The Young Bodyguard

Even though the cemetery is long past and the sky is even darker than before, my hand is still attached to his, but the speed of my legs slowed. He continues walking, not even knowing where he is going, bumping his shoulder with mine as he takes each step, while I feel his labored breathing in my ear, a product of the accumulated fatigue during all those hours. Although I do not like him, I must accept that the dark environment that surrounds us does me good, hiding the shudder that dominates my body every time he touches him and how stupid I usually get on my nerves.

- ... because I never liked this walk a lot.

May: What?

Samuel: What what?

May: I didn’t understand you.

Samuel (laughs): You weren’t listening to me, were you?

”No, because you make me dumb.”

May: I’m hungry.

I look up and my eyes are fixed on the distant shadow, which appears to be of some kind of structure.

Samuel: Yes, me too ...

May (I interrupt): What is that?

Samuel: What? Do you see giant hamburgers walking around?

May (I nudge him): No, idiot. Look.

He lifts his head and is puzzled. Stop walking.

Samuel: It looks like a building.

May: It’s not that high.

Samuel: Come on (says releasing and going forward).

May: Stop, stop. Just like that?

Samuel (turns around): Do you want me to sing?

”Wouldn’t be bad,” I thought.

May: Cant you?

Samuel: Do you cook?

May: You don’t want to see me cook, believe me.

Samuel: Neither do you sing a scale.

I laughed and we started walking.

May: Are you that bad?

Samuel (stops and looks at me): Let’s make a deal, when we get home you cook for me and I’ll sing to you.

May: You are more at risk of dying.

Samuel: Do you accept or not? (He asks with a smile, holding out his hand).

I cross my hand with his and he waves them vertically, like we just signed a death contract.

May: If I become deaf ... you pay for the operation.

Samuel: If my stomach explodes, you take care of my mom.

His words move me and the mocking smile fades from my face. He lets go of me and continues walking. I follow it.

May: You never told me about your family.

Samuel: There is not much to tell (he says, his gaze fixed on the ground).

May: If you don’t want to talk about it I understand...

Samuel (interrupts me): My mom and my brother are the only thing I really have (I look at him). My parents separated when I was in high school.

May: And ... you didn’t keep in touch with him?

Samuel (laughs): They separated because he had another family, another son ... who must now be 17 or 18 years old. He had been playing double-headed since he got married more or less.

”You must hate that boy,” I say in my mind.

May: Oh sorry, I didn’t mean ...

Samuel (interrupts me again): Now he lives making trips and spending that woman’s money.

May (sigh): Is your brother ... the one who lives with you ... is he big?

Samuel: I have only one brother and he’s 15. Before I just screwed him up, I carried him (he giggles) ... but when they separated and dad left ... for the first time I had to take the role of older brother more seriously .

May: And your mom?

Samuel (shrugs): He got over it as best he could. The disappointment she took from him hurt her more than the separation itself. Until a few months ago I worked ... now I don’t.

May: You’re the only one who works.

He nods.

May: And at the same time you study. How you do?

Samuel (laughs): I don’t know. I guess I have no other choice. I wanted to quit my degree, but my old woman didn’t let me.

May: And you were not wrong.

Samuel: All this ... we’re almost there, look.

I look up, finding myself with a fence, behind which you can see the same structure that I noticed meters behind, but with greater clarity.

May: What is that? It looks like wood.

Tiny drops begin to fall on my head, until they become a fierce rain.

Samuel: A barn, a barn or something like that. Come on, give me your hand.

He helps me cross under that fence and runs towards that mysterious construction, dragging me with him.