Free The Priest by Monica La Porta Page B

Mauricio gasped and, at the
same time, the guard pushed him out. He hit the ground, his feet
fumbling in the air and his hands barely breaking the fall. The
rich flavor of dry dirt filled his mouth, tickled his nose, and
made him sneeze.
    “I’m going to unlock your hands, so you can
clean yourself up. Don’t try anything, or you’ll regret it.” The
guard came closer, waving a key in her left hand while her right
was ready on the holster, showing him what her intentions were
regarding punishment.
    I’m outside… I’m outside… I’m really
outside. I can’t believe it. Since birth, Mauricio had spent
all his life inside, moved from one wing of the facility to
another. He had dreamed of this moment and recently, thanks to the
window in his cell, he had even had a limited experience of what
lay outside, which, in turn, had led him to fantasize even more
about seeing the world outside his cell. But he had never expected
that actually seeing the outside with his eyes was going to be so
intense as to leave him incapable of following the guard’s order. I’m going to faint again. This, this air, is making me
lightheaded. I like it. It’s so bright out here, so many colors.
What’s that? His head snapped to follow every little change in
the scenery. Something moved on his far right, but it was too far
away and too fast; a gust of wind transported small, light-green
leaves from a nearby tree to his feet, but they were gone already
by the time he thought of catching one in his hands. Come back
here.
    He almost didn’t hear the woman yelling at
him to get going, nor he did he seem to realize that she had thrown
a rag that hit him in the face. His legs were trembling, but he
felt better than he had ever felt. He bent to pick up the rag and
acting out of sheer habit, he cleaned himself. All of his senses
were focused on basking in the sunlight and breathing in the air
that smelled of the flowers and trees he had never seen. This is
what outside looks like. A smile appeared on his face before he
could hide his joy from the guard.
    “What’s up with you? The electricity fried
your brain?” the woman asked under her breath.
    “We have to move, otherwise we’ll never
reach Tarin before tonight,” the guard behind the wall called with
an annoyed tone.
    Please, please let me stay here. Mauricio’s eyes filled with angry tears. Another fast-running dot
crossed the field. I’ll never know what that is.
    “Almost done here. Don’t complain; it’s your
fault for not having shut off the collars before leaving the
Temple.”
    “Your fault, you mean. I drive; you take
care of the slaves.”
    Please, I’m not done yet. I haven’t had
enough time outside. I need more. I need to know what those things
are that are running so fast.
    “Whatever.” The guard, satisfied by
Mauricio’s cleaning, tied his hands together, nudged her gun
against his shoulder blades, commanded him to get inside the van,
and pushed the button to roll down the shutter again.
    Once the fresh air was replaced by the aroma
of the human bodies, Mauricio moaned loudly. I’m going to
suffocate; this place, it’s too small. I can’t breathe.
    “Don’t get sick on me again, or I’ll forget
that Tarin is waiting for three slaves,” the guard menaced, but
Mauricio wasn’t listening to her anymore.
    The trip from the Temple to Tarin took the
whole day. Mauricio and the other two men were allowed to relieve
themselves twice. When the guard stopped the van to take a break,
Mauricio couldn’t believe that she was going to let him out
again.
    I am out. He wanted to laugh and cry
at the same time. Overloads of contrasting emotions were fighting
to dominate one another. Laughing won. He put his feet down
gingerly, as if by touching the red soil, it would shatter and
disappear. I wonder what it feels like to walk with my bare feet
on it. He looked around to see if the women were checking on
him.
    “You, do what you’re supposed to,” the
driver warned