Read Online Terra Nova: An Anthology of Contemporary Spanish Science Fiction by Mariano Villarreal - Free Book Online
Authors: Mariano Villarreal
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only one man
to spill in her and will do everything she can to make sure other
men can’t spill in her. That is unacceptable. We’re all equal, and
the same things happen to all of us, without exception. In short,
to fall in love means being selfish enough to refuse to share a
man’s information and at the same time to be so proud that you
think you’re special and won’t let other men have access to your
information.”
“ But how does something
like this start? How can it be avoided?” Charni began to feel
nervous. She felt her stomach in her mouth.
“ To begin with, don’t have
conversations with men, don’t talk to them as if they were a woman
who you’d feel satisfied with sharing experiences. But above all,
never, never ask them why about whatever they decide to tell you,
because that might make them interested in your opinions. A Ksatrya
woman never has an opinion or discussion with a man, never talks
with him and even less if he’s spilled three times with her in a
short period of time. If that happens, you obligation is to let us
know so that we can make sure that you won’t coincide with him in
the next turn for spilling. Have you textured that
well?”
Charni agreed while she tried to keep her
body from trembling up and down. Was it true then? She was
crazy?
“ What’s the matter?” her
mother asked.
It was hard for her to speak, to organize
her thoughts. She felt more afraid than she ever had before. Afraid
for herself and for what her mother might think.
“ What is it?” her mother
asked again, worried.
“ Mama … I … I think I’m in
love.”
“ With who?”
“ With Qjem. But it’s not
my fault! You told me to get close to him, to attend to him, to
make him interested in being my assistant in the ritual. And I did
this. Not only did I serve him and help him in his tasks, I talked
with him. I did everything that you said I shouldn’t do. I had
opinions.”
To Charni’s surprise, her
mother broke into laughter. Then she hugged her tight and comforted
her with caresses and kisses.
“ Oh Charni, Charni … I
doubt you’ve done anything like that. If you have, we won’t have
the ritual on the first hunger of the coming term. Let’s sit down.
I’m going to ask you three questions. If you answer ‘no’ to all
three sincerely, you’re not in love. Ready? First question: does it
bother you when Qjem spills information in me or another
woman?”
“ No. That’s
normal.”
“ Aha. Second question:
Would it bother you if someone who wasn’t Qjem served as your
assistant?”
“ No. I know that whoever
you chose for me would be the best. I don’t doubt that at
all.”
“ Good. Third question. Has
Qjem emptied information in you and did you enjoy it?”
“ Of course not. We haven’t
even had the ritual yet, so how am I going to know
that?”
“ Then you’re not in love.
When you’re with a man and the answer to these three questions is
no, things are fine.”
“ But … although … I only
used sounds, I’ve had conversations with him. And I’ve asked him
‘why’ more than once. I like to talk with him. He uses interesting
words and expressions. And he doesn’t call me girl anymore like the
other men. He uses my name. And …”
“ That’s good.” She
caressed her again to calm her. “There should be trust between the
ritualist and the assistant. That’s essential to minimize the
trauma. Once the ritual is finished, there will be a little
remaining feeling, but that’s all. I assure you. Qjem won’t be much
different from the elderly man my mother chose for me. You’ll find
out. And while it’s true that trust creates care, it’s not bad to
hold this feeling for one man in particular, as long as it doesn’t
keep you from your obligations as a Ksatrya woman. The rule of
three questions. Right?”
Charni hugged her mother harder. She needed
to feel her next to her, to feel the sensation of protection and
peace that she always managed to
to spill in her and will do everything she can to make sure other
men can’t spill in her. That is unacceptable. We’re all equal, and
the same things happen to all of us, without exception. In short,
to fall in love means being selfish enough to refuse to share a
man’s information and at the same time to be so proud that you
think you’re special and won’t let other men have access to your
information.”
“ But how does something
like this start? How can it be avoided?” Charni began to feel
nervous. She felt her stomach in her mouth.
“ To begin with, don’t have
conversations with men, don’t talk to them as if they were a woman
who you’d feel satisfied with sharing experiences. But above all,
never, never ask them why about whatever they decide to tell you,
because that might make them interested in your opinions. A Ksatrya
woman never has an opinion or discussion with a man, never talks
with him and even less if he’s spilled three times with her in a
short period of time. If that happens, you obligation is to let us
know so that we can make sure that you won’t coincide with him in
the next turn for spilling. Have you textured that
well?”
Charni agreed while she tried to keep her
body from trembling up and down. Was it true then? She was
crazy?
“ What’s the matter?” her
mother asked.
It was hard for her to speak, to organize
her thoughts. She felt more afraid than she ever had before. Afraid
for herself and for what her mother might think.
“ What is it?” her mother
asked again, worried.
“ Mama … I … I think I’m in
love.”
“ With who?”
“ With Qjem. But it’s not
my fault! You told me to get close to him, to attend to him, to
make him interested in being my assistant in the ritual. And I did
this. Not only did I serve him and help him in his tasks, I talked
with him. I did everything that you said I shouldn’t do. I had
opinions.”
To Charni’s surprise, her
mother broke into laughter. Then she hugged her tight and comforted
her with caresses and kisses.
“ Oh Charni, Charni … I
doubt you’ve done anything like that. If you have, we won’t have
the ritual on the first hunger of the coming term. Let’s sit down.
I’m going to ask you three questions. If you answer ‘no’ to all
three sincerely, you’re not in love. Ready? First question: does it
bother you when Qjem spills information in me or another
woman?”
“ No. That’s
normal.”
“ Aha. Second question:
Would it bother you if someone who wasn’t Qjem served as your
assistant?”
“ No. I know that whoever
you chose for me would be the best. I don’t doubt that at
all.”
“ Good. Third question. Has
Qjem emptied information in you and did you enjoy it?”
“ Of course not. We haven’t
even had the ritual yet, so how am I going to know
that?”
“ Then you’re not in love.
When you’re with a man and the answer to these three questions is
no, things are fine.”
“ But … although … I only
used sounds, I’ve had conversations with him. And I’ve asked him
‘why’ more than once. I like to talk with him. He uses interesting
words and expressions. And he doesn’t call me girl anymore like the
other men. He uses my name. And …”
“ That’s good.” She
caressed her again to calm her. “There should be trust between the
ritualist and the assistant. That’s essential to minimize the
trauma. Once the ritual is finished, there will be a little
remaining feeling, but that’s all. I assure you. Qjem won’t be much
different from the elderly man my mother chose for me. You’ll find
out. And while it’s true that trust creates care, it’s not bad to
hold this feeling for one man in particular, as long as it doesn’t
keep you from your obligations as a Ksatrya woman. The rule of
three questions. Right?”
Charni hugged her mother harder. She needed
to feel her next to her, to feel the sensation of protection and
peace that she always managed to
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