Authors: Julia Alvarez

In the Time of Butterflies (44 page)

BOOK: In the Time of Butterflies

4.1Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

ads

But instead, Bloody Juan escorted me down the stairs and outside. There was a wagon waiting. It took me only a minute to realize where we were going.

I kept looking out the window, hoping I’d be seen by someone who might recognize me and tell my family they had spotted me in a police wagon headed towards La 40. How strange that the sun was shining so innocently. That people were walking around as if there were no such thing in the world as poor souls in my predicament.

I tried getting some explanation as to why I was being taken in. But Bloody Juan is not one to explain things.

By the time we got to La 40, I was shaking so bad I couldn’t get out of the wagon. I felt ashamed that they had to carry me in like a sack of beans.

There was a bunch of them already waiting in the interrogation room, tall fat Johnny with his Hitler mustache. The one called Can dido with the curly hair. Then a bug-eyed one that kept cracking his knuckles to make the sound of breaking bones.

They stripped me down to my slip and brassiere and made me lie down on this long metal table, but they didn’t buckle the belts I saw dangling down the sides. I have never known such terror. My chest was so tight I could barely breathe.

Johnny said, Hey, pretty lady, don’t get all excited.

We’re not going to hurt you, the one called Cándido said.

That made me shake all the more.

When the door opened, and

was brought in, I didn’t immediately recognize him. A walking skeleton, that’s what he looked like, shirtless, his back covered with blisters the size of dimes.

I sprang up, but Bloody Juan pushed me back down on the table. You lay down nice like you’re in bed waiting for him, Bug Eye said. Then he said something gross about what torture does to the necessary organ. Johnny told him to shut up.

What do you want with her?

shouted. I could tell he was scared.

We want her to help us persuade you, Johnny said in a voice that was too calm and rational for this eerie place.

She has nothing to do with this,

cried.

Are you saying you’ve reconsidered, Johnny asked.

But

stood his ground. I’m not discussing the matter further unless you let her go.

That’s when Bug Eye slammed him with a fist, knocking him down. How dare scum dictate terms to the captain! Then all of them joined in kicking

until he was writhing in agony on the floor.

I was screaming for them to stop. It felt like my very own stomach was being punched, and that’s when the pains as bad as contractions began.

Then Johnny asked me if I couldn’t persuade

After all,

and

had all reconsidered.

I was so tempted to say,
Ay,

save yourself, save us. But I couldn’t. It was as if that would have been the real way to let them kill us.

So I told those monsters that I would never ask

to go against what his conscience told him was right.

Two of a kind, the one called Cándido said. We’ll have to use stronger persuasions.

I guess, Johnny said. Tie her down.

Bug Eye stood before me, holding a rod with a little switch. When he touched me with it, my whole body jumped with exquisite pain. I felt my spirit snapping loose, soaring above my body and looking down at the scene. I was about to float off in a haze of brightness when