CHAPTER 84

JONNATES AND ASAPH ENTERED their house and saw the living room wall written in blood:

"Idolatry"

— What is it, father? — Said the astonished son — Who did this?

— The person who killed your mother.

— Bastard, I'm going to kill the person who did it.

Jonathan hugged his son, interrupting him.

— Son, we need to stop this cycle of hate that surrounds us.

— Father, that bastard.

— I know son, inside I feel even more hate than the whole world put together, I would like to kill you with my hands, but this is not justice, this is revenge, and revenge creates a cycle of infinite hatred and that I have sworn one day end.

DESPITE Camilo Sanchez's POOR CHILDHOOD, he overcame everything and everyone.

Camilo was the son of a bar owner, and his mother, like his father, were alcoholics, drank more than they sold and if it weren't for his maternal grandmother, his childhood and early adolescence would have been complete hell.

His parents were perhaps not to blame for what they were, they suffered a lot in life too and the escape to that sad reality and its problems was drinking.

Her paternal grandmother once told that both were very happy at the beginning of their marriage, their dream was to set up a restaurant, as her mother cooked very well, but with limited economic resources and higher interest rates due to a constant economic crisis, both of them they couldn't keep the dream for more than six months, and to help, Sonia found out she was pregnant. What looked like the beginning of a beautiful dream was turning into the worst nightmare.

Those were terrible days, the doctor said that Sonia's pregnancy was high risk, and she would need a lot of rest, and most of all, she shouldn't consume drugs, alcohol or smoke at all.

It was easier to tell them to do that and more.

Sonia almost died in childbirth, the two had to be hospitalized for a long three months, and not only did she have a withdrawal crisis, but the doctors were amazed to see a baby also have a strong withdrawal crisis like that.

Camilo followed the whole process with hope, and even though it wasn't worth a single penny, he really wanted to change his life and deliver the world to little Esperanza.

The day Sonia and Esperanza were released from the hospital, a series of tragedies took place in the family. The first was the running over of Mr. Francisco, Sonia's father, right in front of the hospital. After that, Camilo never dreamed about the future again in his life.

CAMILO SANCHEZ, TWELVE YEARS after Esperanza was born, woke up in the hospital with several perforations, having no idea what had happened in the last two weeks.

The doctor entered the room and said:

— I'm glad you're awake, could you give us your name?

Camillo looked at her strangely.

— Camilo Sanchez, where am I? What happened with me?

— You are in the hospital in the city, you were punctured a few times, nineteen times to tell the truth, you were in a coma, but thank God you are alive, it can be considered a miracle.

— Where are Sonia and Esperanza?

— Sonia Sanchez?

— That's right, where are they?

— Mrs. Sônia was taken to a sanatorium three days ago, I signed the request for a psychological follow-up myself, despite not being my specialty, she was very upset, it was difficult to contain her, but even so, no one had thought it was Sir's wife, showed up here at the hospital after a week of her hospitalization.

— And my daughter?

— Sorry, sir, but there's no one here by that name, can I call someone from the police who can help?" That's all we can do for you.

— No, it's okay, my mother must be taking care of her.

A week later she was released from the hospital.

As much as he tried, Camilo had no idea what had happened to them in the last few months.

Everything was in absolute darkness in his mind...

Camilo arrived at his house and the scene was the most bizarre he had ever seen in his life, blood everywhere, all the furniture overturned.

— Mr. Sanchez?

Camilo looked back and saw one of the few neighbors who were still talking to him.

— Hello, how are you, Andre?

— I'm fine, sorry to have to inform you, but no one was able to speak to you at the hospital, but… – he hesitated – your mother passed away four days ago.

— And my daughter?

— No one has heard from her since the day you were hospitalized.

— Do you know who did this to me?

— Everyone says it was Esperanza, you came home drunk and tried to beat her for sleeping with Father Ramón de Laviera's nephew.

Suddenly, terror haunted Camilo's thoughts, a violent headache visited him at that moment, he started to have remnants of memory of that night, yes, he really tried to beat her, beat her no, humiliate her and then kill her out of shame that had put him through.

My God... what did I do?

Camilo felt the weight of the world on his back and sat in his armchair and started to cry.

— If there's anything else I can do for you, sir.

Camillo shook his head down.

CAMILO WENT TO THE Psychiatric HOSPITAL where Sonia was hospitalized and managed to be alone with his wife.

— What happened, Sonia?

— Our daughter tried to kill us, I tried to stop her, but she was determined to put an end to all the suffering that surrounds us.

— And where is she?

— Nobody knows.

God knows... he will have mercy and take care of our princess...

WITH THE HUSBAND'S PRESENCE, the treatment was dispensed, everyone saw that the woman had completely changed.

They left the hospital and Camilo told Sonia everything that had happened and they made a serious decision.

They would start life from scratch at that moment...

Not only would they be dead and gone, but her past as well, as her daughter Esperanza had disappeared and would likely not return, left her in God's hands.

They sold what little they had and took the money and went to Barcelona.

— WHAT ARE YOUR NAMES?

— Jônatas Guilhen and this is my wife Raquel.

The boy stamped the ticket and they went to the train station.

— How is she? — Sonia said.

— Who?

— Hope... wow...

— Raquel — he said looking into the deepest being through her eyes — Sonia and Camilo are dead, Esperanza no longer exists, and if we ever cross paths we won't see a dawn again.

Raquel felt a shiver down her spine.

— Are you leaving?

Raquel looked back and saw her mother.

— Sorry, mother.

She hugged her.

— Go with God — she looked at her son-in-law — this is a gift for the new life they will face.

Jonathan took the envelope and opened it, there was a bible inside.

Jonathan hugged her.

They never saw her again.

BOTH STARTED PARTICIPATING in meetings at a Christian congregation near the apartment they rented and felt very welcome by the new brothers, they didn't know why, as much as they went to church, addiction became a constant necessity, and when they least expected it, not only were they freed from that burden, but Rachel found herself pregnant again.

— What do we do? — She said after receiving the result of the doctor.

— Let's give him all the love and affection in the world, I don't want to make the same mistake twice.

***

— THIS IS OUR STORY, son — Jonathan said with tears in his eyes.

— But what fault were they if fate forced them to be that way?

— We can all be different from what we are forced to be, this is the greatest virtue of a human being...

The power to change destinations...

Asaph was thoughtful for a moment.

— And you think my sister is alive?

— Not only is she alive, she changed her life and she's about to change ours again.

ASAPH ENTERED HIS ROOM and began to cry desperately remembering the shame he had made his father in front of his friends. The wound was still open from her mother's death, she didn't deserve that at her wake, let alone what she'd done her whole life.

Asaph made a decision.

Like any teenager, Asaph was impulsive and motivated by his emotions. He took a few changes of clothes, put them in his backpack and left the house during the night without his father noticing.

Asaph sat on the bench at the bus stop and cried.

I don't know if what I did was right or wrong... but seeing my father like that is not something I want to see again in my life...

THE BELL OF HIS HOUSE rang and insisted on ringing. Pastor Jônatas Guilhen woke up annoyed, but went to open the door.

— May I help?

— Senor Jônatas Guilhen? – Asked the man in forced Spanish.

What will it be at this hour?

— Sorry to bother you — the man said urgently — but you and your son are at risk.

Jonathan grinned at the man.

— I'm sorry, but who are you and what do you want with me?

— My name is Sandro Palmeira, from the police department, Chief Nuñez wants to speak with you and your son.

Jonathan looked at the boy next to him who immediately showed him his badge.

— Why don't you show your badge, Mister Palmeira?"

— I'm Brazilian, my badge and nothing is the same for you at the moment, but he belongs to the Spanish police force, I'm just helping him in the investigations into the murders of these so-called "Sons of the Sun".

— My son and I are safe here in my house, we have nothing to do with these murders.

— If the Spanish police chief's apartment wasn't safe, maybe you are here, Mister Jônatas, but the urgency forces us to avoid new victims, and I assure you, you will be the next victim."

— Please come in, I'll call my son.

Jonathan climbed the stairs that gave access to the second floor and went to his son's room, opened the door, and fainted instantly.