After many days of silence, Tulio finally blurted out, "What is wrong with you?" Miguel had refused to say anything or do anything besides sit in the cart, sleep and steer. "Are you sick or something?"

Miguel turned his head to Tulio, and gave him a face like he had just said the most idiotic and annoying thing in the world. "Oh come on!!! Like you don't remember."

Tulio stared. "No, I don't remember. That's why I'm asking."

Miguel sat up and stared him in the eye. "Last week. The middle of the night. I was trying to help you with that psycho boss of yours, and you said, and I quote, 'Don't go nosing about my business. You don't even know me. Hell, I don't even know you! You and I are gone most of the day, so why did you even call me your best friend when I was dying? You were just emotional that day because I was dying. You're afraid of death. You're afraid of death because you saw your own parents dead. So don't lay your pity on me for your losses.' UN-QUOTE!!!! Does THAT ring a bell?!?!"

With that, he laid back down and pulled the sheet over his face, not wanting to look at Tulio anymore. It wasn't long before he fell asleep.

* * * * * *

"Miguel."

Miguel ignored Tulio's voice and pretended to still be sleep.

"Miguel, wake up!"

Miguel sat up angrily and looked at Tulio. Tulio shifted his eyes away, looking kind of guilty. "Good." Miguel thought.

"Uh... we made it. We're in Barcelona." Tulio hopped off the driver's seat, a little too embarrassed to speak anymore.

Miguel looked around at the city. It was very big and very crowded. The streets were narrow and edgy, but still full of people. They we're either yelling at each other, in fistfights, or playing craps. As Miguel started to get off the cart, a guy walked right into him, causing him to fall.

"Oh sir, are you all right?"

"Uh...... Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Miguel was lifted off the ground and the man brushed him off.

"I'm so sorry. I was in a hurry. Can you forgive me?"

"Yes, it's quite all right."

"Well then, have a good day sir!" the man said cheerfully, and he went on his way.

Miguel found Tulio asking questions to what appeared to be a very scared looking man.

"Please, don't hurt me! I have nothing with me, I swear!"

"Take it easy pal!" Tulio said, looking at the man strangely. "I just want to know where a Senor... uh... Narvez might be."

The man started to stutter with fear "Uh... I-I-I think he's t-two blocks down. He has a gray door"

"Oh, well thank-" Before Tulio could finish, the man ran away, screaming. "You..."

* * * * * *

Tulio knocked on the door where the man said. "Hello?.... Senior Narvez? Hello-o?"

The door opened up to reveal a nice old man. "Buenos Diaz Seniors. How may I help-" He stopped talking as soon as he recognized Tulio and Miguel. "Get out of here." he said, his once welcoming voice turning to ice.

Tulio was baffled. "What? Aren't you Senior-"

"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!!! GO AWAY BEFORE I CALL THE GUARDS ON YOU!!!!!!"

"B-but Senior," Miguel said, pleadingly. "We're just applying for a job! We have traveled all the way from Madrid. We have done nothing to you!"

The man sneered. "Ha! I'm not going to fall for that like that Monfa guy did!"

Tulio's face turned white. "You know about that?"

The man laughed. "Boy, all of Spain knows about!!! Word spreads, you know. You two are wanted men!"

Tulio choked. "WHAT?!"

"You heard me! You two are wanted for armed robbery and assault and battery. Monsieur Monfa pressed charges, so all of Spain wants you punished."

Miguel exploded. "Armed robbery!?! Assault and battery!?! We should be the one pressing charges!!! That bastard has beaten up this guy for nearly ten years now, and he has tried to kill him too! In fact, I saved him! I'm a witness!!!!"

The man stared at them, looking a little more sympathetic. He let out a sigh. "I knew that Monfa was a crazy old loon. But.......... I can't accept you in."

Miguel dropped to his knees. "Please senior, we have nothing. We can't go back home or we'll surely be killed. Senior Saldovar said no one else would accept us but you. We need this job, or we'll be living on the streets. Please." He could feel his eyes brimming in tears, desperate.

"Boys, I believe you. But I can't be seen with you. It's your word against a wealthy

merchant's. And I think you two know who the Spanish guards will follow." And with that said, he gently closed the door.

"GREAT!" Tulio screamed. "Now where do we go?!?!

* * * * * *

Both Tulio and Miguel followed a grimy little man up a rickety stairway.

"Now listen you two. I want 10 pesetas in my hand every week for rent. If I don't get rent, you don't get roof. Got it?"

"Yes, but what if-"

"Not now, I have some other rules. Every week I get a package at my door. You know what's in that package?

"No."

"Good, I want it to stay that way. You see it on your way out, don't you lay a finger on it. You do, I'm going to nail your nuts to the wall. Also, every guy that lives here has a very long list of crimes, just like you. Don't even think about ratting' on them, cuz if ya do, you guys and I will get nabbed too, and then we'll all get to be love slaves for Big Pepe in prison. Also, if I want you to hold anything for me, you better. I don't care if it's a friggin' snake, you will be hiding it for me. And finally, do not, I repeat, DO NOT!!!!!... Come to me at 10:00 in the morning. That's when I jack off. Now, do you got it?"

Tulio and Miguel were a little shocked by what this perverted little man just said. Finally

Tulio said, "Uh... yeah."

"Good. Now, that will be twenty pesetas in advance."

Tulio was shocked. "TWENTY?!?!"

"Hey, I don't make the rules here!!!... Well, actually I do. Heh heh. PAY UP!!!!!!"

Tulio sighed and pulled out ten coins. When Miguel put his hand in his pocket, he found nothing. "My ration's gone!"

"What?! Where was the last place you put it?"

Miguel thought. "Well it was in my pocket the whole time. Then as I was getting out of the cart, this man ran into me and-" He stopped talking and gasped. "That guy stole my money!"

The caretaker laughed a wheezing cough of a laugh. "Listen kid. Here's another rule. Don't carry money in your pocket when you're in Barcelona. Heh heh. Do you have the rest or not?!?!?!"

Tulio sighed and gave the rest of his share to the caretaker. "Heh heh. Have a pleasant night gentlemen." He handed Tulio the key, turned around and left.

As Tulio opened the door, Miguel wished he hadn't. Cockroaches were scurrying all over the floor, which was all creaky and hole filled. The walls were grimy and smeared with what looked like blood. There were two blankets on the floor, but no beds. On the wall there was a small cracked mirror that was almost covered in grime, and on the floor underneath it was a washbowl, a latrine, and a candle.

Tulio was disgusted. "We paid twenty pesetas for this pile of crap?!?!"

Miguel just lied down on his blanket and pretended that it was nothing. "Well I'm sorry that this doesn't please you Tulio," he said coldly. "But this is life, so just deal with it." Tulio said nothing, so Miguel went to sleep.