"Milo," Dolores screamed. She scooped him into her arms. That's when she noticed the blood coming from his hair. "Oh, mi dulce hermanito, ¿qué te hicieron?"
She looked around. She needed to think quickly. She had already lost Isabela. She wasn't gonna fail another family member. She propped his head against her chest before running off. That's when she found the local clinic. She ran inside.
"Help," Dolores yelled. "My brother is injured."
One of the nurses took ran over to her. "Oh, Querido," she muttered. "I'll get him a stretcher or a wheelchair. "¿Qué le pasó a este pobre niño?"
"I don't know," Dolores cried. "I found him like this."
A man rolled a wheelchair to them. "We need to get him to the ICU," he said. Dolores unloaded him into the chair. She was handed a clipboard with some papers. "Please fill these out to the best of your abilities. We'll keep you posted as we examine him."
Dolores sat in one of the chairs. She realized she probably looked very suspicious. Her clothes were drenched in blood, none of which was hers. She kept her head down to ignore the looks.
She looked out the window. That's when she saw the man. She sunk into her seat. She needed to run. For now, Camilo was safe. The doctors had him. It would be better if she could make it to the Encanto. Then they'd be completely in the clear.
Dolores needed to make her exit quick but subtle. Running to the emergency exist would bring too much attention to her, yet walking too slowly would get her caught. Dolores sat the form on the end table beside her. She speed-walked towards the back door. She opened the door and left.
"Have you seen my wife?" the man asked. "I'm very concerned for her. Her hair is in a red bow, she's wearing an orange and white top, and a red skirt. She shouldn't be left alone."
"I saw someone with that description run into the clinic," someone said. Dolores ran away, hearing someone following her. She needed to keep running. She needed to lose him before she could safely return to Camilo.
If she wasn't in such a rush, she would have paid more attention to her surroundings. She tripped, falling on all fours. Before she could pick herself up, a chloroform rag was on her face.
When she woke up, she heard sobbing. She was back in the awful room. However, now she wasn't alone. There was a girl who could be no older than Camilo. She had large brunette curls. "Please help me," the girl sobbed. "Soy muy Joven. Quiero a mi mamá."
"Ssh, it's gonna be okay," Dolores whispered. "What's your name?"
"How do I know I can trust you," the girl sobbed. "You're covered in blood!"
"I'm a victim of him too," Dolores promised. "I was brought here over a week ago. This blood isn't from me attacking someone. It's my brother, who I had to carry to a clinic. Please tell me your name."
"Valeria," she cried. Dolores's mind drifted back to Camilo. There was no way he made it back to the Encanto. She hoped that he told the doctor the truth so he wouldn't have to go back. Then when she could finally go back for him, she knew he would be safe.
Valeria let out another sob. "Hey, it's gonna be okay," Dolores promised. "I'm gonna make sure he doesn't touch you."
The girl was inconsolable. Dolores got an idea. She pulled Valeria close, remembering the lullaby her mom sang for her and her siblings. "Dos oruguitas enamoradas," Dolores sang gently.
Oh, mi dulce hermanito, ¿qué te hicieron?; Oh, my sweet baby brother, what did they do to you?
Oh querido; oh dear
¿Qué le pasó a este pobre niño?; What happened to this poor child?
Soy muy Joven. quiero a mi mamá; I am too young. I want my mom.
