Chapter 8: Bad Goes Worse

In the morning, Nita had run a temperature. Her cheeks were unnaturally blushed, and according to herself her leg thumped like a railway train. But she was not yet so ill that she couldn't give her sister an insinuating remark or two. Sandy was too worried to even get embarrassed.
Are you sure you are alright? she asked.
No, I feel awful, Nita answered truthfully. But what doesn't kill you can can only make you stronger, right?
She noticed the look on Buck's face and frowned.
I'm not gonna die, am I?
Of course not. But those dark blue eyes demanded the truth, and he said with a sigh: There is no wound so trivial that it can't kill you if it gets infected. Yours is alright so far, but if it doesn't get tended to, I can't make any promises.
She seemed very calm about it. Ramón, on the other hand, looked absolutely stunned. Carlos noticed the horror in the younger boy's eyes and shook his head.
Ramón, querido, this must be hard for you.
Hard for me? The boy was disbelieving. I'm not the one who His eyes fell on Nita and he bit his lip.
Nita got very annoyed. We're all in mortal danger, didn't you know that?
Callate, hermanita, le astustas, said Carlos reproachfully. He looked with sympathy at Ramón. I wasn't aware that you were still immortal.
Ramón wasn't the only one who looked surprised at that remark, and Carlos actually smiled a bit when he continued: See, when you're a kid, death is something that happens to other people far away, preferably old ones. You and everyone you know are immortal. He sighed. Then sooner or later people will die on you and you realise that you're not protected. For us it was sooner, but I guess it's later for you.
Are we all gonna die then? Is that what you're saying? the boy demanded.
Carlos shrugged.
Well, are we? Lou said with a thoughtful frown. If they're gun smugglers like Nita thinks, they have to move with the weapons. That's what Sanchez hinted, too. And when they leave this place, what will happen to us? They can't let us go right away, we might call the law before they have enough distance between town and themselves. So I guess they're either going to kill us or just leave us here.
I don't think we have the time to find out, said Sandy and chewed her lip. Buck's right, Nita needs professional help.
I know you always thought so, her sister said in an attempt to joke.
Sandy attacked her like a hunting kestrel.
What did you have to do something so incredibly stupid for in the first place? You knew he might fire!
Of course. That's why I did it.
For the dog. Fantastic. In the glorious tradition of putting other people's safety first, the dog is now considered more important than you.
Calm down, said Carlos. We need a plan, not you banging your head into the wall. But how can we possibly get out? We have no tools, and no weapons apart from the obvious: teeth, claws and Aleja's hairpins. Perfect in a catfight, but not enough for us to consider ourselves armed.
said Nita and opened her eyes widely. That's it! A broad smile spread over her face, and she looked like the girl version of Arkimedes right after his . She looked triumphantly at the others. I knew I'd remember it if I just stopped trying to! He said 'never arm an enemy'. That's how I knew. I realised they had weapons lying in the house.
Well, that's good to know, Lou said. Or it would be, if we could get there.
I don't think we should try to get armed, said Sandy. I think we should just try to get the hell out of here. She drummed with her hands on her leg. And since our only assets seem to be our heads, what we need is a good, solid, flawless plan. Unfortunately, I'm no good at planning. Chess is the game I hate the most. So I'll leave it all to you and freak out in the meantime.
Ideas were tossed around, but few seemed solid ones. Soon they were interrupted by the guards checking on them.

Caldwell went behind the house to get some more wood for the fire. The night had been cold and they had used up a lot. He wondered how those damned people in the barn felt. Probably awful. It had been a stupid idea keeping them there in the first place, but what could you expect when you worked with amateurs.
He saw a movement among the cliffs and quickly raised his eyes.
Hey, Vallejo, where do you think you're going? he asked.
The other man stopped short.
I'm leaving, he said. There was a touch of insecurity in his voice.
You are? Caldwell smiled. His voice was friendly enough, but there was a certain something in it
Yes. I'll have no more of this. These people are bad luck. The witch called them before she left her body.
She had a heart attack, Caldwell said patiently.
Call it what you want. We offended her, she is dead, now we are offending her friends. But not I. That girl Sanchez shot is powerful. She befriends animals and ghosts, and if she dies they might revenge it.
Caldwell sighed and walked to the block.
There is no rhyme and reason in what you say, my friend. Still, if you're afraid, I understand that you don't want to stay.
Vallejo relaxed.
But you must understand one thing. I refused to let them leave, even though they hardly knew anything about us. You, on the other hand, know everything. So I can assure you, my friend, you will not leave this place.

Nita's fever was running higher, and she didn't object when the others suggested that she should take a little nap. She rolled up as mush as possible on one of the blankets provided to them, trying to find a position that didn't hurt her leg so much and still felt comfortable. Very soon she was asleep.
But it wasn't a sound sleep. When Buck sat down to check on her she twisted and mumbled something in Spanish. Leaning down, he heard that it was the same word she kept repeating, but he didn't understand it.
Carlos knelt down beside them, and Buck turned to him, asking:
What is she saying?
Carlos listened.
, he said.

Yes. You know, hatchet.
Nita turned about so violently it must have been painful, but she didn't wake up. Instead, she said a long Spanish sentence. She seemed very agitated.
God have mercy on his soul, Carlos translated slowly. He looked at his little sister with a thoughtful frown, and then he rose.
Try not to wake her up, he said. If she sleeps through the dream she won't remember it afterwards. She's in enough danger without having to worry about dreamed ones.
Buck nodded his consent, and then stood up, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl.
Does she have a lot of nightmares? he asked.
Carlos shook his head.
Hardly ever. That's Aleja's speciality. Nita has a much calmer mind.
He threw a glance at his older sister and the shadow of a smile could be seen on his lips.
Of course, now it seems Aleja has been sleeping sound enough.

Not long afterwards, Nita woke from her sister's touch on her forehead. She looked up, her eyes seeming even more blue from the pinkness of their whites.
¿Qué tal? Sandy asked softly.
Nita thought for a moment, then answered in English:
I feel cold, she said. Then Sandy's expression made her add: But I'm not really cold, am I? It's just the fever that's higher.
A little bit.
Sandy turned to the others. Her face was anxious.
What are we to do? There must be a way of getting out!
There is that door, Carlos said dryly. If you can get the people outside to open up and let us out, that would be
Oh, shut up, will you? she shouted at him. As she seemed on the verge of pounding on the walls again, Ike took hold of her and held her close to his body. She sighed deeply.
I'm going mad, she said into his shirt. A few more days like this and I'll be miss Raving Lunatic.
Now, that's a thought, said Carlos unexpectedly.
Ike could feel the girl stiffening and frowned to show that he found the remark unecessary.
No, I'm serious! Carlso said. There was a new light in his eyes. Aleja, hear me out!

When the people inside first started pounding the barn door and crying for help, Lefaivre ignored it. He wasn't there for their enjoyment. But as their pleads grew louder he called for Maynard.
Cover my back as I go inside and see what they want, he said.
He was well at guard as he unlocked and unbolted the door (the nutty old lady seemed to have been convinced that someone would try and steal her worthless animals), but he wasn't prepared for what he would see.
Sandy stood by the wall, forcefully pounding her head and torso into it while she tore the skin of her face with nails that left deep, bloody marks. Ike tried to hold her, but his touch made her scream violently and fight him in deranged anger. When he let go of her she sank to the floor, once again throwing herself to the wall. She was still tearing her face and hair; her once so neat hairstyle had been completely destroyed as long, black, untidied curls fell down around her face.
Lefaivre said, watching the young girl bite her lip so hard blood flowed down her chin.
You've got to help her, Carlos sobbed. She's completely hysterical, I think she's lost her mind. She's never been quite stabil, but not like this either.
Lefaivre stood uncertain for a second, cursing this fine mess. Then he moved up to the wretched creature and cautiously asked:
Miss, are you okay? Can you hear
Sandy wasted no time. She flung herself at the man, and while he tried to protect his eyes from her scratching claws, her knee found his delicate area with an accuracy that made him fall moaning to the floor.
Maynard had been standing by the door, amazed by the horrid sight. Before he had any chance to react to the new situation, Buck and Carlos fought him down together. Carlos grabbed the gun that had fallen from Maynard's hands and struck him in the head with it. Then he tossed it over to Buck with a grimace.
You take it, I wouldn't know what to do with it, he said.
Well, what you did do with it seems to have worked just fine, Buck answered.
In spite of his exposed position, Lefaivre realised that the prisoners were about to escape, and he tried to get control of his gun.
Oh, no you don't! Sandy said and bit him hard in the wrist.
The man howled in pain, but he let go of the gun, and Ike hurried to pick it up. Then he followed Carlos' example and Lefaivre lost consciousness.
It's working! Sandy said happily. She took a few steps towards the door, the beautiful, open door, but swayed and had to stop.
God, what a headache I have, she panted.
You probably ruined your brain, but it just might be worth it, Carlos said. He was adjusting Nita in his arms and smiled at his little sister. Feeling alright, chica?
Nita was barely awake, but she had enjoyed the spectacle.
It was beautiful, she whispered.
, Carlos agreed, and then he shouted at the others: Hurry up before the others get here!
Ike, Sandy, Lou and Ramón ran away towards the mountains. Carlos had to move a lot slower with Nita in his arms, and Buck covered them both with the gun, as well as the dog.
Buck cursed when he saw the men approaching them. They weren't discovered yet, but it was only a matter of time. Come on, we have to go the other way, past the house.
That's the wrong direction, Carlos objected but he followed anyway.
We'll just have to take a longer run Buck said, and they rounded the corner of the house. Then Carlos stopped short, staring at something by the woodshed. Buck looked in the same direction, and gasped when he realized what he saw.
Vallejo was lying across the pile of wood, and the axe was solidly buried in his skull. He had not been dead for long, but flies already gathered around his head.
Both the young men mumbled a short prayer in their own languages, and then Buck's eyes turned to the semi-unconscious girl Carlos was holding.
That's what she said, wasn't it? he said in a hoarse voice.
Carlos shook his head, but the gesture meant I don't know. He had no explanation to offer.
They quickly regained control of themselves and ran towards the mountain. Gunshots were fired after them, but by then they were near the cliffs, and as they reached shelter without being hit, they dared to hope that they might come home.