Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"The sun said to the moon, I'll burn you."

"Ema!" Her father's voice resonated in the small house and even escaping outside.

The bathroom the whole community shared was a terrible place to be in the morning.

It was worse than Ema was the fifteenth person entering.

It was still lucky though. The last person would have nightmares even while awake.

Why didn't I go in the morning?

Water was scarce and she didn't want to go far off as early as six.

At long last, the person using the bathroom got out. His face was twisted in disgust and Ema could only imagine her turn for worse.

"Slowpoke, Move it!"

Ema ignored the bastard and walked in.

The first thing she faced when she entered was the slippery floor.

She counted herself lucky for being to keep standing.

She got her sponge and dropped her bucket filled to the brim with water and prayed to the heavens that she could survive this.

Oops! The soap slipped pff and landed on the floor, the slipperiness allowing the soap to slid further.

Ema doused her face with water and searched for soap.

It was gone for good. Something that looked like worms was crawling on her newly bought soap.

Crap!

She would just finish up and go and meet her father. He could still be heard yelling.

"I'm ready," Ema said finally.

She had dressed in her best. A white-yellowy gown given to her as a present from her aunt.

"I don't support this.", Her mother complained, plaiting her hair.

"The city is not a terrible place Mom, moreover I'm going with Dad. I'll be safe. You worry too much."

Her mom sighed and rushed to get something.

"Are you ready?" Her Dad asked, dressed in denim and black shirt.

"I guess I am. We should go before Mom changes her mind."

"You're right."

They walked to the old white truck that would convey them to the city.

"Wait!" Her mother yelled rushing to her with something clutched tight in her hands.

"What?" Email rolled her eyes, she was not missing this chance to go to the big city.

"Take this." Her mother handed her a small sum of money, "Buy a makeup kit."

"I don't need that Mom. Who's looking at me?"

"A lot of men."

Ema knew where this was getting to. Her mother wouldn't let her go until she took it. It could even hinder her going to the city.

"But you wish, I'll buy it."

Her mother gave her a big hug before kissing her goodbye.

The truck started moving slowly out of their small compound and into the open.

At long last.

Ema had heard quite a lot about the city but those were just tales. She wanted to see it herself.

The big houses and scrapers that she only saw in pictures and textbooks.

"So where exactly are we taking this wood?" Ema asked, just to know how much she would be able to explore the city before they returned.

"Tower." Her father replied, kicking the accelerator.

"Nice name."

***

Rodriguez was a bit mad.

The attention was not on him today. It was on that imbecile.

Nathan had been brought in to the company just in case anything could kickstart his memory and make him again.

It wasn't happening though, not when Nathan was fed with drugs to retard whatever development or healing process could be going on and it was walking well he still spoke like an imbecilic child.

It was a pity he could not end his misery. He needed him alive if he was going to continue being CEO.

It won't be long before Miranda would give it to her son. Even if he too years, he would stand by her, The company would be nothing but his payment for helping the family.

"Rodriguez."

Miranda beckoned on him.

He walked over, hoping to talk about Nathan's improvement but she spoke first.

"He's not remembering anything." She sobbed, "Even if he doesn't, I badly want the real him back."

"It's ok Miranda. The doctor said it's a process. Just Jeep doing your best and try to be happy. He'll come back one day. I can guarantee it."

Miranda sighed

"I guess you're right. Thank you, Rodriguez, I don know what I'd do without you."

"Well, how's your husband?"

"His health is deteriorating and I keep having to lie about Nathan's condition. I can't lose him too."

Rodriguez hugged her, trying to get her to stop crying. It was getting irritating.

"Mom! Mom!" Nathan called, running towards her like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Stay away from mom. You bad person."

He hit Rodriguez on the face, the hard smack making his earring.

You son of a bitch!

He was lucky his mother was here. If not, it would have turned bloody.

"I'm a friend Nathan. We were business partners. Do you remember?" Rodriguez said, a conniving smile on his face.

"Badman!" Nathan yelled again, stumping on his shoe.

That hurt than hell.

"We should go now." Miranda notified, getting tired of Nathan's babyish antics.

"Sure. I'll see you this night then."

"Hmm." She nodded positively and dragged her son who kept a wicked glare at his would-have-been killer.

Watching them leave, Rodriguez said to himself,

"Eventually, you will need to my will."

***

The scenery was beautiful.

The roads in the city had been built in the days of wealth and grandeur. They were wide enough for several lanes of cars in each direction. They must have been flat and glossy black with neat lines of white and yellow like in the movies she watched, Cats furiously speeding past her, threatening to rip-off her hands if she stretched them out beyond her limits.

Unlike the road in the village, they are just grey, cracked, pot-holed. There is no paint left, but then there are no cars either, not enough to go around at least.

Ema occupied herself till they reached Tower.

It was a spectacular view indeed.

The black tiled building that went so high. You could almost see it touching the heavens.

How many people would work here?

A new dream forced itself into her imagination.

One day, I'll work here.

The truck stopped at the back of the building where other trucks like her father were offloading wood.

Ema could see almost twelve trucks, some bigger than her father's offloading planks.

Her father stopped the car and notified her to get down.

Now it was time for the hard work.

Offloading those heavy planks.

Ema's father went into the small truck's wagon and began to toss them out to the floor.

That was his side of the work. Ema's father had a partner who did the carrying but he was sick which was why she followed him.

Ema got a hold of what she could carry and walked onto the shed where others tossed theirs too.

Her father joined her soon after. She had finished offloading and held planks side to side.

Ema could see people passing her strange looks and she knew why

This was a hard job and people in the rural part were so filled with what should be right and what was wrong.

The wrong, she was doing.

"You're doing alright."

Inside was a man who watched the men dropping the merchandise. He kept complimenting them on their hard work and he even knew their names.

Based on the way he was dressed, Ema knew he had to be working in the company.

"Good work, Mr. Contreras." The handsome man greeted.

"Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez, you keep patronizing us and I'll be able to buy a better truck next year."

The man bellowed. It wasn't that funny. Maybe the man was just so used to laughing for business' sake.

"And this must...."

The man left his mouth agape, no words came out. He was petrified.

"Hey," I said, trying to get what made him shocked.

"Adriana?"

What the hell was Adriana?