"It's morning," I murmured as the soft sunlight caressed my face.
I hadn't expected to have managed to fall asleep; I was sure the night would keep me awake. Or so I had thought.
Suddenly, the door burst open and my mother's beaming face appeared on the other side.
"Son, good morning. Your dad is waiting downstairs to take you," she said softly, with a warm smile before gently closing the door, leaving just a faint echo in the room.
Without wasting any more time, I hurried to get dressed, though my movements were clumsy in my haste. I washed my face in the small cup on the bedside table next to my bed, the cold water instantly clearing me. Then, I grabbed my book and prepared to leave.
I ran to the living room, and as I entered, I saw my mother talking to my father. They were sitting at the table, facing each other, but not staring at each other. Nací's face was tinged with anger, while my father's face was totally sad; looking down at his plate, he looked almost like a scolded puppy.
I could easily guess the reason.
What happened the day before was a complete disaster. Broken dishes, incoherent words, all happening in front of me, that would have been the highest point my mother could have endured.
To one side, the maid Naára stood beside my mother in absolute silence, without intervening. Her face maintained a neutral expression, as if trying to fade away amidst the tension in the air.
At that moment, my mother, turning her eyes, saw me standing still in the passageway.
"Hello, son, are you ready yet?" she asked, softening her tone at the sight of me, as if she wanted me not to perceive what was happening.
"Yes, mom."
"Then sit down here, son, so you can have breakfast," she instructed me, pointing to the table.
"Okay, Mom," I replied as I came up next to her.
The place was totally silent as I ate breakfast. There was only the faint sound of silverware clattering against the plate, accompanied by the soft crunching of bread. It was a dense, almost uncomfortable silence that enveloped the room like a heavy blanket. So, breaking that tense moment, my mom suddenly spoke.
"Well, your daddy's ready now, aren't you, honey?" my mom said, shooting dad a look that could murder him.
"Yes, yes, I'm ready," he replied, with obvious nervousness.
I can really understand what he might be going through, not only me, but also Naára. The whole atmosphere had become dense and tense, as if the air itself was weighing down on us. I'd rather this all be over quickly, that this storm of emotions be over at once. Discomfort was creeping up on me, and I felt I couldn't take it anymore.
So, on an impulse, I decided to speed things up.
"So, come on, Dad," I said as I pushed aside the breakfast plate in front of me totally clean.
"Yeah, we're coming, son," my dad replied, getting going. He slowly got up from the table, still with that air of melancholy on his face, but trying hard to appear normal. He shot me a quick glance and then turned his steps toward the door, as if to leave behind the atmosphere he had created.
I followed him silently, feeling the weight of the tension between my parents still hanging in the air.
I really felt sorry to see Elmer in that state, his face was downcast and sorrowful. But honestly, he deserved it for what he had done yesterday. During the fight, my mom looked a little nervous, and understandably so, since the argument had almost come to blows with my uncle.
Every way I look at it, there is no solution. It's best not to get in the way of his problems and let him fix it himself.
"It's your first time outside, isn't it, son?" my dad asked, opening the door.
"Yes," I felt uncomfortable. Although I was determined to leave, a strange sense of dread began to creep over me. It could be the cold air around me or perhaps the fear of facing the unknown beyond.
Yes, it made sense. Three years had passed since I opened my eyes to this world and I don't remember ever leaving the house. But everything has an explanation.
I was born, my mother, extremely protective of me. That may be the reason she has never let me out. And in part, I understand that. After all, I'm still just a little boy. To her, I'm vulnerable and she needs to keep me safe. However, I can't help but wonder what's beyond these walls, what I've been missing all this time.
At that moment, my dad looked at me and noticed how I was feeling. Suddenly, his sorrowful face changed to a more animated one, as if he was trying to show empathy.
I guess he was looking for a way to cheer me up.
"Well, son, there's no need to be afraid, you'll see it's really beautiful outside," my dad exclaimed enthusiastically.
He was aware of it, after all, he had spent all those days watching the scenery from the window. But still, the fear persisted.
I wondered why.
At that moment, my dad took the first step out of the house. I followed him, grabbing his arm so as not to be left behind. When I stepped into the yard, everything seemed normal, there was no problem.
So why was I afraid, what was really scaring me?
It was something inexplicable what I felt at that moment. I guess it was something normal after being frightened by that creature outside. Maybe, deep down, I was worried about the possibility of meeting that animal again.
"Now all we need to do is get through this gate and we'll be outside," my dad said cheerfully, pointing to the entrance.
"Okay," I replied. But just as I was about to take the next step, I heard a noise. As I turned my eyes toward the source of the sound, I saw it. It was that rabbit-like creature.
The animal turned its head to look at me, at which point I could see it more clearly. Instead of a snout, it had a beak. Although it had initially frightened me so much that it even made me fall off my chair, upon closer inspection, I realized that it was no big deal.
My first impression had been unfair, influenced by the limited perspective of that moment. Now, with each passing second, I found it curious and even a little tender.
"Dad, what animal is that?" I asked.
I was curious, because that creature could definitely be like a pet. I could have it as a cat or a puppy was about.
"That's a Cinimo. It's very good as a stew, hahaha..." he answered me with his usual cheerful tone.
Although he was trying to cheer me up, his mood was already going too far over the top.
"Dad, that's enough laughter, right?" I said.
As he listened to me, his face changed completely. He went from cheerful to serious, which made me think he was really aware of the situation.
"Yes, I overreacted, sorry," he said letting out a laugh, although his face did not quite reflect what he was trying to show
"..."
"Well, son, we should go now," my dad added, taking my hand. He lifted me up easily, hoisting me onto his shoulders and securing me on his back. "That way we'll get there faster," he commented, with a slight smile as he started walking.
His action made me think he was getting even for what I said to him. If that was his goal, he was succeeding. He was scaring me.
I was about to ask him to put me down. I couldn't stand at that height, I felt that if I took one more step, I would collapse. But before I could say a word, I could see everything.
The stones that used to form a wall and enclose the house were no longer blocking my view. In front of me stretched a wonderful landscape, much more than what I could see through the window.
"Did you see, son? It's really beautiful outside," my dad said, standing right on a rock.
"Yes, it is," I replied, captivated.
Suddenly, those thoughts of what could happen standing at this altitude vanished completely.