Read Online Across the Great River by Irene Beltrán Hernández - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Irene Beltrán Hernández
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seem to enlarge the room into a haunted house. My own shadow looms tall and thin before me, and the babyâs shadow seems overgrown like a stuffed toad. I hurry to pick him up, and as I do he senses my fear and hugs me tightly. I wait, watching the glowing orange light of the hot plate turn bright brisk red. Loud slams and thuds add to my fears. It seems as though the bottom of the floor is tearing away and the walls shake from under the strain.
I want to unbolt the door and run out to the safety of the street, but I remember the strange man, and I remember what Anita bid me to do. Instead, I run to the mattress, grab Pablito and bury my face in the mattress until the floor stops shaking and all is still.
Four loud knocks break the silence. I jump up and unbolt the door to find Anita standing with the sleeve of her dress torn and a long scratch from her eye to her chin, which bleeds onto her breasts. Anita carries Mama in her arms. She is limp as a doll. I stand speechless, unable to move as Anita carries her to the mattress and lays her down gently.
âMama! Anita! What has happened?â I cry as I bolt the door.
âHush!â hisses Anita as her eyes show a fearsome wild rage.
The front of Mamaâs blouse is ripped apart, as is her skirt. Her legs are bruised with deep patches of purple and red running along the inside. Deep welts along her arms lead to a bruise the size of my fist upon her cheek. Blood trickles from her mouth and onto her neck.
âThat man ⦠he ⦠we must get help for her,â mutters Anita. Without warning, she collapses onto the mattress beside Mama. I can see that they are both hurt badly and that I must get help for them. I dash to the door, but before I reach it there is a sharp splattering of wood. An arm bursts through as if it were a steel hammer crushing the wood into a million splinters.
I feel a scream swelling in my throat. I stand frozen as a hairy arm with a tattooed lady reaches for the knob and turns it. I rush back to Pablito and drag him to the darkest corner. The door swings open as if it were made of cardboard.
The man approaches the mattress where Anita and Mama lay helpless. He moves slowly as if in a daze, then stares down at them for a long time, unaware that we are huddled in the corner behind him.
My body urges me to get out of the room as quickly as I can, so I start creeping toward the door holding Pablito tightly. The baby cries out in objection to my tight grip. I rush toward the door, but a strong force drags me back. I pull against it, realizing that he must have caught my skirt.
I scream and turn back to see Anita tackling him around his knees. She bites into his leg and he turns to kick her, and I struggle loose and escape, running down the stairs unaware of Pablitoâs weight.
I run into the street yelling for help. Two men see me and pass me as if I were a dirty begger. Other people only stare and walk around me. I keep screaming for help at the top of my lungs until at last a man and a woman stop. They calm me and the baby down long enough for me to explain what has happened. Soon, other men join them, and I point to the room, and they follow me up the stairs like a crowd at a bullfight.
As we enter the room someone screams and a man yells. The tattooed man bolts out from behind the remains of the door.
âThatâs him!â I scream.
The tattooed man and another man start fighting and they fall against the wall, knocking a woman over Mama. The woman yells out and her man friend jumps onto the tattooed man, who flips in the air and lands on top of Anita. He rolls off quickly and dives toward the door under rows of legs.
Once outside the door, he meets more men and pushes them out of his way. âStop that crazy man!â screams the woman at the top of her lungs.
The men gang up on him, kicking and shoving him around until soon I hear a piercing scream followed by a loud thud, then nothing but silence.
Finally a
I want to unbolt the door and run out to the safety of the street, but I remember the strange man, and I remember what Anita bid me to do. Instead, I run to the mattress, grab Pablito and bury my face in the mattress until the floor stops shaking and all is still.
Four loud knocks break the silence. I jump up and unbolt the door to find Anita standing with the sleeve of her dress torn and a long scratch from her eye to her chin, which bleeds onto her breasts. Anita carries Mama in her arms. She is limp as a doll. I stand speechless, unable to move as Anita carries her to the mattress and lays her down gently.
âMama! Anita! What has happened?â I cry as I bolt the door.
âHush!â hisses Anita as her eyes show a fearsome wild rage.
The front of Mamaâs blouse is ripped apart, as is her skirt. Her legs are bruised with deep patches of purple and red running along the inside. Deep welts along her arms lead to a bruise the size of my fist upon her cheek. Blood trickles from her mouth and onto her neck.
âThat man ⦠he ⦠we must get help for her,â mutters Anita. Without warning, she collapses onto the mattress beside Mama. I can see that they are both hurt badly and that I must get help for them. I dash to the door, but before I reach it there is a sharp splattering of wood. An arm bursts through as if it were a steel hammer crushing the wood into a million splinters.
I feel a scream swelling in my throat. I stand frozen as a hairy arm with a tattooed lady reaches for the knob and turns it. I rush back to Pablito and drag him to the darkest corner. The door swings open as if it were made of cardboard.
The man approaches the mattress where Anita and Mama lay helpless. He moves slowly as if in a daze, then stares down at them for a long time, unaware that we are huddled in the corner behind him.
My body urges me to get out of the room as quickly as I can, so I start creeping toward the door holding Pablito tightly. The baby cries out in objection to my tight grip. I rush toward the door, but a strong force drags me back. I pull against it, realizing that he must have caught my skirt.
I scream and turn back to see Anita tackling him around his knees. She bites into his leg and he turns to kick her, and I struggle loose and escape, running down the stairs unaware of Pablitoâs weight.
I run into the street yelling for help. Two men see me and pass me as if I were a dirty begger. Other people only stare and walk around me. I keep screaming for help at the top of my lungs until at last a man and a woman stop. They calm me and the baby down long enough for me to explain what has happened. Soon, other men join them, and I point to the room, and they follow me up the stairs like a crowd at a bullfight.
As we enter the room someone screams and a man yells. The tattooed man bolts out from behind the remains of the door.
âThatâs him!â I scream.
The tattooed man and another man start fighting and they fall against the wall, knocking a woman over Mama. The woman yells out and her man friend jumps onto the tattooed man, who flips in the air and lands on top of Anita. He rolls off quickly and dives toward the door under rows of legs.
Once outside the door, he meets more men and pushes them out of his way. âStop that crazy man!â screams the woman at the top of her lungs.
The men gang up on him, kicking and shoving him around until soon I hear a piercing scream followed by a loud thud, then nothing but silence.
Finally a
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