Chapter 2 II

Laura, Goiania, day 0

Few times in my life has a plan gone so wrong, I lost a lot of money and all my product. And it was such a simple plan, someone gave the job to the police. There was no way for them to know that that old lady was carrying two hundred ecstasy pills. It was a good idea for me to hide in this forgotten outskirts. The old trick, in front of the suppliers and the customers, the half-assed patrician, the apartment in the good neighborhood, then go out the back and hide in a poor and discreet neighborhood, in a house with several exits, but this time my loss was great and I have a strange feeling, my intuition, it never deceives me and never brings good news. It is not safe to go back home, yesterday I had the impression that I was followed here. I don't even realize that the cute guys are talking, a little further on, sitting on their skateboards. Ta they are much younger than me, four years to be exact, I don't think about them the way you might be thinking, I just like the way they look at me, it's not just horniness, it's enchantment, I like the way they are kind, almost in love. That age before men became complete assholes. I hear them talking about Vitor being alone at home and about something tense at Lipe's house, if you can call that a house. I think I found a quiet place to spend the night.

"Move over, skinny boy."

Vitor walks away, I sit down beside him on his skateboard, take the sandwich from his hand, take a big bite and give it back to him. With my mouth full I ask.

"What's the good one for today?"

The boys laugh and Vitor provokes me.

"But it's a lady."

Still with my mouth full I answer.

"I'm many things in this life, but a lady is not one of them."

Lipe says laughing, always softly, in his usual calm and firm way.

"We're going to Vitor's house, his mother won't be sleeping there tonight."

"Is this an invitation?"

I see them look at each other and the smiles open on their faces. I can't help feeling... I can't remember the word, in short I can't help feeling.

"Yeah, sure, I mean it would be fun, but it's okay if you don't want to go. But I have the new John Wick movie. And this movie is great, a lot of killing, shooting, fighting and stuff like that. You have a guy who likes it, no offense. Because you're a big girl, but not in a bad way, like you're really hot."

Lipe interrupts Vitor's machine gun of words

"Stop mano, just stop talking."

"I'm lecturing, ne?"

Me and Lipe nodded yes.

"Sorry."

"No problem, let's go then? The husky here likes action movies."

Before leaving, I grab two cases of beer. On the way Vitor starts talking about how all Keanu Rivers' characters are connected to each other in such an absurd way that it makes sense.

"Kind of creepy this place."

Lipe sneers.

"Nonsense."

Vitor adds.

"By day it's a great place to skate and at night it's a hotel for nerds, Lipe and I know this place backwards and forwards."

We arrive at Vitor's house.

"Can I put the beer in the fridge Vitor?"

"Yes you can Laura, just don't pour beer on anything or my mother will skin me alive."

I put the beer in the fridge and can't help but observe the house. The kitchen, impeccably clean, reminded me of my mother's kitchen. Five years have passed since I last saw that kitchen, that I could smell freshly baked cake and feel the soft hands smelling of rose milk caressing my hair. Enough nostalgia, after all, today is a special day. We have spent two pleasant hours drinking beer and eating popcorn while Keanu Reves continues killing madly because of his dog. The boys are drunk for sure. Vitor keeps talking on his elbows, he is an endless source of subjects and this has its charm, his beauty is not on the surface, but looking well you can see the fleshy mouth, the perfect smile and he is always smiling. His black hair is always impeccable, whenever I catch him looking at me he looks away and gets ridiculously embarrassed and says whatever comes to his mind, Philip is the opposite, you almost never hear his voice, he expresses himself through his eyes. His beauty is obvious and a bit out of place. His blond hair is uncut and always messy, always falling in his face, his face of perfect proportions and a nose that seems sculpted, his green eyes, the most vivid eyes I have ever seen, always looking at me, he has a habit that bothers me a little, he looks at my mouth while I speak, he doesn't speak, but his eyes make his desire clear and I get the strange feeling that at any moment he is going to try to kiss me. You know, I couldn't be in better company on a special night like tonight.

"Today is my birthday boys."

It was beautiful, they blew out a candle, sang Happy Birthday to me, the last time they sang to me I was with Guilherme. It was with that son of a bitch that everything really started to go wrong. It was with him that I discovered the worst in me, that I discovered my vocation, my talent, and my true nature. Lipe goes to the kitchen and returns with three cans.

"The last three, guys. I have a little money here."

Vitor looks at his watch.

"It's ten twenty, drinks now only in the 24 hour."

"Through the alley is very fast to get there."

"You got it, Lipe, today is my birthday, so it's all on me."

The three of us left towards the alley. In the avenue near the entrance to the alley I see that Vitor is afraid.

"Is it okay for us to pass through there at this hour?"

"You're with me, baby, nobody's going to mess with you."

As soon as I shut up I recognize a white civic with neon underneath, I would recognize that monstrosity in the shape of a car miles away, the passenger window opens and I see the furious face of the Vult, we are at the entrance of the alley on my side a pile of crates of glass bottles, I see the Vult pointing at me with one hand

I know exactly what he is looking for and as always at these times this strange tingling takes over me, without thinking I grab two bottles with one hand and throw them towards the car, I pull the boys by the arms into the alley.

"Just run."

Before I disappear into the dark of the alley I can see the bottles entering the car through the window and one of them explode in the face of the Vult. My aim remains impeccable as always. I hear shouts and footsteps behind us as I can hear the car start up. They will surround us for sure, at this time we hear the first shot in our direction. We pass in front of the refrigerator grill still holding the two beautiful arms, I ask Philip.

"How do you get in?"

"Let's get out of the alley Laura."

"They already surrounded us, how do you get in?"

He lets go of my hand and runs to a corner of the fence and raises the fence.

"Come on, Laura."

Vitor and I go under the fence, when Lipe is crawling under it we hear four shots, one of them hits a sign beside Vitor and the shrapnel from the bullet and pieces of the sign hit him, he screams and puts his hand to his face and shoulder. I grab him by the shoulders and force him to keep running, when I look back I see Lipe with his pants caught in the grate trying to get free, I leave Vitor and come back to help, I hear another shot, the pants bar is well caught in the grate, I unbutton his pants and grab him under the arm and pull and hard, the pants and sneakers stay on the grate while we run, I catch Vitor and we continue.

"Does this place have an exit Lipe?"

He answers with his voice shaking.

"Only the one we use to get in."

I start to look around trying to think of something, but it is very dark. I hear Vitor crying softly as he speaks.

"The frezzer Lipe."

Lipe takes me by the shoulder and I push Vitor and we are guided by Lipe to a huge white iron door. Lipe pushes Vitor inside and holds me firmly against the door.

"Are you crazy? There's no way out."

We hear gunshots and the lights from cell phone flashlights randomly illuminating all around us. Felipe mutters firmly and dryly

"Just get in."

I get in and Lipe gets in right behind me and moves the door that creaks making a lot of noise. I hear the sound of more shots, now surely coming in our direction. The door closes completely and I hear the sound of Lipe locking the door. What a shitty idea they had.

"We're dead, they heard the door, they're going to come in and kill us.

Still crying Vitor answers."

"The lock on the outside is broken, it only opens from the inside, this thing is made of concrete and steel. It's bulletproof and will only open if one of us does this."

Vitor cries again.

Lipe takes his cell phone out of his pocket turns on the flashlight and illuminates Vitor who sat on the floor.

"Are you hurt bad, bro?"

"I don't know."

I turn on my cell phone light and crouch down beside him.

"Move your hand, let me take a look."

Vitor removes his hand from his face and looks calmly, I remove a small piece of the plate on his chin and other superficial cuts across his cheek. His shirt is soaked with blood on his shoulder, I take my pocket knife from my back pocket and cut his shirt, it seems that they were only superficial cuts.

"It doesn't look serious, Vitor."

Vitor takes his cell phone out of his pocket turns on the flashlight and points to Lipe has a nasty cut on his shin.

"Your leg, bro."

"I scratched myself on the railing."

Vitor shines a light on Lipe's legs and then looks at his own shoulder and smiles. What do you mean he's laughing, Lipe looks at me and then talks to him.

"What's so funny?"

"Is it just me or does Laura want to leave us without clothes?"

I can't help laughing, none of us really. The same Vitor cuts the laughter.

"Better stop."

"Relax, there's no way they can get in here."

"That's not it."

"What is it then?"

"This is a hermetically sealed chamber."

"So what?"

Fuck, I hadn't thought of that. I answer before Vitor.

"Air doesn't get in. If we stay here too long we'll suffocate."

Vitor continues.

"The more quiet and still we are, the longer the air will last, it's a matter of metabolism."

Lipe shouts.

"Vitor!"

He shuts up and in silence we sit together shoulder to shoulder.

Vitor, Goiânia, day 1

I wake up with my clothes soaked with sweat, my head heavy and I struggle to keep my eyes open, a light illuminates from the floor to the ceiling in front of me, the floor is hard and there is a strange and bad smell in the air. That smell is familiar, I just can't remember where from. I take a deep breath and my face goes numb, there are two other points of light also illuminating from the floor to the ceiling, the rest is darkness. I look for my cell phone in my pocket and understand that the mysterious light in front of me is my phone. I grab it and the light hits my face and dazzles my eyes, I turn the light and the first thing I see is an ass. A nice ass I would say, inside a tight pair of jeans. Who is this girl, I see the back of her head and her red hair. I sit up quickly and almost faint.

"Laura, Lipe!"

Neither of them responds. Reality fills my mind, we're suffocating, I kneel down and illuminate the wall until I can see where the lock is, I try to get up, my legs are numb. I fall on top of Philip who is lying under the lock, he mumbles something, but doesn't move. I drag myself and kneel over him, holding the latch, but I don't have the strength to pull, he moves and I am left hanging holding the latch, my hand begins to slip. The latch settles and the door opens, just a small gap. Just enough to let the light in. I release the latch and fall back on the floor on top of Philip, who finally wakes up.

"Oh boy"

"helps me to open the door. I drag myself and pull the door through the crack, I feel the door getting lighter and see Lipe's hands on the door. The door finally opens. And the night breeze comes in . Slowly my face stops tingling. I hear Lipe shout."

"Laura wakes up."

I look at Lipe on his knees dragging Laura, I help him and we take her outside.

"Where are the guys?"

I light the empty shed and next to us I see some clothes thrown on the floor and a pistol, Laura drags herself and takes the gun. I take a better look at the clothes and see a jeans jacket. I'm still a little dizzy, but I have the impression that this is the jacket that the crazy guy who was shooting at us was wearing. Laura gets up slowly. After a while, feeling better, someone finally breaks the silence, this time it wasn't me, it was Laura, who has that pistol in her hand staring at the exit.

"Can you walk?"

That's it, I've been quiet long enough.

"What the hell was that all about? Like, the guy opened the window and you thought what, I don't like the color of the car, I'm going to break a bottle in the crazy guy's face, how could you hit a bottle that far away? Why did you do that? What kind of people are these guys? Do you know those guys? What the fuck are these clothes and this pistol doing here? Who goes away and leaves a pistol behind? And my face? It's destroyed, isn't it? I mean it wasn't that great..."

Lipe holds my arm.

"Breathe bro."

What a beauty, I'm crying again. Laura surely thinks I'm the biggest banana in the universe.

"I don't even know what I'll answer?"

Felipe looks seriously at Laura.

"Really?"

"Well, I do business with people, how do I put it?"

"Criminals? Psychopaths? Maniacs?"

"I was going to say dangerous Vitor, but the three words you used also serve, my last business went wrong, that guy, his name is Vulto."

"Fuck who calls Vulto?"

"Can I tell the fucking story Vitor?"

"Sorry."

"This guy, who is called Vulto, took a big loss, and he is blaming me for it. Somehow he found me and got what he got. I didn't want to get you guys into this. And your face isn't destroyed, Victor, it's just a few scratches."

Laura hugs me, somehow that calms me down. We walk slowly toward the exit. A smell of smoke is in the air. It's not possible that only I can smell it.

"Do you smell it?"

Laura answ"ers.

"It's coming from outside."

She draws her gun.

"You two behind me."

We go behind her, I look at Lipe and can't help but laugh.

"What's up clown?"

"You'll have to walk all the way home in your underwear.

"That was my only pair of sneakers, you idiot."

Laura looks back.

"I'll make it up to you."

She is sinisterly pointing the gun in the direction of the exit door. The narrowed eyes give an impression hard to explain, it's almost evil what I see in her eyes, the same look she had, seconds before throwing those bottles. Philip says the obvious.

"The smoke is getting stronger."

Maybe the guys are setting fire to the shed, but I don't want to alarm anyone, the prize for the fearful of the year is already mine. We walk to the door of the shed Laura reaches out her arm and makes us stop.

"I'll go ahead."

She points the gun and sneaks out.

"She thinks she's the Black Widow? I'll go in the front. Ouch!"

Lipe nods for me to be silent, but can't disguise a smile.

"You may come."

I try to disguise the panic I feel as I leave the building, it is dawn, that strange and lazy hour.

"My sneakers."

I look at the railing and Lipe's pants are still attached to the railing along with his sneakers.

"It's a miracle that no nincompoop carried his shoes."

"True Vitor."

"Something's wrong here."

Laura slowly approaches the fence.

"What do you mean?"

"Is this the only way out, Victor?"

"The only way out."

"There's no way to get through there without messing with the pants and sneakers and they are exactly as we left them yesterday."

Laura points the gun to the entrance of the shed.

"Let's get out of here."

Lipe goes to the railing, removes his pants and gets dressed, then puts on his sneakers. He lifts the railing, I go through and then hold the railing for him to pass, Laura comes out last, always looking inside the shed. Lipe is the first to see the clarity coming from both sides of the alley.

"That shit is fire! And it's on both exits, the guys want to burn us alive!

Laura yells at me."

"Calm down, let's get out the way we came in and fast."

We run to the exit of the alley, Laura goes in front pointing the gun.

"Fuck!"

Her scream makes us run out, what I see makes my blood freeze in my veins, this avenue is the main access way to our village, which is in fact a housing complex of popular houses built on top of a hill, over the years people have been adding to the houses, building sheds in the back, slab-on-grade houses, until the whole hill became one big pile of buildings. And what we see now is this same heap of buildings completely in flames, not one house or two, but all of them together, the whole hill. The fire is two houses away from the entrance of the alley. The reality that my house is in the middle of this mass of fire and smoke hits me hard. Everything my mother has sacrificed all these years has been reduced to nothing. I look around and see no one putting out the fire.

"Where are the firemen? Why isn't anyone helping?"

Laura puts the gun away and holds me by the arm.

"We need to get out of here, let's go to the highway and there we can get help."

The avenue goes straight down to the highway and on the other side of the highway there is an ecological park and a big mountain. A house two meters away from where we are explodes and throws debris, fire and smoke everywhere, I can only hear a strong buzzing in my ears, Laura takes me from the ground, it's the second time she saves me, we run down the avenue, she holds my arm firmly on one side and Lipe's on the other. Maybe she is the black widow after all.