Another bullet struck Valentina in the back of the head. The line stopped; the children took a moment to catch their breath. "What the hell was that?"
The shippers in the car drove onto the dirt. "Can we shoot them?"
"Nah, we took one. Tie them to the car and let's go. Before fat ass Dama starts screeching."
.
.
.
When Thankful, Agradecida got home. It wasn't much of a welcome. The family Doberman came and sniffed her knees. Wasn't much of a home either. Her mother, La Dama slapped her with her meaty palms.
"God, I fucking hate you!"
Agradecida tilted her head, her eyes red. "I could have gotten seven hundred for each head." She gripped Agradecida by her cheeks. "Do you know what vampires give!"
In her head, she called La Dama a pedophile. "I can't keep living in a circus tent! Don't you want a big bed?"
She stared at her; she couldn't stop thinking how fat she was. Rolls under her neck. She had to look this one feature up in a book. La Dama had lymphedema, her left leg was like a bolder, she could barely walk on it. Agradecida kept that in mind. "Now half the damn haul is gone--," that wasn't true. "I have to make up for lost shipment."
"Ok."
"Do you ever shut the fuck up? Go to your room, hopefully God comes and eats you."
"eres una madre terrible..." she said in Spanish. "You left me in the trash anyway. Then you said you felt bad--" La Dama's fat hand met Agradecida's cheek. She shook it off. "And then you don't like being reminded that you made yourself a tortured soul and you suck everyone into Damsel in Distress scenerio!" a bubble in her throat burned. "You have problems with yourself and project all your fucking built up shitty emotions onto people. You don't see yourself as worthy and the damn puppet is in the basement!" La Dama smacked her again. She forced her to the ground and beat her in the face. "Shut up!" her fist struck her nose; she seized her hair and shook her by the strands. "Shut up! You don't know anything!"
A squeal and cooing echoed from the living room. "y tu un mentiroso." A five feet eleven puppet stood in the doorway, wobbling from side to side. "Nunca debí haberte dicho nada."
"Shut up! All of you!" La Dama through the child down. She kicked Agradecida in the legs. "You," she pointed at the puppet. "Are just a puppet now!"
"Mierda." said the puppet. "Todo lo que digo, lo usas en mi contra. Si no supiera nada mejor diría que estabas preocupada."
"Worried!" she yelled. "I'm not fucking worried! I got a body now! All I need is a ritual and I'll be Queen of the Castle."
"Esto es México y esto es una villa, no un castillo."
"I'm tired of being a fat woman."
"Creo que te queda bien, solías ser una muñeca flaca." she stared to move out the doorway. "Mi vida era horrible pero esto es soportable. al menos se como se siente barbie." She looked at her numby hands made of cloth. "soy una marioneta."
"That's right, stupid Mexican!" La Dama held her stomach, her laugh hearty but mind in disagreement. "Your name is Maite!"
"No."
"That's the only thing you know in English! That's all you freaks can speak."
"No is no in Spanish..."
Agradecida got up and ran into the kitchen. She grabbed the knife off the counter and ran back to the living room. Adoria shook her head, "me nombré a mí mismo." her arm unbraided and braided again. "Solo soy un poco curiosa."
Agradecida struck La Dama's ankles and the back of her thigh. Adora's puppet body unraveled into pieces, the thread wrapped around La Dama's head. Muffled screams were heard from her, she squeezed tighter. "Pequeña, ve a buscar el pergamino!" Adoria lifted La Dama up and swung her into the stairs and back wall.
The child ran up the stairs to the second floor. In her way, two dogs, one with a broken jaw and a fat mangy werewolf. "no puedes pasar!"
"Move!"
The fat dog pounced forward, going directly for her face. Agradecida rolled under the dog but the broken mutt charged forward, she hit the wall with her shoulder, dodging him. "Such a stupid little girl!" hissed the mutt. "Where's the scroll!"
"The door is open!" snapped the fat werewolf. "All we have to do is get the ritual."
"We know where... but..." Tomas charged at Agradecida again. She moved; his nose hit the wall. Blood dripped from his nose. Adoria's body unraveled and floated in a ball of yarn upstairs. "Thankful!"
"Adoria!"
Paleyo roared and slammed his hefty body against Agradecida. She lost her breath and clenched her stomach. "Adoria...!"
"I could eat this--" string wrapped around Paleyo's head. He attempted to bark; a blue glow covered by brown thread. "no me gustan los poemas." Paleyo shook his head, giving himself a headache smashing into the hall. As she unravel again, she twisted his neck.
Tomas looked towards Agradecida. "Well..." he stepped towards her. Agradecida put her hand out, "I don't know the power of word..." her hand glowed. "GO UP!"
Tomas's body bolted to the ceiling, "Goddamn!" he wobbled as he landed. Agradecida twisted her wrist, Tomas coughed. She threw her fist to the side, knocking him unconscious. "Enough!" Adoria exclaimed. "Go to the door!"
"You can't do anything with that body."
"Escúchame," she put her puppet hands on her cheeks. "Hay otra casa, una casa trampa. No vuelvas aquí a menos que necesites algo."