We walk through the town square. A group of people collect around the town's gazebo, hiding a public speaker from view.
We hear shouts of anger and frustration. My stomach sinks as I feel a sudden urge to move in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, we need to pass by the mob to reach our required destination or this trip would be all for naught.
"It is clear that not enough is being done to ease the problem! We look to Spain. What does she do?" A man's voice can be heard booming over the crowd.
People shout and shake their fists in response to the question. The speaker continues.
"I guess the best thing to do is sit and wait." The speaker let's his statement hang in the air for a bit. The crowd finally responds, "for what?" More people gather around joining in the fray.
"For the King to send more men. For the government to fix the issues that we have. How else do you people believe we can take care of ourselves from these savages?" The speaker smiles as he continues to spark the crowd's rage like an unlit match.
"Shoot them!" A man in the crowd shouts out, much to the crowd's delight.
"Ha ha! That's an idea…I don't think we can make it happen but…" the speaker's smug demeanor just begs for a punch to jaw. Unfortunately I'm in no condition to do it. "It is very smart of you! Very smart! Maybe I should add you to my own personal team of supporters, " the speaker chuckles. I only know one man that can rile a crowd into a barbaric frenzy: the Commandante. He and I don't agree on a lot of issues.
"Savages?" A lone man in the crowd questions the Commandante. People quickly move away from him like roaches from a light. "Savages? They're people. They need the same thing you or I need to live, to survive!"
"Boooooo!" A man with heavy European features stands before the others. The Commandante looks pleased at the situation. People quickly move to his side and amplify his loathing for the natives. "If you like them so much why don't you just let them move in with you?! Give them from your rations. Don't expect the rest of us to do the same. We work hard for what we earn. They have taken everything from us. Our jobs, our food rations, our homes. Even our women!"
The lone bystander answers back with an attempt to equal the angry man's energy. "That's a bunch of bull and you know it, Enrique. Now that the Commandante is out here parading himself like a peacock, you turn on your own people."
"They are not MY people, Gustavo." The angry man, called Enrique, clenches his fists as he shouts back.
"Yes they are. Just like you were born on this soil. Your family may have come from Spain but you were born and raised here just like the rest of us. They eat the same food you do. They toil to acquire money to pay the same taxes you do to contribute to the lives of all our neighbors." Gustavo tries to neutralize the argument with compassion and empathy.
"Mi querido Señor," the Commandante says in an attempt to focus attention back onto him. "The savages you speak of do not want to be like us. You are mistaken. They only want to stain, taint and pervert our way of life. They mock us."
"How on earth do you make up such bold lies, Commandante?" The young Gustavo does not back down. I admire his courage.
"Papi? Why are they fighting? Why are they saying such bad things to each other?"
I try to answer her as calmly as possible despite the sudden twisting pain in my stomach. "It is what happens when different opinions try to cross the same path."
"Should they not find a way to work together?"
"In an ideal world, mija." I welcome Milagros curiosity. I just wish it was under better circumstances.
"What is going to happen?" As if in response to Milagros question, the Commandante orders his detail to apprehend the young man named Gustavo.
"I can respect your opinions and the strength of your resolve. But I cannot risk the safety of my people with your treasonous logic," the Commandante says with a degree of spite and malice in his voice.
"Treasonous? All I did was speak up for those whom cannot speak for themselves." Gustavo tries to resist with his words but grows limp as soon as the soldiers encircle him.
"You talk like a rebel!" Enrique can no longer hold himself back. He charges the younger man despite the soldiers already holding him in place.
"Papi! They're fighting!" I try to shield Milagros with my body. She's young and her innocence is being tainted with such acts of violence.
"Mija, let us get out of here before someone…"
<¡BANG!>
The two men stop their scuffle. An officer holds a pistol pointing into the air. "Thank you citizen for looking out for your fellow man. My soldiers will take this rebel and choose an appropriate punishment".
The Commandante ends his speech with a wave of his hand and walks down the podium. The soldiers accost the young man and drag him away.
"Is there anything you can do?"
"No, Milagros. It's in God's hands."
"So we can only stand and watch?" Tears begin to well up in her eyes. Nonetheless I grab Milagros' hand and quickly walk away from the scene. I go as fast as my bad leg will let me.
"There is only so much that we can do, as individuals." I begin to run out of breath. "We put ourselves and our families at risk. The Commandante and those that rally by his side are not right in their minds. They see their pain and troubles and are lead to believe that their fellow man is to blame. All this while the fat cats sit and laugh as they add to their wealth and fortune."
"So people give up?" Milagros has an easy time keeping up with me even if I'm at a light jog.
"Giving up is not the key. What people must do is rally behind a figurehead and rebel against the Commandante and his lackeys. Alone, a person can be weak. But in likeminded groups, people can be strong." I pause and think about the large vocabulary I use with my 6 year old. She's almost 7 but still.
"How do we find these people?"
"I don't know amor. But hopefully soon we can leave this place fore something better…something safer." I admit it. I changed my plan from earlier before. Things are getting dangerous, even within this small community.
Milagros begins to cry. "But I love my home. I love the people."
"Then I guess we will just have to take the people you love in your life with us." I am too softhearted to tell her the truth.
"That would be wonderful"
"Yes that would be great, actually."
...
As we leave the scene of the altercation, my leg gives out and I trip onto the ground, face first. I hear Milagros voice cry out for me before I make impact. The sand and dirt get into my eye temporarily blinding me. The old scars on my face have reopened from the friction against the gravel and I feel the fresh blood ooze down my face. The pebbles and grit stick to my face. I try to sit up.
"Filthy savage," says a voice standing somewhere over me. I feel dread. Not since i was young has anyone ever attacked me. I hear several heavy boots tread towards my direction.
"Why don't you go back where you come from." The unknown assailant continues to verbally assault me.
"We live here!" Milagros steps close to me. She embraces me but despite her defiance she is still trembling with fear. I hear the jostling of rapiers approach my direction.
"We are from here. There is no where…". Someone's boot connects with the good side of my face before I'm able to finish. It stings…tremendously so.
"Shut up you little savage before I grab you by the hair and drag you against the ground like the piece of trash you are."
I grab onto Milagros and shield her before the soldier is able to harm her delicate face or body.
The assailant steps closer. I only see a shadow of a form. My eyes are still blurry from the sweat and grit in my eyes.
"You waste of space! I'll show you."
I hear a rapier slide out from its sheath. Being blinded leaves me few options. So I grab onto Milagros and wrap my torso around her as much as possible. I brace myself for the impact and pain that is sure to follow.
<¡BANG!>
"Agh!
I open my eye as a soldier falls to the ground nursing his shoulder.
"Lieutenant?!" The soldier blurts out.
"You two, carry this lowlife back to the barracks and have the doctor dress his wound." A familiarly affirmative voice gives the soldiers their orders.
"You shot me!" I realize that my attackers have been soldiers all this time now that my vision has cleared.
"Be thankful it wasn't worse. I could have aimed for your head. Besides, I only took out your non-dominate shoulder. You will still be able to serve your post in the morning." The Lieutenant barks back.
"But…But…". The wounded soldier is the only one making a fuss. As my vision clears I can see the other soldiers heading off to the presidio with him in tow.
"And let it sink in that I will not tolerate unnecessary violence towards civilians!" The Lieutenant does not have to strain her voice to be heard. I think the whole market heard her. Meanwhile, Milagros kisses me on the cleanest part of my face.
"I was so scared, Papi!
"Get up, Alvaro. Lying on the ground does not become you. Frankly I don't know how you held back from using that pistol whip of yours. They'd have deserved it and I would have looked the other way."
I stand up and before me is the tallest beauty in any military uniform that you'd ever see. A tall beauty no matter how you look at it. She was my best friend…for a time.
"You know her?" Milagros stares at each of us in turn.
"Yes, we go a long way. I am Lieutenant Lavina. And you must be little…?"
"Milagros." Milagros answers proudly.
"I didn't know you had a daughter, Alvaro. Did you marry…?
"Not whom you think…"
Lavina looks us over. "Is your lovely wife at home?"
Milagros slumps in place. "Mama died long ago…"
"I'm so sorry." Lavina touches Milagros head with her gloved hand. She turns to me and continues. "Listen, I know you had that accident and I didn't get to visit you while in the hospital…"
"I got your letters. Thank you." I'm suddenly reminded of long ago as if it was just yesterday.
"I was stationed over seas about…6 years ago." She stopped and looked at Milagros and something clicked. "Oh I am so sorry. I didn't know…I didn't think. I'd fancy you a stricter, harsher maybe even more stern soldier. I never thought you'd have such a soft side, to have a child and a family."
"I know I deserve a lot…for the way I acted years ago."
She interrupts with her old excuse. "I thought we were both on the same path."
"I never realized we wanted something different in life." This is hard for me to admit to myself but to Lavina as well.
Milagros turns her head back and forth as we adults talk. Honestly, the feelings inside me stirred up a deep pain I had long forgotten.
"The good thing is that you have the position you always strived for. You have been blessed."
She looked at me with lingering resentment…or perhaps doubt? I was bloody, beaten and broken. Other than Milagros, I didn't have anything to be proud of or anything of value to display. She tries to say something but her words don't come to the surface. She looks at me with pity, or resentment.
With a toss of her hair and sigh from her lips, Lavina leans into me. "We need to get you cleaned up. Why don't I help you to the doctor?" Rhetorical question of course.
"I'm sure I'll be fine. And we don't have the money to pay a doctor at the moment." I really want to get out of this situation. I'm hurting but so is my heart.
"Alvaro, if you don't get that cleaned you'll get an infection. And then you'll be bed ridden for weeks if not worse. Come here or are you embarrassed of a strong woman helping you out?" She winks.
Milagros stumbles into the conversation, begging and pleading near my feet. "Please, Papi. I don't want you to be hurt."
I relent. "Ok, ok. I will go."
Lavina fully enters my vision. I can feel her staring into my wounds. "Can you open your eyes?"
"You must not have heard the whole story then."
"Oh…No I didn't know, " Lavina admits.
"I've learned to manage. Not so well as you can see from lack of depth perception. I fall from time to time." I unconsciously rub one of my most recent injuries on my shoulder.
Lavina's cheeks glow red. "How insensitive of me…"
"Pay it no mind." I don't like to feel guilty, I don't want her to feel the same. So I put the majority of the painful conversation behind me.
"Let's go. I have responsibilities to take care of and no time to waste." I felt strict, stern and incapable of losing an argument at least.
...