It had been days since Miguel had even seen a town, or for that
matter, EATEN. He had offered Gabby the rest of the food that was in the
cart, leaving him nothing. Instead of riding on the mule, he walked next to
it, figuring that way his stomach wouldn't hurt as much. It was also very
hot and the sun blazed throughout the day. Miguel's skin had roasted into a
blistering red and it often stung to the touch. His eyes were blurring
because of the pain. He found that he couldn't really function much longer.
Suddenly...
"Miguel, look! I see a city! A big one!" Gabriella squealed with delight.
Miguel walked over to Gabriella to see in her point of view. Sure enough, through the trees, was a large city. Miguel suddenly felt much better. The knot in his stomach seemed to shrink and his skin felt much cooler.
"We made it!" he cried out, scaring the poor mule half to death with the unexpected loud noise.
"Is this were we're going to stay, Miguel?" Gabriella asked, with a big smile on her face.
"Yes. But first: Let's go eat!"
* * * * * *
Miguel walked through the streets, looking at everything around him. The houses were tanned with red tiles, men were drinking tequila and wine at the local pubs, and children were running everywhere, either playing marbles or watching numerous cock fights. He then spotted the market place in a wide, crowded street. Everywhere people were screaming at each other, trying to sell jewelry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, candy, fish, clothing, livestock, toys, and all other kinds of merchandise.
As he walked along, he spotted a man selling bread. He looked about fifty and was very tall with a long nose and wavy black hair. He was a little round, but he seemed to be harmless. Miguel and Gabriella walked over to the booth, their mouths watering from the sweet smells of rolls and churros.
"Excuse me sir, may we please buy a loaf of bread?"
The man looked at them for a second, then smiled. "You two are from England, eh?"
Miguel was a little taken aback at this comment from someone he had never known. "Why yes. It's because of our accents, huh?"
The man chuckled. "Yeah. I like English people. They seem to be so proper about
everything, which is exactly opposite of how Spanish people are." He then started to laugh heartily, as if he had just told the funniest joke ever.
Miguel gave a small smile, not knowing how to react.
When the man stopped laughing, he picked out a nice loaf of bread and handed it to them. Miguel then walked to the back of the cart and looked for the bag of money Lily gave him the day he left. He looked all around the cart, turning things over, rummaging through all the blankets. Nothing.
"The robbers." he said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. The knot returned to his stomach, but now he seemed to feel like someone dropped a hundred pound sack on him.
Miguel looked up at the man and tried to tell him he had no money. "I- " was all he could manage. He ended up with a small squeak in his throat. Then, once again, his vision began to blur. Everything was moving so fast and it seemed to be getting hotter by the second. He swayed a little on his feet and fell to his knees.
"Hey! Are you OK, kid?" the man asked, although he seemed to miles away. Before he could answer, the swirling stopped, everything went black, and he fell. The last thing he heard was the loud BUMP! he made when his head hit the cobblestone ground, and he was out.
"Miguel, look! I see a city! A big one!" Gabriella squealed with delight.
Miguel walked over to Gabriella to see in her point of view. Sure enough, through the trees, was a large city. Miguel suddenly felt much better. The knot in his stomach seemed to shrink and his skin felt much cooler.
"We made it!" he cried out, scaring the poor mule half to death with the unexpected loud noise.
"Is this were we're going to stay, Miguel?" Gabriella asked, with a big smile on her face.
"Yes. But first: Let's go eat!"
* * * * * *
Miguel walked through the streets, looking at everything around him. The houses were tanned with red tiles, men were drinking tequila and wine at the local pubs, and children were running everywhere, either playing marbles or watching numerous cock fights. He then spotted the market place in a wide, crowded street. Everywhere people were screaming at each other, trying to sell jewelry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, candy, fish, clothing, livestock, toys, and all other kinds of merchandise.
As he walked along, he spotted a man selling bread. He looked about fifty and was very tall with a long nose and wavy black hair. He was a little round, but he seemed to be harmless. Miguel and Gabriella walked over to the booth, their mouths watering from the sweet smells of rolls and churros.
"Excuse me sir, may we please buy a loaf of bread?"
The man looked at them for a second, then smiled. "You two are from England, eh?"
Miguel was a little taken aback at this comment from someone he had never known. "Why yes. It's because of our accents, huh?"
The man chuckled. "Yeah. I like English people. They seem to be so proper about
everything, which is exactly opposite of how Spanish people are." He then started to laugh heartily, as if he had just told the funniest joke ever.
Miguel gave a small smile, not knowing how to react.
When the man stopped laughing, he picked out a nice loaf of bread and handed it to them. Miguel then walked to the back of the cart and looked for the bag of money Lily gave him the day he left. He looked all around the cart, turning things over, rummaging through all the blankets. Nothing.
"The robbers." he said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. The knot returned to his stomach, but now he seemed to feel like someone dropped a hundred pound sack on him.
Miguel looked up at the man and tried to tell him he had no money. "I- " was all he could manage. He ended up with a small squeak in his throat. Then, once again, his vision began to blur. Everything was moving so fast and it seemed to be getting hotter by the second. He swayed a little on his feet and fell to his knees.
"Hey! Are you OK, kid?" the man asked, although he seemed to miles away. Before he could answer, the swirling stopped, everything went black, and he fell. The last thing he heard was the loud BUMP! he made when his head hit the cobblestone ground, and he was out.
