Authors: Bonnie S. Mata
Celina’s hand flew to her chest and pulled her head back. “No way! I'm from Laredo too.” She released the tight hold on the pillow. “What's your name?” She asked with much interested.
The ghost seemed surprised, too and walked towards the edge of the bed. “Are you serious? My name is,
Elia
Leal, and I feel terrible that my mother doesn't know where I am. Can you please tell her that I am here, and that I'm sorry?” She looked deep into Celina’s eyes with emotion.
Tears began to roll down Celina's face.
“Why are you crying?”
Elia
extended her hand, as if to try to wipe away her tears. “I saw you crying the other night, too.” Her voice was warm and caring.
Celina had a lump in her throat but managed to speak. “I was kidnapped, and I don't know if I'll ever leave here… but if I do, I will find your mother and tell her.”
Excitement came over her, and she moved closer to Celina. “Oh please help me! I am here with many others.”
She felt a chill race over her head at the thought, then down her spine. Then it sort of went over her body as she forced herself to move away. “Where?” Her head moved quickly scanning the room, as if spirits would fill the room any minute.
“Well, the others have been here before me and my date Luis Javier, but anyway, we are all buried outside along the sidewalk.”
“What?” Her eyes widened, looking out the small window of the room.
“Yes, that night after they did what they did… they threw my body in a ditch, out there.” She pointed out the window.
She rubbed her hands over her arms. “Good God,
Elia
. Can I ask you, want happened?”
Celina only wanted to know, because she was wondering what Rafael, the boss man, was capable of. Was it true what Carmela had told her? Should she fear him? She had not seen any sort of violence from him yet?
Only a perfect gentleman, so far.
“Well, Luis Javier, that's the name of the guy who asked me out. Well, anyway he and I went dancing in Nuevo Laredo because I still wasn't of age to go to clubbing here in the U.S. So, when we were leaving the club, these guys grabbed us and threw us in a van and we ended up here. Luis Javier and I think that his brother owed them money on a shipment that went bad, and they tortured me to make him talk.”
Celina’s face cringed. “Oh, I'm so sorry,
Elia
. How old were you?”
“Twenty.” She lowered her head, and continued. “They did horrible things to me,” she paused and then continued. “I was gang raped by all who were in the room… there must have been ten or twelve men in the room. I had never really had sex but twice with an old boyfriend. I was so humiliated by the way they displayed me, while they watched each other take turns on me, as Luis Javier watched. I was also
sodomized
, several times and even had two guys do me at the same time,” she waved her hand in the air, while she made faces remembering the moment, “it's hard to explain, but they did.”
Celina knew what she meant, because she had seen the sexual act herself earlier.
“Luis Javier kept telling them that I wasn't his girlfriend, hoping they would stop, but they didn't. They beat me like a piñata. They yanked my fingernails off, one by one, with pliers, as I screamed,” she stopped to look at her hands, “and still Luis Javier wouldn't tell them what they wanted to know. They then began to beat him. Everyone took turns punching him, as if he was nothing. They used bats, pipes… anything that they could get their hands on in that room…was used. Then one man took a machete, and cut my nipple off, put it in his mouth and sucked on it. By then I was already numb and knew that they were going to kill me.” She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “Then that same man took the machete and cut Luis Javier open, like if he was a deer. He gutted him open like an animal while Luis Javier was still alive, and all of his intestines spilled out of him. Next thing, I knew… I was dead, and Luis Javier's body was dumped over mine, but he was still alive when they buried him with me.”
Celina was in tears, listening to the horrific details. She shook her head and said, “I’m so sorry that this happened to you
Elia
. If… if I get out of here, I promise that your mother will find you, and give you a proper burial. I promise.”
“I don't know the names of the others, only Luis Javier's, but yes, we are all here
en la
banqueta
de los
muertos
.”
Celina repeated softly in English, “The sidewalk of the dead.”
Loud noises came from outside the door, starling the girls.
“What is it?” whispered Celina.
“I don't know,” replied
Elia
.
Chapter
29
The breakout
The door
opened slowly, and a head peeked in. “Celina,” the voice whispered.
She had heard that voice before since she’d been there, but she wasn’t sure whose voice it was. Was it Rafael coming for her, to take her back to his house?
She cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. “What do you want?” she demanded, not knowing who it was.
“It's me, Pancho,” he replied, closing the door behind him.
There stood the man that was going to
save her from this hellhole.
She looked at him, at the height of him standing in full gear.
Wow.
Her eyes zeroed in on the small black vest that he wore with lots of pockets over a bare, muscular chest.
Madre
mia
,
que
hombre tan
guapo
!
Her eyes then looked up to see his face painted just like the soldiers in the movies
. Lucky me
.
M
y very own G.I. Joe.
Her gaze then moved to look at him straight at his eyes. Dark brown, very intense eyes, eyes that were so compelling, looking right back at her. She caught a fleeting expression across his face and his eyes flared right back at her. Her pulse quickened, and her mouth went dry.
“Here, put these tennis shoes on quickly, so we can go.” He handed her a pair of white Nikes with a black checkmark.
She grabbed them from his hands and sat on the bed to put them on.
He kept his attention on her. His eyes followed the halter top straps to the white dress that she wore. They continued to trail down to the V-shape cut of the dress, where her breasts were.
When she tied the last lace, she glanced up to find him deep in thought, with his mouth slightly opened. She cleared her throat.
His face flushed, and he closed his mouth.
She smiled at him. “Are you sure we're not going to get killed?” She stood up.
He ignored her comment. “Please hurry, Celina,” he commanded, turning to the door.
“Did you come alone, or did you get help?” She looked at his tight-fitting black pants with lots and lots of pockets.
“Just me, like I told you yesterday. Let's get going.” He held a high-powered rifle in his hands.
She walked over to grab her Victoria's Secret bag and threw her high heels in the bag.
“No, leave them.” He narrowed his eyes.
She narrowed her eyes right back at him. “No, I'm taking my stuff with me.” She held the bag tightly, refusing to give in to his demand.
He shook his head. “Whatever you’ve got in there, I'll re-buy for you,” he said, opening the door to the room.
Following right behind him
she whispered, “You don’t know how long it took me to find this stuff.” She turned away from the door and then glanced down to look at the guard, who was now on the floor.
He turned back and looked right into her hazel eyes
.
He
took a deep breath and said in a stern voice, “Stay right behind me, and follow my every order.” He walked slowly down the hallway, keeping close to the wall, towards Rafael's office.
Celina didn't answer but did as was told. Pancho led the way, pointing a large M16 assault rifle. “I sure hope you know how to use that thing.”
He turned back to look at her and smiled.
Baby if you only knew what all I can do with
this
gun and what all I have done with weapons such as th
e
s
e
.
“
Ay
ese
estop
!” shouted a voice in broken English.
Pancho kicked open the door to Rafael's office in less than a second. He jerked Celina's arm, pushing her in the office. Celina fell to the floor and then heard loud gunfire from Pancho's gun. She curled up in a ball and covered her ears with her hands. The sound was intensely loud.
Pancho rushed in, yelling,
“
Get up! Move it, move it.
”
He grabbed her arm, helped her up, and led the way down the steps, where Rafael had taken Celina earlier.
“Why are we going this way?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” He frowned, shooting the lights on the overhead porch.
She put her hands down and opened her eyes after the loud rounds of fire. “The golf cart isn't here. What if Rafael comes back this way?”
He stopped in his tracks giving her a hard stare. “What do you mean? Have you been down here already?” he snapped. He hated deception.
“Yes, earlier today.”
His gaze flared with anger for a moment. “What did you go do? He never brings girls to his house. What part of the house were you in?” He pressed his lips tightly together and reined in the anger pulsing through them.
He eyed her lips, waiting impatiently for her to reply.
“I don't get it? Why are we arguing about this now?” She snapped at him and narrowed her eyes.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath, and then asked, “What floor did he take you to?” He walked up to her, with his face only inches apart from hers and shot her a furious glare.
“Third,” she muttered.
His brows drew together glancing at Celina. “Mother fucker!” He shook his head, looking down at the ground. “Mother fucker!”
“Pancho!” Her eyes widened in alarm. “Good God, this is ridiculous.”
Cold, bitter rage cut through his voice. “Uh, were you in his bedroom?” He then made eye contact with her.
God, his eyes were so dark. So dark that he was scaring her. She gave him a hard stare.
“Well?” A frown crossed his face.
“It's like yes and no.” She looked away.
He looked up at the sky. “OH, hell. Well, which is it?” His voice was loud and angry, a warning as to how he felt. He walked away then came back, lowered his head and ran his hand over his face.
Celina felt her heart nearly stop in her chest as Pancho waited for her to reply. “He took me so I could cut his hair.”
“Cut his hair? Yeah, right!” He turned his back and began to walk. His walk turned into long strides, and then his long strides turned into a jog, headed up to Rafael’s house.
Celina tried to follow behind him. She wanted to explain to him, but he wouldn’t stop. She then yelled as loud as she could, “I'm serious! Stop and listen to me, Pancho. You are jumping to conclusions. Nothing happened!”
He stopped in his tracks and then turned around slowly to see her. He could see that she was blinking back tears.
“
He has a sink and special chair. You name it, he has it there.
”
Tears prickle
d
in the back of her eyes.
“
And why would he want you to cut his hair?
”
His throat was tight, so many emotions tearing through him now.
She shook her head and yelled, “Because, I'm a hair stylist!” She stomped her foot on the cement. “You know nothing about me! I am part owner of a salon back home in Laredo.” She threw her hands up in disbelief.
“Oh you are?” voice more relaxed but with some sarcasm. “And what about the bedroom?” His face flushed and his chest heaved.
She blinked up at him, and she swore she felt the very air around them become thicker, still, and heavy with tension. “He got a call, and said it was an emergency so he had to leave. But before he left, he said I could make myself at home and shower up, and he left me this dress on his bed.” She looked down at the dress she was wearing.
“Oh! I see!” He looked up and down at the white halter-top long dress that she looked incredibly sexy in. “Did he see it on you?” His eyes continued to roam up and down the dress.
“Of course not!
I told you that he left. I also ate a very delicious meal there too. I was starving!”
A breeze blew and outlined the curves of her body, capturing his attention. “He was trying to seduce you,” he said, moving his hand in front of her face. “That son of a bitch, I knew it.”
His voice was calmer.