Captured: Day of the Dead
Once Upon A Time Lost in Mexico
By: Colonel Depp
Sitting in my Moroccan themed living room reading a romance novel, it dawned on me. I remembered seeing a man around town while vacationing here in Mexico. He was tall and slim, about five feet eleven inches. He had dark brown hair and every time I ran into him, he was wearing dark sunglasses. I must say he looked very sleek in them. Every time I spotted him, he seemed familiar. And I remember my dear friend Kat telling me of this man, who always wore sunglasses, always had a screen t-shirt on, you know the ones with funny sayings on them? She said his name was Sands and that's all he'd go by. He was an undercover agent, if you will, that loved Mexico for he was a Mexican, not a Mexican't. He always ordered a special meal puerco pibil, which consist of pork butt and an array of spices. That exact description is what drew me to this book, Once Upon A Time Lost in Mexico. I wondered if this man was as exotic sounding as the one in my book. That's when I heard a faint knock on my door. I put my book down and go see who it was.
Once I open the door I see no one. I only see the elders putting up decorations for Day of the Dead, an ancient Mexican tradition. I smell the many spices of Mexico. Many people are cooking up the meals for the dead, which is what people do on Day of the Dead; they set out meals for the passing spirits. There is also a parade that is held in the streets.
I smile at the kind elder woman across the street who is setting out bread for her passing spirits. I take in a deep breath and hear a rustle at my feet. A sheet of paper is folded up with what looks like a rose inside. I pick it up looking at the contents. Ah, pardon me, a dead red rose. Perfect for Day of the Dead, eh? The note reads:
My Love,
Don't worry about me this year. I will be on my best behavior. I'd like to attempt a little twist on Day of the Dead this year. I'm thinking of holding someone captive for my own good, and you my dear, I think you are the perfect candidate and for your own good. I'll see you at 5:00 p.m. in the center of town don't try and run away. I'm getting good at sensing things now that I'm blind. I'll find you, maybe not soon, but soon enough.
Sincerely Yours,
Sands
Kat didn't mention he was blind? That explains the sunglasses then. Kat did mention, though I vaguely remember, she said Sands was an odd person. She said that when he would order his special dish, he would shoot the cook. I'm a bit hazy on what the rest means, but this can't be good. I rush inside and put the note and rose on the kitchen table. I sit down and stare at it blankly. I'm confused and scared. Then my phone rings.
"Hello?" I say shakily.
"Hey there, how have you been Britt?" I sigh with relief to hear Kat's voice on the other end.
"Oh, hi. I... I've been ok."
"You don't sound it. You seem spooked? Is everything alright?"
"Yes, yes I'm fine, this Day of the Dead thing must be getting to me," I pause, "I got a note." I add quickly hoping she won't ask about it. But knowing her, something will become of this.
"A note eh? What does this note read?" she asks curiously. I read her the note and there is silence.
"Kat you still there?"
"Oh, yes. I'm here."
"Well, what does this mean? What do I do?"
"Well, honestly. Hide!"
"Hide? From what might I ask?"
"He isn't as nice as you'd assume. He has personal "issues" if you know what I mean."
"I'm afraid I don't. What issues?"
"A fake arm, no eyes, he can be a bit vulgar at times." She says listing them off as if he were a perpetrator.
"Well I wouldn't call them issues. How do they make him a bad person?'
"I just don't trust the guy, ya know? I just don't want you to get hurt."
"What can a blind man do to hurt me? Hmm?"
"Well he did shoot a few people, while BLIND Brittany. The man is nuts!"
"Sounds, well in a way, that sounds sexy."
"Sexy!" I hear a sigh, "Well now that you mention it, he is kinda good looking." I can tell she's blushing on the other end.
"You say kinda, I say hell yeah! I don't know if this guy is what he is said to be. I think I'll take a walk around the center of town; I have about fifteen minutes to kill. I'll call you when I get back."
"If you get back." She says concerned.
"I will Kat, don't worry. I'll talk to you later ok?"
"Yeah, ok. Bye."
I hang up the phone. I stare at the rose once more. And I'm out the door, locking it behind me.
I wave as I pass the elderly woman; I think she said her name was Elsa Maria.
Walking down the alley I think to my self, "How does this blind man know where I am staying? How does he know a girl is staying there? How can he know it was me the note was for? He must have a friend."
Walking a bit further I reach the center of town I approach my favorite stand in the market.
"Hola Manuel." I say to the cheerful old man.
"Hola faltan, día agradable?"
"Si." I reply. It was a nice day. Oh, sorry, he said, "Hello miss, nice day?"
I look around and smile at all the little trinkets. I watch Manuel's wife Sophia make these little raffia dolls. They are adorable.
"Hola Bretaña." She says in a sweet merry voice.
"Hola Sophia." I walk past an older lady teaching what looks to be her granddaughter to make these lovely woven necklaces.
As I near the fountain in the center of town I see a man sitting on its ledge with a cell phone to his ear. The man has dark brown shoulder length hair, a black jacket on, black pants and what looks to be leather gloves. He turns his head so his face is in my view.
"Sands." I say under my breath, the black sunglasses gave it away. My heart is pounding, and my hands are balled into fists. Some how I'm getting this feeling, that this man isn't such an exotic character after all. Maybe Kat was right, maybe he is a bad man. There is only one way to find out. There must be some sort of contact between the two of us.
I see him talking on his cell phone still.
"Where is she...Oh is she...What is she wearing...How big are her breasts...That will do." And he hangs up. My mouth drops. That pervert! I think.
He stands up and gradually makes his way towards me. I scan my surroundings without moving my head, just to see if his friend is near by.
"Brittany?" He says nearing me.
"Um, yea what do you want? How do you know me?"
"Hold on sugar cakes not so many questions. Let's go somewhere quiet to talk, shall we?"
"Um, alright." I agree.
"Go to the nearest restaurant and if you don't mind leading me there as well." He says holding out his right arm for me to take. I guide him to the nearest restaurant, Fonda El Zaguán.
Once in the restaurant, I pull out a chair for him to sit on. I sit across from him once he is seated. The waitress comes out and asks us what we would like to drink.
"Water is fine for me." I say.
"Any liquor will do." Replies Sands. She comes back to our table with our drinks.
"Are you ready to order?"
"Puerco pibil." He says. My eyes get big, and my heart is racing. He smiles.
"Nothing for me, I'm fine." She writes down his order, nods her head and walks away.
Sands takes out a hand rolled cigarette and lights it. Takes a hit and says, "I bet you are a gorgeous girl." And lets the smoke come out through his mouth slowly and smiles.
"Ahem, umm, yeah." I lean forward and whisper a question, "What is it you want with me?"
He leans back and crosses his left leg over the right, his right hand holding the lit cigarette and resting his right elbow on the top of the chair. He takes a hit before answering. Blows it out through the mouth and says, "Well, I'm a guy, I have needs. Need I say more?"
"I'm not a hooker or the local whore Mr. Sands."
"I know and you don't have to be to fulfill my needs, miss."
"How do you know about me? How did you know where I was, being blind and all?" I lean back giving him a stern look, knowing it won't help using my facial expressions I wipe the look off my face.
"I met your friend Melissa before I went blind. She told me about you and how you liked to vacation here. She also showed me a picture of you. So I do know what you look like, I have an idea, but I bet you are even more beautiful now. But when she told me that was before I turned a bit naughty. Then after I went blind, I had my friend Tico follow you home one night. It's been bugging me ever since. I've wanted to meet you since then and here we are."
"Ok, the note said you wanted to hold me captive, what kind of criminal are you, telling the victim ahead of time?" I asked.
"I wanted to give you a thrill."
"Ah well you had your fun in thrilling me." I say rolling my eyes.
"Yes, but my fun isn't over yet." The waitress comes out with his puerco pibil.
"Thank you." He says. As she turns and walks away he shoots her. I gasp.
He gradually gets up, steps over her and heads to the kitchen. He shoots the cook.
Oh God, don't let him shoot me! I think. He comes back with the gun in his holster. He takes a quick bite.
"Not spicy enough." He grabs my arm and says, "C'mon sugar cakes."
I see a fat and stubby guy waiting outside the restaurant. Sands waves over at him, which must be Tico. Tico walks slowly so Sands can put his hand on his shoulder and lead him somewhere. He still has a hold of my arm; he's loosened his grip as if he were being apologetic about grabbing my arm too tight.
"I'm sorry love." He says.
"Where are we going?" I ask confused.
"Back to my place. To talk, be alone; get to know one another better."
My heart is racing and now I hate myself. I should have listened to Kat. Why do I have to be so gullible? We reach what seems to be his apartment. It has a Moroccan/Mexican theme to it. I must say, if he designed this place or had chosen this place before he went blind, he has some good taste in décor.
The door is shut behind us once Tico positions us into the room.
"Have a seat, make yourself comfortable." He takes off his black jacket and tosses it onto a coat rack, to reveal a black leather vest and a black short sleeve shirt underneath.
"You must be hot in all of that black, being in Mexico and all." I say sounding shocked.
"Eh, it's alright." He finds himself a seat on the bed, where I happen to be sitting.
"I'm sorry Mr. Sands, but I don't think I should be here." He puts his hand on mine once he finds where it is.
"It's alright love, I won't hurt you. I...I have something to tell you." He motions himself close to me. He's sitting to my left and I feel his right arm wrap around my waist. He puts his chin on my shoulder and whispers into my ear, "When I saw that picture of you, the one Melissa had shown me some odd months ago, I fell in love. It was love at first site Brittany." His deep, soft, gentle voice calms me. It soothes me. I am relaxed.
"Then what was the dead red rose for?" I ask.
"It is Day of the Dead, and the dead part seemed to have suited this day, the red rose part was because I love you." I close my eyes briefly. He's very seductive this man is. I'll play along with his little game.
I turn my head to meet his sun glassed gaze and our noses brush against one another's. I lace my left hand through his right arm (he still has his right arm around my waist) and put my hand on his face. My right hand goes on his left leg, on his thigh. I gradually take his sunglasses off.
"Wait. You don't want to see an eyeball less man do you?"
"I don't care, Sands, I don't care." I whisper.
"It's disgusting; I wouldn't want you to experience something that gross."
"Ok, then." I leave his sunglasses on, he looks better with them on anyway.
"Will you marry me?" asks Sands.
"What?" I say confused.
"Will you marry me?" I back away.
"I can't. I barely know you." He sighs as if he rolled his eyes, if he had any.
"Again you upset the master." He said sarcastically.
"What do you mean again?"
"That! That right there! The questions, I hate questions!"
"Oh, alright, but I'm curious. I hate not knowing the answers to my questions. If you hate my questions so much, why were you asking to marry me? Hmm?"
"Ok, you ask one more question and I'll blow a hole through your head, got that!" I shut up quickly. He gets up and grabs my arm. He opens the door and we walk out the main entrance. Luckily there aren't any stairs; I'd hate to see a blind man fall. He pushes me in front of him and puts his gun to my back, not to cause a scene I suppose.
"Keep on walking." He says. I walk until we come to an alley. His friend Tico spots us and grabs the nearest strand of rope and follows behind. We keep on walking until we come to what seems looks and feels like the desert. We get a bit further out and Tico ties my hands behind my back and pushes me to my knees. My shoulder hits the ground first, and then I lay my head gently down so that I am looking to my left. I moan in pain and wince a bit.
"Sands?"
"What?" he asks.
"What are you going to do to me?"
"Oh, nothing my love, if I don't shoot you soon, the buzzards will surely get to you soon enough."
"Why would you leave me out here to die? I...I love you." I say.
"You don't love me; you are just saying that because you think it would save your ass. Well guess what, it won't. Not this time. If only you would have done what I wanted back there, I wouldn't have to do this."
"I will, I will. I wasn't ready yet. I needed a little bit more time. If you take me back I'll do whatever you want, you can do what ever you want to me; just don't leave me here to die."
"I'm sorry love." I roll over so my back is on the ground and I can see the smirk on Sand's face.
"At least give me a good-bye kiss before you leave me hear, to die alone without the last memory of your lips pressed against mine."
"I thought you'd never ask." He leans down and places himself upon me. "A good-bye kiss never hurt."
"Untie my hands, I mean you don't want to kiss something other than my face. Besides, I'd love to hold your face in my hands once more. Touch that soft skin of yours?" Still on top of me, he orders Tico to cut the rope. My hands are free, and I grab his face gently. Once his lips meet mine we embrace in what seems a forever long kiss, but only lasted a few seconds. He backs off and is on his knees; I push him down and quickly turn around kicking Tico's knife out of his hand. I grab Sand's gun out of his holster and shoot Tico in the forehead. I back away as Sands got up.
"What the hell was that? Huh?" he questioned me.
"It bothered me that he was watching us kiss and enjoy it. That pervert." I say.
"Come here." He says and pulls me close to him. I feel something poke my stomach. Another gun, his fake hand! He holds my head up and nears it to his. He gives me one last long kiss and then...
BANG!