After a few hours, Alex and Ruth walk out from Azucena’s room. Barbara and Pepito had taken seats on the kitchen table, silently waiting for the screaming to stop. Ruth leers at Barbara, there’s a scoff in retaliation. Alex lets out a sigh.

“We are so lucky no one said anything about the screaming.” Admits Alex.

“That we know of.” Mutters Pepito, face hidden behind his hands. “How is she doing now? Can we move?”

“She should get some rest.” Suggests Barbara.

“We could have made it to the new spot by now.” Spits Ruth.

“We should go, anyway.” Adds Pepito, ignoring the interaction between the two girls.

“If she had an episode like this at our new spot, we would have drawn attention there too.” Protests Barbara.

“The fuck would you know?”

Alex groans. “Can you two give it a rest already. Barbara is right, Azucena is out, but Pepito is right too, we have to move.”

Ruth crosses her arms and leans against a wall. “There’s guard towers everywhere now, higher than most houses, going by roof won’t be an option.”

“They built them in a day? How do they take so long with road maintenance?” Protests Pepito.

Alex relaxes his expression at last.

“What should we do?” Pepito asks, looking at him.

Alex actually puts two fingers under his chin, thinking, his eyes darting everywhere.

“This is going to sound crazy.” He finally says.

“I doubt it.” States Pepito.

“What if we hid her in a barrel and walked to our new spot?”

The suggestion causes a widespread inner conflict, no response from anybody.

“What?” He asks, hoping to have been lauded for his idea.

“What if we’re caught? How are we going to explain an unconscious girl in a barrel?” Asks Pepito, standing up.

“We can put something on the top, to make it look like it’s filled with something else if they open it.”

“Alex, I love you, you’re like the big brother I never had, but that’s crazy talk.”

“It might work.” Interjects Barbara.

“You’re carrying her.” Ruth points to Barbara.

“I’ll take her.” Alex says, determination in his voice. “We’ll need eyes above ground regardless.” He adds, looking at Ruth.

Barbara notices a twinkle in Ruth’s eyes as she nods, noticing for the first time how pretty she thinks her eyes are.

“Barbara and Pepito, you guys are going to be carrying barrels of your own. We need to sell this disguise to everyone around.”

“Barrels of what?” Demands Pepito.

“We’re going to have to take a loss, reach our hand into our savings, and buy some maiz.”

Pepito’s forehead drops on the table. Ruth lets out a deep sigh.

“We’ll be alright.” Assures Alex. “Everything is going to be alright.”

The room goes silent for a moment, before Barbara has something to ask. “Can I come in to see Azucena?”

Alex looks at her, perplexed at first, before giving a warm smile. “Sure, I bet she would love the company.” He turns to Ruth and Pepito. “Let’s go get what we need.”

As the trio take off to the market, Barbara accompanies Azucena in her room, getting to know the place for the first time. There are dolls and toys everywhere, she wonders if Azucena plays with them, running scenarios in her mind about living in a house like this, living a normal life with a normal family.

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The gang returns after a short while, Barbara snaps out of her daydream, joining everyone in the living room. Pepito begins looking for something to hold maiz at the top of the barrel Alex brought. Ruth drops her barrel on the floor.

“Everything is set, we just have to get Azucena and we’re ready to go.”

“Right.” Replies Barbara.

Something looms in the air, a feeling, Barbara has a tough time figuring it out, there’s something that Barbara wants to express, but can’t fully comprehend herself. She felt something similar when she left the mountains, on her journey through the desert, like something is pulling her to stay.

“Snap out of it, stupid. We gotta get moving.” Ruth kicks the heavy barrel she was carrying, notioning Barbara to pick it up.

Alex returns to the living room, a sleeping Azucena in his arms, he gently puts her in the tightly packed barrel, placing a wide, deep pan, filled with Maiz on top to hide her presence.

“Alright. Ready to move.” Alex nods at everyone.

“Pepito already knows where we’re going. I’m heading out. See you all there.” Ruth jumps out the window, launching into the rooftops.

Alex, Pepito, and Barbara walk out into the wild streets of Pillotlan. The mass of people pay them no mind, everyone going on about their way, heading to a place they don’t want to go, thinking about places they would rather be. The trio blend into the crowd. Barbara’s eyes pointed down, looking at the intricately placed stones that make up the road, until a shadow darts by. She raises her gaze, wondering if Ruth is drawing more attention than the three of them. Looking around, she confirms that no one really seems to raise their eyes to the sky.

“Look, one of the guard towers.” Points Pepito.

Built on top of a private residence, a guard tower built out of wood stands over the highest building, down at the citizens too busy to pay any attention to the police.

“Looks like our tax money is being spent well.” Mutters someone passing by.

In the distance, a band begins to play an uplifting tune. Trumpets and guitars echo through the streets, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Something is going on at the temple’s plaza.” States Pepito, a hop in his step.

“Hear the music, Azucena?” Alex turns around as if talking to Barbara.

Ruth appears next to them. “We should avoid the temple plaza.”

“Pepito is probably already there.” Said Alex.

Ruth groans dramatically at the sky. “I’ll go get him. You know the way, right? Take a detour.” With that, she was gone.

Alex notions to take a left. They walk a few blocks on this street, then Alex leads to an alley to the right.

“Fancy meeting you here.” Says a shrill voice behind them.

They both turn around, Don Sinven’s son, Soren, the officer that had whipped Barbara, stood tall, chest held high, amongst barrels of trash.

“Who’s your friend, and where might you two be going so suspiciously?” He cocks his head.

“Just doing our job, sir. Don’t mind us.” Alex tries to walk away from the situation, but from the shadows of the alley appear two more police officers, blocking their path.

“But I do mind, see, this morning there were reports of screaming, like those of an afflicted, and it just so happened to be near where I whipped your friend here just yesterday.” He grins at Barbara. “You still owe me three, for disobeying. Now that I think about it, you now owe me another three for that stupid blonde’s transgression.” He begins to laugh.

The thought of physical retaliation crosses Barbara’s mind, then she thinks about the way Alex would respond and thinks better of the situation.

“I was joking!” He rags, arms stretched wide. “Please, allow me to escort you.”

“Where?” Asks Alex.

“To the temple’s plaza, of course.”

The officers behind them push them forward, leading them back to the path they had previously strayed from. The temple, characteristically packed with people, finds itself to the brim. Near the bottom of the steps to the shrine, a stage has been set up, upon which the band continues to play, as the people in front dance. The officers lead them through the crowd, towards an octagonal gazebo, where an assortment of posh looking men and women, dressed in fine clothes, gather around a specific stocky man.

“Father, I’ve brought you the girl I spoke of.”

“Soren! My sweet boy.” They are welcomed with open arms by the stocky man, with a hook nose similar to his son’s. “May the Sun shine in your favor. I’m Gerardo Sinven, most people know me as Don Sinven, but you may call me Gerardo.” He says to Barbara and Alex, a smile on his face. “I see my boy, Soren is taking good care of you.” He’s met with an awkward silence, shifting uncomfortably, he tries to lighten the mood. “I hope the two of you are in a festive mood.”

“Sorry, but we have to deliver this maiz or we might be out of a job.” Alex once again tries to find an exit to the situation.

Ignoring Alex, Don Sinven’s eyes focus on Barbara. “Sorry for what my boy did to you. He can get a little carried away while carrying out his officer duties.”

“Not a problem.” Lies Barbara. “Like my friend here said, we are in a bit of a rush.”

Once again they attempt to leave, stopped by the cold, silent stares of everyone around them.

“Absolutely.” Don Sinven gives a wide grin, his eyes express a different, colder emotion. “I just wanted to make amends for yesterday’s events. Didn’t we, boy?”

“Yes, father. Very much so.” Soren replies, a condascending grin on his face.

Don Sinven, with his heavy gaze, watches every move they make. Barbara and Alex exchange glances, hoping to think up something on the spot to get them out of there. You’re new around here, aren’t you girl.”

“Yeah, came here looking for work.” She replies. “No hard feelings for yesterday, I know you were just trying to do your job. So are we.” Turning around, she is stopped by Don Sinven getting a hold of her wrist.

“Before you leave, can you tell me about the screaming reported this morning near where you were disciplined, young miss? Might you know anything about that?” His eyes move to Alex, to the barrel on his back.