Ana Maria looked forlornly into the Calle 8 that was bustling with activity. There were always people coming in and going out of the numerous auto parts shops on the road. Only half of them came for auto parts. Duvan used to say that one can buy anything from groceries to narcotics from these cleverly concealed shops. Of course, most of them were genuine. One had to know which shops moved what.
A faulty tube light blinked inside her one-room apartment, intermittently illuminating the occupants. Her two-year-old daughter, Nidia, slept soundly on a blanket on the floor. Her son, Alejandro was outside working.
The sound of the TV being unmuted broke her reverie and she turned to face her visitors. As expected, it was Walter who was now engrossed in an old fútbol game. He was a 6’2” unit of muscle and raw power. His head was oddly shaped, as if there was a permanent lump on the right side. Duvan used to joke that Walter’s mama, under the influence of alcohol, had dropped him on his head when he was a child. Walter spoke little and grunted a lot. He was good with knives and his bare fist. Ana Maria lived in perpetual fear of him even when Duvan was around.
Andres had positioned himself at the entrance, leaning on the door. He was a slim man, who always took care of his appearance. Duvan used to say that Andres combed his hair more than any woman in a day. He was wearing a custom fitted black suit with a wine red shirt. Andres talked a lot, joked a lot and laughed a lot. But his eyes never did as much as smile.
Little Nidia suddenly woke up and started crying.
Andres coughed and looked at his mother, Valeria, an intimidating seventy-year-old woman. Valeria limped towards the child, picked her up and started making soothing noises.
‘Such a precious child, Ana Maria. I’m sure you are proud!’
‘Si Mama! I was not expecting you today.’
‘Por supuesto, mi niña! Andres was very busy at La Piscina and poor Walter – he had una cita con Rodrigo,’ Valeria sat on the ragged couch and started bouncing Nidia on her knees.
Ana Maria shivered. Andres had come all the way from his brothel at Bogota’s most notorious red light district – La Piscina, and Walter had obviously been instructed to break some fingers.
Valeria coughed, ‘Agua, por favour.’ She accepted the glass of water from Ana Maria and fixed the younger woman with a look that would have frozen fire. ‘Donde esta Alejandro? I heard he can drive un moto!’
Ana Maria understood. She knew fully well the purpose of their visit. That was the main reason she had sent Alejandro out.
She had no other choice. Especially after her husband, Duvan was killed by the Police while running heroin for Andres. The police had seized the heroin. It did not matter to Valerie and Andres that Duvan had died working for them. All they cared was that Duvan had managed to lose 2 kilograms of high quality heroine. They had debts to repay and Valerie made sure she collected every last Centavo.
“Forget Alejandro, Mama! I start at La Piscina tomorrow”, she said with determination. She didn’t care how many men she had to sleep with to repay Duvan’s debt. But these vultures will never get their talons on her son.
In the next street, Alejandro was busy painting the door of an auto parts store. He would be paid 200 Pesos by the owner for the job. The shop owner had offered an extra hundred if Alejandro could drop a packet at La Piscina after finishing painting the door. Alejandro hoped his mother would be proud of him
Bitter irony as the son has been sucked unknowingly into the world of crime. Nice one.
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Life can be so cruel sometimes! Most of the times, actually!
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So true! Thanks for the comment, Shilpa.
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Fate has a cruel sense of humour.
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It sure does, doesn’t it?
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Oh, oh, oh! Such pathos.
A-Zing this year at:
FictionCanBeFun
Normally found at:
DebsDespatches
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Dark tale. Pity the poor child. Excellent narrative Varad.
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Thanks, Natasha 🙂
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Que sera sera, indeed. Such a sad and unfortunately common tale, Varad. It is hard to keep kids away from vultures. I hope Alejandro somehow manages to just deliver that one package but that is unlikely.
Emily In Ecuador
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Everyday, unsuspecting kids and teenagers are being sucked into the dangerous world of drugs and crime. It’s a crying shame how the Governments are not intent on preventing it. Thanks for the comment, Emily.
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Me gusta! Muy bien! (Okay, that’s about my extent of Spanish other than understanding 90-95% of what you wrote).
Great tale – very sad – too true, too many times.
Donna B McNicol, author & traveler
Romance & Mystery…writing my life
A-Z Flash Fiction Tales: http://dbmcnicol.blogspot.com
A-Z of Goldendoodles: http://ourprimeyears.blogspot.com
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Thank you, Donna. There are a lot of Ana Marias and Alejandros being made every day. Such is our world.
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Really sad tale. and what an apt title!
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Thanks, Priya. Glad you liked it.
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Heartbreaking story.
Brilliantly written, Varad.
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Thank you very much, Moon. And I’m sorry for the very delayed reply. Been caught up with AtoZ frenzy
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I had fun reading your stories, the wonderful writer that you are. I know what you mean when you say ‘A-Z frenzy’. Congratulations on a great A to Z. Sorry, I couldn’t read your last few stories due to the horror component.🙂
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The horror was just a subterfuge, Moon. Just to keep the readers from guessing what was really going on. Actually, it’s just a plain old crime and detection story. Do read when time permits and let me know if you liked it 🙂
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With this assurance from the writer himself, I feel, I might be able to summon up the courage to read them. I will surely leave my amateur comments as I read them.🙂
Congrats once again on a wonderful A to Z. I am happy more readers could get the feel of your stories.
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That was a very sad story. Both mother and son getting lured into their respective traps.
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Thanks, CRD. Sometimes, the ordinary man cannot catch a break.
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What will be will be, sad as it is.
A-Z of My Friend Rosey!
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It’s easy to let ourselves get sucked into the vicious vortex, but it will take a superhuman effort and willingness to extricate from that. Thanks for the comment, Keith.
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That is indeed a pity and so ironical! And BTW how come you have some much expertise in Spanish? Did you study the language in school or something you just picked up?
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Thanks, Jai. I learned Spanish two years back before our family trip to Spain.
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Alas Alejandro has already been sucked into this way of life. Such a sad tale.
https://iainkellywriting.com/2018/04/19/q-is-for-quimper-france/
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The vicious cycle, yes. Thanks for the comment, Iain.
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Such a sad tale ..
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Thanks, Ruchi. Glad it resonated with you.
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Its like a vicious circle which will never be broken. Co occidentally my title for the day is “Que Sera Sera”- a different context altogether
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Definitely! Will check your story right away. Thanks for the comment, Akshata.
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Oh! no no no! I hope she can bring him back from that path. Her sacrifice must not go waste.
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A determined mother is the world’s best superhero! There is still hope for Alejandro. Thanks for the comment, Meena.
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I hope so too.
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What family will sometimes do for others in their lives.
Stu
Tale Spinning
https://stuartnager.wordpress.com/
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What wouldn’t they do! Thanks for the comment, Stu.
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Oh this is such a sad ending
Debbie
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Thanks for the comment, Debbie.
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Somehow this reminded me of the movie Chandni Bar by Madhur Bhandarkar. I wish this had a sequel to know what happens to Ann Maria and if she’s able to shield Alejandro from Valerie and Andres.
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Oh! I haven’t seen Chandni Bar. I saw Madhur Bandarkar’s Corporate and Page 3. Both were depressing, so I’ve been staying away from his movies. Thanks for the comment, Sonia. Maybe, I’ll revisit this story for a possible sequel sometime soon.
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