The scream, part 6

Jack had to stay in the hospital for weeks, months, even. He talked to the police and explain what he had seen, what he had dreamt. The police followed his clues, but they found nothing. Thinking Jack was confused because of the trauma he had suffered, they let him be for three months. Until a day, while he was doing physiotherapy, the police decided, without new clues, to interview Jack again.

-       Hey! – Said Jack when he saw the two cops.

-       Hi! How are you doing? – Asked one of the cops.

-       Better. I’m learning to walk with a prosthesis. So, do you have some news from me? – Asked Jack, with hope.

-       Not really. We were confident you could help us, now that you seem better.

-       When will I be better? To be true, never. What I saw… It’s confusing, the dream is mix up with the reality.

-       Don’t you want to rest a bit, to talk to us?

-       Yeah, sure.

Jack sited on a chair wheel and turn around to face the cops.

-       By the way, I’m Gerardo. He is Joseph.

-       Jack. But you already know that.

-       Jack. What can you tells us? It is probable that you have a new perspective from the night of the crime. Probably you remember things you didn’t remember before. – Asked Gerardo.

-       Let me see… - Said Jack. – I was in a storage. I know that. I remember… It was a lot of could, what is natural in December.

-       How did you get there? How did they convinced you to go there? – Asked Joseph.

-       I went to a bar. I saw Keith and Guerrero there. I was drunk and they offered me a ride. They also offered me a beer, which was already open, in the car. When I realized they weren’t going to take me home, I loosed my strength and to sleep.

-       Ok… Where were you going? – Asked Gerardo.

-       Well, we passed the port. I remember that. I can’t remember more than that.

-       How were they? Until now we didn’t find a clue of who they were.

-       Guerrero is a latin man. Short, brunette, middle Indian. You know, dark eyes…

-       And Keith?

-       Tall, very tall. Very white with dark hair. Big blue eyes. I don’t know what they did for work. But I remember thinking Keith looked like a rich guy and Guerrero as his employee.

-       Why do you say that? – Asked Joseph. – Because of your dream?

-       No. The clothes, the way they move, they talk… That, you know?

-       Alright, that’s all for now. We will let you rest. – said Gerardo.

-       Ok. Will you notice me about news? – Asked Jack.

-       Of course. If we found something new, we will inform you.

-       Thanks, bye.

-       Bye. – Said Joseph and Gerardo at the same time.

After letting the building, Joseph turned to Gerardo and said.

-       Do you remember of that body found in the river two months ago? What if it is Guerrero?

-       I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure it is him. It makes sense. He was latin too. And it makes sense: he helps Keith, at first; he regrets and helps Jack to escape; Keith kills him am dismember his body. The cuts were made in the same way, according to the doctors.

-       How do you know that?

-       Courtesy of the doctors. When the body, or the parts of the body went to the morgue, the doctor in charge photographed the wounds and shared with his colleges, which had treat Jack, and they found a match. They simple didn’t know how he was and what had to do with the case…

The scream, part 5

Jack was at the hospital. His ex-wife was contacted. She was waiting at his side by the bed. Their children were at some close family home. Suddenly, jack awoke.

- Guerrero… - Said Jack.

- Honey, I’m here. How are you? Who is Guerrero? – Asked his ex-wife, Marina.

- Marina, you are here… Where are the children?

- They are at my mum house. But tell me, how are you doing? Do you need a nurse?

- No, I don’t need anything, now that you are here. I’m being missing you…

- I know, honey. Now, rest. I’m here for you.

Quickly, jack remember Guerrero again.

- He is going to have problems. I got to get out of here.

- No, honey, stop. You’re not ready, stop…

- Where is my leg? Where is my leg!? – Asked, screaming, Jack.

- Nurse, help me out, please! – Screamed Marina.

The nurse come the fastest she could, along with the doctor. They had to sedate Jack so he could turn back to sleep.

- What do you want me to do with this body? – Asked Murphy to Keith.

- I don’t know, get ridding of it, simple as that. – Answer Keith.

Murphy looked at the body.

- Well, well, you did a nice job here. You really know how to cut a body into pieces. I’ll get ridding of it in a lake nearby. In different places of the river, so they can find out it. – Said Murphy.

- Do as you please. I just want this body out of here.

- You should move your lab too. Soon the police will find out where you did all the crimes, and will connected to your name.

- I know. – Said Keith. – I’ll need your help to clean this place as it never has been clean.

- I’ll contact some of my men, we’ll do it quickly.

- I hope so.

- Just help me to put his body in the car. – Said Murphy.

- Sure.

Later, all alone in the lab, Keith fell sorrow. Sorrow because he had to left that place. His job wasn’t done, yet. He had to find out Jack and to make him suffer for have left Keith so vulnerable. Soon the police would be there. It could take days, weeks. But, to Keith, it was like they would be there in hours. So, he started cleaning the room, while Murphy and his pals wouldn’t come.

The scream, part 4

-       You’re joking, right? – Asked Jack.

-       Not really. I’m being quite sincere.

Jack looked down, to where Keith was. I saw he was talking seriously. Jack started complaining about the pain.

-       No, stop… - Said Jack.

-       Why should I? does it hurts? I want it to hurt, really bad.

Jack screamed.

-       Relax, it will end soon. I’ll give some anesthesia to stop hurting so bad. I just want to hear you now….  Hahahahaha… - Said Keith.

In that moment, Guerrero entered the room.

-       Oh, there you are. Our friend dreamt about us. Do you believe he thought you were here to help him? – Said Keith to Guerrero.

-       Really? – Asked Guerrero, pretending to be confused.

-       Yes. Well, I have to go. I let you in good hands. Guerrero is a good surgeon. Bye bye. – Said Keith.

-       Wait, don’t leave me here… Keith… - Said Jack.

But he left. Jack looked at Guerrero.

-       Come on, kill me. Anyway, I have no life left… - Said Jack.

-       I won’t kill you, I’m here to save you. – Whispered Guerrero. – Hombre, just wait him to leave and I will take you to a hospital.

-       Why? I mean, why are you doing this?

-       I have no other option. It was this or go back to El Salvador.

They wait a half hour, until was safe to leave. Jack was bleeding profusely. His ledges weren’t cut totally, at least. But it would be better to call an ambulance, however they couldn’t do that. Guerrero did the better he could to stop the bleeding and drive him to hospital. There, he came across a doubt. How to take him without drawing attention? Without thinking much, Guerrero remembered. The car was already old, not even registered. He got out of the car, opened the hanging door, and left Jack there, waiting to be seen. I just hoped Jack would not die before he was seen…

A nurse got out of the hospital to smoke. She noticed in an old car, with a door open.

Jack couldn’t scream no more, the pain was too much. He was fear of, if he would scream, he wouldn’t know how to stop.

The nurse approached the car.

-       Hey, there’s someone there? – Asked the nurse.

Jack heard the nurse. With his last strengths he let himself fall out of the car. The nurse, scared, scream for help, while she went to take care of Jack.

While they were taking Jack inside, the nurse that have helped him was talking to him.

-       Don’t you pass out, talk to me. Who did this to you?

-       Guerrero… He promised to help me… I’m going to dye…

-       Who is Guerrero? It is the man who did this to you? – Asked the nurse, but Jack fainted.

-       We have to contact the authorities. This man is badly injured. He might lose one leg. He got to find, too, what is his name, who’s his family. – Said the nurse.

-       You right. Go do that and change clothes, Mina. You’re full of blood. – Said the doctor.

-       Alright. – Said Mina.

-       Where is he, Guerrero? What have you done? – Said Keith.

-       You don’t scare me no more. I took him to a hospital. – Answered Guerrero.

Keith growth furious, more and more furious.

-       You don’t know what you have done… - Said Keith, finally.

-       Yes, I do, hombre. Que pasa, no le gusto? I’m sorry, but I couldn’t tolerate this anymore. You’re becoming a monster.

-       I’m a monster and only now you have noticed? Go to hell, Guerrero. – Said Keith, throwing a knife at Guerrero.

It hit him the neck. Guerrero started trying to take out the knife, which he did. But he couldn’t stop the bleeding. In a few minutes he was dead, drown on his own blood.

-       Now I got to call someone to clean this mess. – Said Keith to himself.

The scream, part 3

- I remember... - Said Jack, thinking.

Then, he looked at his right, where the warehouse was.

- Let us go. - Said Jack.

- Alright, man. - Said Guerrero.

It was 9 p.m., but it seemed midnight. It was very cold. They entered the warehouse. There, they heard a strange sound. It seemed something was being cut. They entered a room and saw blood everywhere. In the middle, was a man, cutting someone. 

- Hey, stop. - Said Jack, not noticing that Guerrero had walk away. 

- Why should I? - Said the man.

- Stop or we will hit you.

The man, dressed with a gown, turned around, reveling himself. It was Keith.

- You and who else? - Asked Keith.

Jack turned around, to find out Guerrero was gone. He was confused.

- It can be... He was here... You were sleeping. How is this possible?

- No, you are dreaming. The pain made you that. Don't you wanna come close? - Said Keith.

Jack approached within a secure distance. When he saw the saw the person on the table, he shocked. It was him.

- What kind of magic is this? What's happening? - Said Jack, falling to the ground, dizzy.

Jack woke up. He was in the table.

- Dreaming again, Jack? - Said Keith. - This time you were talking loud. 

Jack tried to move, but he couldn't. The pain it was just too much.

- What are you doing? - Asked Jack.

- Taking your legs away. Isn't that fun?

The scream, part 2

- Do you remember where did you find it? - Asked Guerrero, after a few hours.

Jack looked at him, visible disturb.

- I don't recall, I really don't. Somewhere on the street. I wish I knew where... - Answered Jack.

- Well, the first thing to do is to follow your own steps on the other night. Are you prepared? - Asked Guerrero.

- ... I must not drink... I don't know if I can do it...

- Relax, you are with me. I know about the promise you've made to Keith, your neighbor. Anyway, I'm not welcome in some bars in this town. On the other hand, that is great, because I should save money to pay my debt of the transportation to this country. Like you, I had a second chance. 

- Alright, let us do it, then. - Said Jack, after thinking a while.

Later, after job was done, Guerrero said to Jack sneak out of Keith's house, once he was sleeping there again. Jack said Keith he need somethings from his house, that it was really necessary to him to go there. Keith agreed. Jack came back with some clothes and sleeping pills, hided on his pocket. Without Keith notice, after offer him a glass of water, Jack put two pills on it. As Keith said he was going to sleep, Jack only had to wait five minutes. After that, Keith was already snoring. Jack finally sneak out, going the bus stop, as he had agreed where to meet Guerrero.

- You know, it is not good to a man like me, a fugitive, to go out on the streets at night. - Said Guerrero, when Jack arrived.

- But the night is the only time when all the fugitives can be at peace. - Answered Jack 

- Is that what you think? Oh, you don't know nothing about real life, real problems.

- Do we go or what? This subject is letting me disturbed. 

- Ok, let us go.

They took the bus to downtown, where Jack's last memory was, or one of the last ones. They didn't enter. They looked at the entrance, staring at the door. Both had motives to enter and to not to. They consciously controlled themselves and went down the street. While doing that, they passed a few alleys. When they were close to an abandoned warehouse Jack talked.

- Wait, I remember this place. I remember...

The scream, part 1

Jack was walking down the street, drunk. Suddenly, he stepped over something. He got down to see what it was. It was an old radio tape.

-       I’m so drunk that I’m seeing things. A radio cassette, in 2018? Where the hell will I found a cassette player?

He put it on his pocket and kept walking to home. When he arrived there, he screamed to see if someone was at home. No one. Her wife had abandoned three weeks before and took the children with her. He was totally alone. The house was a mess. Since she had left that him would clean it. He laid on the sofa and slept.

The next day he woke up late, too much late. He had to go to work. It was not the first time he was late. The boss had warned him that, if he would be late one more day, and smelling to alcohol, he would fire him. Jack could pretend he was sick, but he was in such a hurry that that idea didn’t even cross his mind.

He arrived to job at 12p.m.. The boss just knew when he looked at Jack. He came across the car’s stand and said to Jack.

-       You can leave. You’re fired.

-       But it was only this time… - Said Jack.

-       No, it was not only this time. It was many times. You can get your stuff and leave. You have five minutes, starting now.

Jack when get his stuff. While cleaning his stuff, he started crying. What would he do now?

He went home, not able to see any of his former co-workers. But, before hit home, he went to a bar, to drink a whisky with his last money.

The bartender kept filling the glass. When the money ended, he asked another glass of whisky, that he would pay later. The bartender refused the proposition, because he had seen his office stuff, so he knew Jack was fired. He went home, more poor than ever. How would he pay his house’s mortgage now? It was late when he arrived home. He didn’t have a car, so he had to walk until home.

Alone, with nothing to drink, he was devastated. With whom could he rely? His phone was cut, for lack of payment. Why not ask something to his neighbor? When his wife left him, he said he could always rely on him. So, Jack fil up with courage and went to his neighbor front door. He was about to ring the door bell, when the door was open. The neighbor looked at him from the head to the toes, and said him to come in.

-       Hello Jack, how are you? – Said the neighbor.

-       Well, fine, fine… Ah, not that fine. I was fired, I have bills to pay and I don’t know to whom should I turn on…

-       I see… You need my help. I can help you, but over one condition. You have to stop drinking. I will take you to a center that helps people like you.

-       But how? I have no money at all…

-       It seems you need a new job. I can get one for you in my car workshop.

-       But I don’t have the experience…

-       You do have. How come you sold the car with knowing nothing of them? Everything is going to be alright. Meanwhile, would you like to sleep in my house. I can guess that your house is not a good place to alone, right now. You need company.

-       Alright. I’ll will just get some clothes from home.

-       No, you don’t need it. I have clothes for you. I’m guessing all your close is dirty.

-       Maybe…

-       That’s it. Now, come to dinner with me.

Jack accept the offer. Later he felled to sleep in the sofa.

In the next morning, Jack was ready even before Michael (the neighbor) get up.

They went to the car workshop in Michael’s car. Then, Jack remember that he still had that cassette.

-       Do you have a car with a cassette player? – Asked Jack.

-       I have a lot of them. Why, if I can ask? – Said Michael.

-       It is because I found a cassette on the street, and would like to find out what is in it.

-       Alright.

They got to Michael’s car workshop. Michael introduced Jack to all team, and put him with Guerrero, a Hispanic worker. The first thing jack asked was where was a car with cassette player, that he needed to hear a cassette. Guerrero pointed to an old car and they both went to the car. Guerrero turned on the car and Jack put the cassette playing.

What they heard. They heard a girl crying and a man singing. The girl was saying ‘No! No!’. Then a man laughs. And girl saying each time lower, until she was quiet. Laughs of the man, again. ‘See what you made me do? Now you’re my, forever.’ And the cassette ended.

-       What the hell? What kind of joke is this? – Said Guerrero.

-       I don’t know. Should we take this cassette to police? – Asked Jack.

-       No. The immigration will send me back to El Salvador. I can’t go to the police. Neither you.

-       So, what do we do?

-       After work I’ll help you investigate the cassette. Now, let us get back to work.

Para Lá da Visão

Para lá da visão, Capítulo 33

Na prisão, Marcos acorda de um pesadelo. Tem a estranha sensação que Célia corre perigo. Mas como sair dali? No seu estado, devia estar no hospital.

Alguém grita o seu nome.

- Marcos! Levante-se. Está livre, por ora. Alguém pagou a sua fiança. Recomponha-se, homem.

Marcos quer chorar, mas é incapaz. ‘Os homens não choram.’, diz para si mesmo. Pega nas suas coisas à saída e sai. Mas, para onde vai? ‘Célia.’, diz na sua mente.

- Então, amigo, não entras? – Diz uma voz no escuro.

Marcos aproxima-se. Vê David dentro de um carro.

- Que fazes aqui? – Pergunta Marcos.

- Olha, vim buscar um amigo. Vá, entra!

Marcos pensa. Mas para onde ia mesmo? Sim, a boleia dá-lhe jeito, e uma bebida também…

- Para onde vais? – Pergunta David.

- A um bar. Depois, a casa de Célia.

- Faz sentido, foi ela que te ajudou a libertar.

- A sério? – Pergunta Marcos.

- Sim. Até inventou para o pai que andavas a ser sodomizado, imagina…

- Leva-me antes à casa de Célia, já.

- Espera, não íamos beber um copo?

- Primeiro tenho de fazer algo. Espera por mim…

- Ok, diz-me a morada dela que vou lá…

- Anda, ficamos aqui esta noite. – Diz Célia.

- Mas não é a sua casa? Não nos procuraram aqui? – Interroga Joanne.

- São só umas horas. Anda, relaxa pequena.

- Preciso ir à casa de banho.

- Força, fica ali à esquerda. Vai.

Joanne, na casa de banho, observa os objetos. Repara numa tesoura de cortar unhas…

Célia, distraída, vai fazendo o jantar. Até que ouve bater à porta. Fica gélida. ‘Serão eles, já?’, pergunta-se.

Vai à porta, pé ante pé, e espreita pelo binoculo. Abre de imediato a porta.

- Marcos!?

- Célia, estás bem. Temia que algo tivesse acontecido contigo…

De repente, Célia abre imensamente os olhos.

- Porquê, Joanne… - Diz ela, antes de fechar os olhos para sempre diante de Marcos, que se abaixa para agarrar o seu corpo.

- Célia! Célia… - Diz Marcos, chorando. Marcos olha em frente e vê Joanne, com uma faca de cozinha, ensanguentada.

- Eu nunca fui louca, ela é que era. Acreditava em espíritos, pobrezita. Achava que uma anomalia num ecrã era um espírito. Vitima das minhas mentiras, sonhou que a via.

- Mais valia matares-me, também. – Disse Marcos.

- E que pensas que farei? – Disse Joanne, empunhando a faca de cozinha ensanguentada.

Nesse momento, uma vizinha abriu a porta e observou a cena. Conforme ela fez isso, Joanne deu um grito tão alto que até David, que se encontrava fora do prédio ouviu, precipitando-se para a casa de Célia, onde viu o cenário.

Joanne desmaiou. Ninguém agarrou nela, assustados. Quando ela despertou, deixaram-na falar.

- Que se passa, onde estou?

- Joanne, não finjas… - Disse Marcos.

Nesse momento Joanne viu o sangue, a faca e o corpo de Célia. Assustou-se.

- Agora, ninguém me salvará…