CRASHING

His joints hurt a lot and his muscles hurt too. As if it had been ground in a flour pestle. The senses seemed to be short-circuited, failing and rewiring. Ringing in the ears, white dots jumping in the eyes, like sparks. Was it like being dying or being born? Strong cramps left him on the ground a few times. The lack of dexterity in maneuvering his own body alerted him to this new and enigmatic state, that an invader had it or that he felt himself a stranger within his own body. The priest began to beg on the streets of London, with his robe so tattered and dirty that in little or nothing he looked like the priestly dress. Weak, being bombarded with headlights and traffic lights that obscured his already impaired vision, he was hit by a car. The body spun before the brutal impact. His hips crashed against the hood, shoulder and head against the windshield. And the succession of sensations were the mouth flooded with blood, the broken bones and perforated organs and finally the relentless rain hitting his aching body and his eyes closing.

In the hospital corridor, walking back and forth, the woman who ran over Father Josefo; it was Ellen. Nervous, shivering, she had to sit down before she passed out. The terrifying scene of the accident returned to torment her. The rain was so intense that even with the windshield wiper at full speed it was impossible to see anything in front of you. But she swore that the priest had thrown himself. She got out of the car, terrified. The priest's body on the windshield. It was on its side, with part of it inside, on the panel. Face turned out, looking at her. He moaned a lot and tried to say something. But she asked him not to speak and that he had already called 911. Only for the victim it seemed urgent to warn. Alert. He said between painful pauses and difficult whispers:

- The Dove. Where's the dove? She killed me. It was difficult to always remember that. But she couldn't help it. And crying welled up as she relived it all. Because the mention of the dove was finally the proof he sought all his life, that his great-grandfather was not crazy. Ever since she began to investigate, with academic interest and a certain scientific and investigative background, Ellen has had access to certain people confused and pierced statements of such an ancient religion in which pre-adamic beings who do not know if they were created by the same God no, they did. And these beings had destinies among themselves, as races and waged wars, and they even came close to being decimated. That was when the curse came. Who invoked it and why, it doesn't know. But it has everything to do with four animals. One is the dove and the other the bear, as she knows and the other two she has not discovered. But there may be more than four, as revealed to you in your last statement. For it is related to a book that is written alone and that she vaguely remembers, as in a dream. A dream that gives you chills. The doctor was approaching. She composed herself. The tears dried up. Despite the burden of stress, I would try to act like a reasonable person. - How is he, doctor? - Are you family? - No, I'm not. I ran over him. But it came out of nowhere. It looks like he tried to kill himself. She explained nervously, refraining from collapsing. - I understand. We stopped the bleeding and he is sedated now. He lost a lot of blood. You will need a transfusion. Had broken ribs and bowl. But it did not reach any vital organ. I still can't say how long he will be here, but I can tell he will get out of this. It's ok? Said the doctor, holding Ellen's hands. She was relieved and hugged the doctor. A strong and intimate hug. Warm. He was surprised but reciprocated. Not that he hadn't been through anything like that in all of his medical experience. Only she looked so desperate and lost.