Adi barely heard it, but it stopped her dead and she turned to look at him.

  “It’s your fault,” he repeated, his voice growing louder. “She’s dead because of you.” This time he looked at her, his bloodshot eyes filled with so much hate that it was all Adi could do not to look away. “You just had to do it, didn’t you?” Tears welled in his eyes. “You just had to kill those men, not caring about what it would do to us—to her.”

  As much as she wanted to, Adi couldn’t deny the truth in his words. It was the only thing that made sense, the only possible way he could have found them. This time, she forced herself to feel it, every ounce of hate, as his stare burned into her. The moment he looked back down at his grandmother, Adi turned away, trying to calm the storm building inside, the pressure growing with every second. But as she did, her eyes landed on Catalina entering the village, the body of a boy in her arms.

  The world seemed to fall away as she watched her come closer, every muscle clenching uncontrollably. She didn’t have to look to know who it was, the answer written across Catalina’s face, but even as she stopped in front of her, Adi refused to look down.

  “No,” she said defiantly, trying to reject what was right in front of her. But the longer she stared at the pain on Catalina’s face, the less she was able to deny it, and she dropped her gaze, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

  •

  They finished burying them at sunset, the darkening sky a welcome sight as Adi stood in front of the grave that held Benito’s body. She was broken, so much so t
hat she wanted nothing more than to crawl in with him, but as she felt Nayara’s hand gently squeeze hers, she knew they’d never let her. She was standing there, staring down at the small mound of dirt when she heard, “Adi!” and looked up.

  His fist hit her face faster than she could blink and her head snapped back, unsure of what shocked her more, the pain or the unexpected assault. But she didn’t get to think further as the second blow hit her stomach, crumpling her as she clutched her body. She could have defended herself, even fought back, but as she looked into Thiago’s enraged face, she simply waited for the next punch. It came a moment later, the strength of his clenched hand striking her cheek and sending her sprawling into the dirt. She looked up just in time to see Marcelo and Catalina rush forward and take him down, Thiago fighting against them on the ground.

  “Let him go,” she said painfully. She pushed herself up into a seated position, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Just let him go.”

  Nayara and Giovana were already at her side but she shrugged them off, crawling towards Benito’s grave as Thiago stormed away. Wanting nothing more than to be alone, Adi ignored their stares, laid down in the dirt, and closed her eyes.

  She woke up to the sound of a paradise tanager, its vibrantly coloured body flitting around her head, landing on Benito’s grave for a moment before flying off, its song blending with the morning light. She stared up into the sky for a few minutes, letting its blue hue soothe her before she sat up, the pain a reminder of the night before. As soon as she saw him, she let out a big sigh.

  “If you’re gonna kill me, just do it already. I’ve had as much as I can take.”

  Thiago said nothing as he continued to stare past her, sitting less than ten feet away. Adi could see some of the others, carefully watching them at a distance but not close enough to hear. She looked back at Thiago, his red, puffy eyes telling her about his sleepless night. He met her gaze.

  “This man,” he said, taking a moment to clear his throat. “This man with the scar. Do you know where he is?”