Buenos Aires, Argentina
Catalina had just returned from her job. She stepped out of the airplane terminal, gotten past security, and hailed a cab to take her into the city. Once she got far enough into the city, she paid the man and got out, walking back home the rest of the way.
Catalina Portillo was a twenty five year old woman with long straight black hair, a kind pretty face, slender looking body, and dark brown eyes. She had grown up a hard life, her mother barley scraping by with raising three kids and a husband who abandoned them on the spot. Because of this, Catalina couldn't afford to go to college and it wasn't like she could get a scholarship when she could barley pull regular B. so once she graduated, she tried her best to find a job to support her mother and two siblings. She kept bouncing around any job with a higher paycheck, the money wasn't good and it barley covered the house mortgage. Then there came the accident when her mom got into a terrible car crash. She had gotten run over by a car, the injury causing her to be paralyzed from the waist down, leaving her bed ridden for the rest of her life. The police never did find out who did it and it has been something that has haunted Catalina for a long time. After that, she had to work two extra jobs just to get by, most nights they couldn't even eat. It was a very tough period for all of them. One day, she got an offer from someone that just couldn't be passed up. A job that promised a lot of money…and a whole lot of risks.
She turned down into an alleyway, trash and litter polluting the entire place. She exited out into a small residential area, where crumbling houses with red bricked roofs stood. Walking a few blocks down, she soon came to their house.
She walked up the overgrown lawn and looked under the welcome mat for the key. She slid the key into the keyhole, opened the door, and walked in.
"Mother" she called "I'm back". Slipping of her plain old shoes, she slung her coat onto the rack and made her way to her mom's room.
Her mom was propped against her pillows, a book in her hand, glasses on. When Catalina walked in, she smiled and put the book down next to her.
"Hello sweetie" she said in her kind voice. Ms. Portillo was a plump woman with long gray hair, a plump face that always sported a smile, and the same dark brown eyes like her daughter.
"Hi Madre" Catalina said, bending down to hug her.
"How was work?" her mom asked as she pulled away.
"Very nice, look at this" she said, digging into her purse and pulling out an envelope that was stuffed with cash.
Her mom's eyes went wide "Catalina!" she exclaimed, "Where did you get all of that?"
"From work mom" she said proudly "mom, there's over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in here!"
"You're kidding?" her mom said "they paid you that much for a simple errand? What was it you were delivering, jewelry?"
Catalina laughed "no mom, it was just business as usual. But do you know what this means? We can pay of the mortgage for another two months! And we can actually get some real food in here!"
Her mom seemed to be on the verge of tears, brining a hand to her mouth "oh dear, I am so proud of you".
Catalina smiled "no, its nothing mom. I'm only looking out for my family".
"Well, I say you do to much for this family" she said "I swear, I thank the good lord for the day you got that job". Catalina smiled awkwardly. See, she wouldn't exactly thank the good lord for what she was doing.
"Okay mom, I think I'm gonna head out and get us some food" Catalina said.
"Right now?" her mom asked "no dear, I think it be best if you rest. After all, a ten hour flight to US can really take a lot out of you".
"I'm fine mom, don't worry," she said "I'll only be a half an hour tops. When I get back, then I'll take a nap".
Her mom shrugged "all right, have it your way. And while your there, could pick up some tea for me?"
"Sure mom" she said "bye".
"Bye dear" her mom then picked up her book and continued reading.
Catalina headed for the door and slipped back on her shoes and walked out the door. She hated having to lie to her mom but it was for the best. After all, if she found out what I really was Catalina did, it would just about break her heart. Cause the truth of the matter was…Catalina was a drug mule.
She had heard the stories, about girls just like her becoming drug mules. Having to swallow nearly sixty of the large pellets containing the heroin, heading into the US, the process of filtering them out, and the large paycheck given to the girls afterward.
She also knew very well about the stories. Stories of the pellets rupturing inside the girl's stomach, causing death by overdose. And the girls get cut open like cattle, taking the remaining pellets out of them, and throwing them onto the side of the road like trash.
The risks were great but the rewards were tempting. In the end, Catalina went against what she believed and decided to do it.
The first time was scary and hard. Swallowing the pellets was like trying to inhale golf balls; they were like uncomfortable lumps slowing inching down her throat, as if she had dry swallowed a very large pill. And what was worse, there were about sixty-two other pellets to swallow.
After four hours of downing the pellets, she was given her plane ticket and instructed on what to do. She would meet someone down by the terminal, who will be wearing a red bandana tied across his arm. She would be taken to a motel and given laxatives to get the pellets out. Once all of them were accounted for, she would receive her pay. 2,250 dollars for each pellet.
They were also specific about the risks. Should one pellet be missing, for whatever reason, they would send some people to visit her house and have a talk with her mother, her brothers, and any other relative they could find. They never mentioned the specifics but Catalina knew very well what they were talking about.
She had been doing this now for three years. Thirty-two trips now, thirty two times she could have been killed, thirty two times something would have gone wrong, but here she was. Still alive. She knew that at one point she should stop, stop before her luck ran out. But the money was too much to simply give up. It was what fed her family, what kept them her house; it was what paid for their lives.
After the first time, she met with them again and told them she wanted to continue doing it. They decided to accept her offer and told her that if she was to continue working for them, she will have to commit for another four years in their service. Only one more year to go.
She had already planned to get out of the entire thing when her service was up. She had been saving up her money now for a chance to actually go to college. With it, she could be able to get the education she never got and would finally be able to get a job that didn't stake her life. And by then, her brothers will be out of school and then they could take care of mom while she was away. It seemed the perfect plan.
Every time when she was called to do a trip, she would sometimes think that this would be the one, the one that would do her in. but every time, she would come back, money in hand and ready for when they would call her again.
She had her fair share of bad runs. A few times, some of the girls didn't make it. And when that happened, all she could do was curl up in the mattress as they took the body outside, only to return a few minutes later covered in blood and pellets in hand. That girl would never be seen again.
Soon, all of this will be over. And soon, Catalina will make something of her life besides a drug smuggler.
Catalina entered the market area, a fairly large district with tents pitched up, the aroma of meats and spices in the air. She made her way across the stands, picking up all the food that they needed, meats, vegetables, fruits, and a few spices.
When Catalina was paying off her final purchase, she headed over to the tent that sold the tea. Picking through the herbs, she looked for her mom's favorite. A man appeared next to her, who also seemed to be looking through the tea bags. But Catalina knew better. It was one of his men.
"Alvarez wants to see you," he said.
"Right now?" Catalina asked.
"Yes now" the man said "its important. Pay for your tea and come to the warehouse, immediately". The man walked of, not looking back. Catalina felt her heart begin to pump, did she do something wrong?
She found her moms tea and paid the cashier in a hurry, not bothering with change and began to make her way to the warehouse. She feared something bad was going to happen but better she obey Alvarez's order or something far worse will happen.
Santiago Alvarez was the main drug lord in Buenos Aires. He was the man who handled all of the drugs and arranged for which girls to smuggle them in. he was a large man with a baldhead and a gray mustache and stone colored eyes that seemed to bore right through you. He was the scariest man Catalina had ever met in her life.
She soon arrived at the warehouse, an abandoned building in the downtown part of Buenos Aires. She headed for the side door and knocked on it twice. A small section of the door opened to reveal beady eyes.
"What's your business?" he hissed.
"I am hear to see Alvarez," she said.
"Name?" the man asked.
"Catalina Portillo" she replied.
"Ah yes, he's excepting you" he slide the compartment closed and opened the door "he's waiting upstairs". She nodded and made her way up the steps. Even after three years, stepping into the abandoned building gave her the creeps.
She walked down the hall, passing rooms where people were packing the drugs and testing them for potency, to the familiar door and knocked twice.
"Come in" came a gruff voice.
She opened the door to see Alvarez at his desk, hands folded, with a few others commencing with business.
"Ah, Catalina. Please sit". She walked over to the open chair and took her seat. Alvarez stared at her for a moment before speaking again.
"Okay Catalina" he began "we need you to take a shipment into Miami, tonight".
She looked at him in shock "b-but sir, I just got back from a previous assignment".
"I am aware of that" he said coldly "but all my other girls are off doing other runs for me and you are the only one in at the moment. I know its short noticed but the man who is in need of this shipment is a very important client indeed, you understand right?"
"Yes sir" she said "but-"
"No buts Catalina" he said, raising a hand "don't forget, you are still in contract with me for another year and as long as I own you, you will do as I ask".
She kept silent, knowing if she tried to argue with him, she may very well be shot on the spot.
"All right" he said, "I trust you haven't eaten anything yet?" she shook her head.
"Good" he said "now go get ready, second room down" she got up and began to head for the door.
"Wait" he said, "Drop the bags". Doing as he told, she put down the bags containing the food she bought. Two men came over and picked them up.
"Do not worry" Alvarez said "I will be sure your groceries will make it home safely and to inform your mother of your absence. Now go". She walked down the hall and into the room Alvarez mentioned.
By now, she had gotten used to swallowing the pills, and easily downed all sixty-eight pellets in under an hour. She drank the liquid that stalled her from using the bathroom and got her plane ticket and passport. As she passed one room, she caught a glimpse of a girl sitting on a slab, while people began to cut her open. She felt her stomach turn and she began to run.
She quickly got out the building and began to hurry up the street. She was in such a rush to get away from the building; she didn't bother to look across the street. If she had, she would have seen the huge semi truck racing across the street.
She heard the sound of the horn and looked to see the truck careening towards her. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable to come.
All of a sudden, a opaque bubble appeared around Catalina and when the truck came barreling into her, it was like hitting a brick wall.
The truck began to tear apart, flames spewing and sparks flying, the force causing the truck to splay sideways and skid across the street. When the pain didn't come, Catalina opened her eyes and saw she was still alive and the truck was now a wreck across the street.
Without thinking what just happened, she began to run across the street, confused and scared.
Authors note: keep reviewing people!
