Read Online Esperanza by Trish J. MacGregor - Free Book Online Page A

doing on this bus. There’s a dead man back at that bodega that no one seems too concerned about. Who the fuck
were
those men?”
    “I cannot explain all the—”
    “We need answers, Manuel,” said Tess.
    “And if we don’t get them, we’re finding the fastest way out of this place,” Ian added. “So either you give us the answers, Manuel, or stop the goddamn bus so we can get off.”
    The bus stopped and Manuel shot to his feet, marched over to Ian, and leaned in close, planting his hands on the armrests, effectively trapping Ian in his seat. “I do not have the answers.” He spoke quietly, a threatening edge in his voice. “I wish that I could make a list for you. One, two, three. But I cannot. I do know this. Those men were
brujos,
señor. In the recent history of my city, the
brujos
never have been so bold.
Never
. An assault on SeñoritaTess. You, surrounded by these men. It means you both are important to them. It means . . .” Manuel suddenly paused, blinked. All the anger seemed to hiss out of him. He stood up straight again, so that Ian was no longer trapped in his seat, and his arms dropped to his sides. Nomad growled softly and Manuel glanced at him, then back to Ian, at Tess. “The dog should stay with you. When he growls, when he barks, when he becomes agitated, it means the
brujos
are nearby.”
    With that, Manuel started back to his seat, but Ian grabbed the hem of his jacket. “Hold on just a goddamn minute, Manuel.”
    Manuel jerked free of Ian’s grasp, eyes burning with anger. “I have told you all that I know.”
    “I don’t believe in witches, so what are these
brujos
?”
    “They are
real,
my gringo friend, and it doesn’t matter what you believe. That dead man behind the bodega? The
brujos
were responsible for that. The mark on Tess’s arm, you being surrounded by them out there . . .
Real
. So if you cannot believe in
real,
then you have a very big problem.”
    He spun and hurried toward the front of the bus. Moments later, they drove on.
Four
     
    Tension clung to the air like Velcro to cloth. No one spoke. Tess and Ian glanced at each other and he rolled his eyes and shook his head, as if to say he didn’t have any idea what had happened. Manuel drove with his shoulders hunched and tight, eyes fixed on the road ahead. Tess felt sorry for him and even more anxious to get to the city.
    When they were free of the fog, she drank in the stunning landscape. Sheep and goats, cows and horses grazed in the rolling pastures and emerald fields on either side of the bus. Beyond the fields rose spectacular mountains and volcanic peaks that seemed to reach for the sky as if to embrace it. A few buildings appeared, wooden structures with tin roofs, like the Bodega del Cielo, that looked like they were held together with Super Glue and duct tape. An occasional old, rusted car bounced by, tires kicking up dust. But the road was used predominantly by peasants, hauling their goods in burro-drawn wooden wagons or carrying their wares on their heads and shoulders.
    The road turned from dirt to cobblestone. More buildings cropped up, more cars appeared, most of them small and old—VWs, Renaults, Peugeots, and lots of motorbikes and scooters. But pedestrians and people on bicycles outnumbered cars.
    As the city took shape around them, Tess’s first impression was of antiquity, evident in the bleached stone of the colonial buildings, the looming churches, the maze of narrow streets. Every few blocks, parks appeared, filled with monkey puzzle trees, pines, flocks of hummingbirds, and bustling outdoor markets. Wooden wagons brimmed with fresh fruits and vegetables, men and women hawked jewelry, art, woven hammocks.
    As the street widened into four lanes and filled with traffic, restaurants, cafés, and businesses became more numerous. Sleek buildings of steel and concrete appeared. This city, like Quito, seemed to have two distinct sections to it—the old and the new. In between lay the