A Corpse for Cuamantla by Harol Marshall

not Miguel. What has she done to him?"
    Miguel interrupted María's pleading. "Maestra, Anna is correct. Please sit here and allow us to explain." He grabbed one of the wooden chairs next to the office door and slid it down the sidewalk. María crumpled into it, burying her face in her hands.
    "Maestra, a terrible accident has happened to our friend Pedro. I want you to know before I tell the others." Miguel's tone was sympathetic. Anna leaned against the stucco wall for support hoping her knees wouldn't buckle before Miguel delivered the fatal emotional blow. María sat hunched over, arms across her stomach staring at the cracks in the concrete sidewalk one of which snaked under the leg of her chair.
    Miguel plunged straight to the point. "I'm sorry to bring you this news, Maestra, but an unfortunate accident has taken the life of our friend." He paused, waiting for a response that never came. María stared at the ground, only the stiffening of her body and a slight increase in the intensity of her breathing indicated she understood Miguel's message.
    Anna bent down next to her and placed an arm over her shoulders. "María, tell me, what shall we do about your children?" Mention of the children seemed to revive María and she sat up, stretching to catch her breath. "I'll tell them later. First, I need to join my colleagues in the school office and then return to my duties for the remainder of the fiesta. I have responsibilities here."
    "Surely not. Someone else can run the rest of the fiesta," Anna said. "Frankly, I think they should cancel it considering what has happened. Remaining here will be too difficult for you. I can leave with you, drive you and the children home, stay with you if you wish. There's no need for you to go through all this, not now, no one will expect you to. . ."
    "You don't understand, my American friend. Not only will they expect me to carry on with my duties, they'll take pleasure if I lack the strength to do so. People will hope I leave, or if I stay, that I break down and let them see my shame, their final revenge on Pedro, but I won't permit anyone that satisfaction. I plan to go on as if nothing has happened, as if Pedro's death means no more to me than to anyone else."
    Anna offered María her arm and they entered the office together as Miguel announced the bad news, evoking a communal gasp from the group.
    "Everyone agrees," Miguel said, "that we should complete the fiesta since much time and money have been spent." Anna listened, trying to wrap her mind around the manner in which Pedro's murder was being handled. "We believe Maestro García, distinguished Director of the Diego Rivera Morning Primary School would desire us to continue with the fiesta activities, and we will do so in his honor. Are there any questions?"
    Sixth grade teacher Juan Córdova asked the question on the lips of everyone. "Yes, Maestro, you mentioned an accident. How did he die?"
    "We don't know for certain. We've sent a messenger to summon the Maestro's wife who is visiting in Cumantla. Meanwhile, we need to assemble a group of men to convey the body to the Church to await the arrival of Maestro García's kinsman who will transport the body to his hometown of San Juan Zocatlo for a proper funeral. I'll provide more information when I can."
    Miguel concluded the meeting asking for volunteers to move the body, which he noted lay hidden in the rose garden behind the school, guarded at the moment by the barrio official from Cuaxpo. "Please return to your places in the schoolyard and I'll join you shortly," he said, walking over to María and offering to take over her responsibilities if she wished to leave. All eyes were on María as she replied to the contrary.
    "Gracias, Maestro, but I'm prepared to complete my responsibilities here," María said. "The people will expect it."
    Miguel took María's arm and the two headed back to the now empty dignitaries' platform where Miguel told the crowd that urgent community