these people
have to go to hell?” She looked around as if she could see them peeking out
from the various crevices in the rock.
“Because they didn’t know Jesus.”
“Well, where was he?”
“He lived many years ago in another land,
longer ago than even these people, and there were no priests then. No one could
tell them of Jesus.”
Maria shrugged. This was ridiculous. How could
anyone be sent to hell when they couldn’t know about Jesus which was required
in order to go to heaven and not be sent to hell? It was stupid. She looked at
Juana who seemed just as confused. Maria decided to change the subject.
“Tomorrow we take stock of the land around us
and see what there is to get us through winter.” Juana nodded and finished a
tortilla. She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her lap. She was ready for
bed.
In another week they were settled in and
preparing for winter. Maria knew what winter was like in the country and she
was resolved to have a good one in the cave. She poked and prodded and got
Juana to store wood every day. She’d made many baskets and visited the people
in the village to trade. They now had enough for all the tortillas Juana could
eat through winter. Maria also hunted and made snares like one of the old men
in her village had taught her before he died. They worked and she felt
confident that she’d be able to get enough meat for them. She surveyed her
little settlement and was pleased until she looked on at the distracted and
sour-faced Juana.
“What’s the matter?”
“Bored.”
“Why?” Maria genuinely did not understand.
There was plenty of work to fill the day and it was good work and made Maria
happy.
“I don’t like this bumpkin living.”
Maria shrugged. She knew what Juana was
thinking and realized she wanted to go to the brothel. Juana grew up there. It
wasn’t reasonable to expect her to like the country, just as it was
unreasonable for Maria to like the brothel. She thought hard about this.
“Maybe we could go there before the weather is
bad. We need an axe.”
Juana brightened, then thought of all Maria had
done. She looked around doubtfully. “I don’t think we should leave everything.
Someone might come in and take it. Or move in and we’d be out of luck.”
She sat resting her head in her hands, poking
every now and again at the fire. She suddenly brightened. “I’ll go!”
Maria thought about it. Juana was right.
Someone had to stay behind. They couldn’t just leave everything, and their
fortune needed guarding. They did need an axe and more coal oil for the
lanterns. They needed some extra blankets as well. And candy.
Juana was excited now. She skipped around the
cave and thought about the fun she’d have. She’d take some money and spend it.
She’d visit the whores and they’d be happy to see her. They’d probably given
her up for dead by now. She was ready before sunrise and sat on her burro as
Maria worried over her.
“Stay out of sight. Spend the night in an
arroyo, don’t let anyone see you.” Juana nodded and waved her off.
“It’s only a day and a half. I’ll be fine.” She
smiled and rode off. “See you in five days.” She was gone.
Maria was alone now, really for the first time
in her life. She was always with the old woman and then she immediately met
Juana. She thought about this as she worked. She used to work constantly with
the old woman but now it felt different. She used to work, really, for the old woman. The old woman would tell her what to do and when to do it and
for how long. The old woman ran their little household and she decided when
things were to be done and it seemed, somehow, more like drudgery then. Now it
was fun. She decided what needed to be done and for how long and when. It made
her very happy.
Before she realized it, dusk had fallen and she
had let the fire burn down. She’d fashioned coverings for the old windows, but
decided not to use them. It was a bright night and the light from
have to go to hell?” She looked around as if she could see them peeking out
from the various crevices in the rock.
“Because they didn’t know Jesus.”
“Well, where was he?”
“He lived many years ago in another land,
longer ago than even these people, and there were no priests then. No one could
tell them of Jesus.”
Maria shrugged. This was ridiculous. How could
anyone be sent to hell when they couldn’t know about Jesus which was required
in order to go to heaven and not be sent to hell? It was stupid. She looked at
Juana who seemed just as confused. Maria decided to change the subject.
“Tomorrow we take stock of the land around us
and see what there is to get us through winter.” Juana nodded and finished a
tortilla. She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her lap. She was ready for
bed.
In another week they were settled in and
preparing for winter. Maria knew what winter was like in the country and she
was resolved to have a good one in the cave. She poked and prodded and got
Juana to store wood every day. She’d made many baskets and visited the people
in the village to trade. They now had enough for all the tortillas Juana could
eat through winter. Maria also hunted and made snares like one of the old men
in her village had taught her before he died. They worked and she felt
confident that she’d be able to get enough meat for them. She surveyed her
little settlement and was pleased until she looked on at the distracted and
sour-faced Juana.
“What’s the matter?”
“Bored.”
“Why?” Maria genuinely did not understand.
There was plenty of work to fill the day and it was good work and made Maria
happy.
“I don’t like this bumpkin living.”
Maria shrugged. She knew what Juana was
thinking and realized she wanted to go to the brothel. Juana grew up there. It
wasn’t reasonable to expect her to like the country, just as it was
unreasonable for Maria to like the brothel. She thought hard about this.
“Maybe we could go there before the weather is
bad. We need an axe.”
Juana brightened, then thought of all Maria had
done. She looked around doubtfully. “I don’t think we should leave everything.
Someone might come in and take it. Or move in and we’d be out of luck.”
She sat resting her head in her hands, poking
every now and again at the fire. She suddenly brightened. “I’ll go!”
Maria thought about it. Juana was right.
Someone had to stay behind. They couldn’t just leave everything, and their
fortune needed guarding. They did need an axe and more coal oil for the
lanterns. They needed some extra blankets as well. And candy.
Juana was excited now. She skipped around the
cave and thought about the fun she’d have. She’d take some money and spend it.
She’d visit the whores and they’d be happy to see her. They’d probably given
her up for dead by now. She was ready before sunrise and sat on her burro as
Maria worried over her.
“Stay out of sight. Spend the night in an
arroyo, don’t let anyone see you.” Juana nodded and waved her off.
“It’s only a day and a half. I’ll be fine.” She
smiled and rode off. “See you in five days.” She was gone.
Maria was alone now, really for the first time
in her life. She was always with the old woman and then she immediately met
Juana. She thought about this as she worked. She used to work constantly with
the old woman but now it felt different. She used to work, really, for the old woman. The old woman would tell her what to do and when to do it and
for how long. The old woman ran their little household and she decided when
things were to be done and it seemed, somehow, more like drudgery then. Now it
was fun. She decided what needed to be done and for how long and when. It made
her very happy.
Before she realized it, dusk had fallen and she
had let the fire burn down. She’d fashioned coverings for the old windows, but
decided not to use them. It was a bright night and the light from
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