Chapter One
Manuel found her standing outside looking at the old tree which was dying. He gulped looking at his Aunt who has lyed to him his whole life, "Were you ever going to tell me?" Manuel asked holding the manuscripts within his arms, "Or just lie to me some more?" Águeda looked sadly upon her son whom yes she had lied to for so long and to herself as well. The smock was becoming unbearable as she sighed.
"Manuel what I did was not very fair to you or Aurora-," she sighed trying to make him understand it was a different time then, "But son I did it out of love for you and that child Lucía now cares!" Águeda exclaimed gulping watching Manuel shake his head.
Manuel closed his eyes for a moment then opened them to look at her, "Leave Lucía out of this do you hear me Águeda!" he spoke grabbing her hand leading her out the back way to the front, "We'll talk about this-,"
"No!" Águeda yelled snatching her arm away from his grasp, "I have lived long enough within all of these lies my boy-," she sighed kissing his sweet angry face, "You love her Manuelito it is time for you to come to terms with that!" smiling looking at him with sad eyes, "Love that child as I loved you!" Águeda spoke walking back into the house.
Manuel gulped watching her do with leaving him within questions he knew the answer too, "Águeda-," he yelled after her but with no reply, "Águeda-," calling again and still no reply, "Damn me!" Manuel spoke dropping the manuscripts running in after her finding her lying upon the floor, "Águeda-," Manuel called kneeling down trying to wake her up, "Mom!" he spoke as a tears poured down his face.
"She is only sleeping Manuelito-," Manuel jumped seeing the male figure before him, "Do not be alarmed for you know me!" Manuel gulped looking at the man strangely, "I believe you have something of mine,"
Manuel looked upon oddly on him again, "I am sorry sir but I have nothing of yours!" he spoke seeing the man's expression change, "If you're here for the manuscripts take them just let me take my mother and Lucia away!" he spoke bending down picking up Águeda.
"Ho their son not so fast-," The man spoke looking at Manuel and Águeda as parts of the ceiling and walls began to fall, "Lucía is what I want!"
Manuel was shock, "Lucía?" he gulped looking at the strange man, "What do you want with my Lucía?"
"Lucía -," The man chuckled smiling at Manuel devilishly; "She holds the line of Juana la loca within her blood!"
Manuel shook his head, "I am sorry sir but-," a cough took over his speech, "Lucía is a American there is no way she holds Juana's blood line within her veins I promise you!"
"You promise me-," The man spoke coming closer as the fire department alarms began to sound, "Damn!"
Manuel smiled, "Lucía -,"
"You are of no use to me-," He yelled removing a pistil from his left pocket, "Goodbye my son!" Manuel gulped as the gun fired landing in his shoulder trying to keep his balance. The man kneeled down beside Manuel's right ear and whispered, "Your precious Lucía -," he chuckled with a smiled, "Is mine!" laughing as he grabbing Águeda's legs dragging her out.
Manuel eyes went dark but could hear the fireman standing over him, "I have a body!" the fireman yelled to his partner.
"Is he alive?" The partner asked as the other shrugged; "I cannot tell his leg his stuck come give me a hand!" the partner spoke as the other firemen help him take one of the ceiling panels off Manuel's leg, "Let's get him into a bag!" The partner nodded placing in within a black body bag along with another body they found within what was left of the old home.
I gulped running over to the man with the body bags unzipping the bag covering my mouth, "Manuel-,"
"You know this man?" The police officer asked me but I was still in a state of shock, "Madame do you know this man?"
I nodded answering his questioned turning my head, "Yes sir-," shaking a deep breath continuing, "His name is Manuel,"
"Thank you!" The police man sighed walking away from me taking Manuel and Águeda from me. I gulped as my left hand granite to my stomach thinking of my child and what I must do now. About an hour later I set myself up within a hotel just when the bodies would be arriving at the local morgue, "So what is your prognosis?" the police officer asked the nurse.
The nurse sighed, "Well from his chart it seem as a gunshot wound and-," she screamed looking from the chart as the police looked at her.
"Where did the body go?" the police officer asked looking at the nurse, "Rebecca where did Manuel Denia go?"
