Chapter 2

›› March 2005 [Sebastian's past].

Dad was driving, I didn't know where we were going. But dawn was starting to break, and it was only then that I could see a sign, it said Grace Field, but we didn't stop in that town, we drove a few miles to the next town called Belisa. I thought at least it had a nice name.

That was our new home. A big house finished in masonry and concrete. With a large garden, on a rather luxurious street. If moving from a middle-class house to this was their way of going unnoticed, they were somewhat mistaken.

-Sebastian, get out of the car and help your father with the suitcases," my mother ordered.

I reluctantly got out of the car and soon noticed that a couple of girls were looking at me from the other house. I averted my eyes and helped my father carry the suitcases.

Rule number one in this new life. Don't make friends.

A couple of hours later after I had brought a couple of boxes and suitcases into the house, I heard the doorbell ring four times. I was sitting on the couch in the main living room staring at a turned-off TV, my mother still wouldn't let me turn it on, I thought by sitting there she would take pity and turn it on. But my plans were being interrupted by the sound of the silly doorbell.

- What are you waiting for to open the door," my father asked as he pulled his favorite books out of a box.

-If I pretend I don't hear it, they'll go away," I replied wryly.

Although my father took it as a comical comment, I was deadly serious. I had no choice but to get up and go open the door.

I put on my best-annoyed face and was elated to hear a high-pitched, squeaky voice echo as I opened the door.

-Nice to meet you, I'm Lisa! -She looked up at me, smiling all the while. I wondered why on earth she looked so happy-and this is Nita.

At that moment she pulled her friend by the right arm, who didn't seem to be in the least bit excited to meet me. The feeling seemed to be mutual. Against her will, she turned to see me and shook my hand. Unlike her friend, her voice didn't seem shrill to me, her voice was sweet and clear.

My parents suddenly appeared in the doorway and introduced themselves to the girls. She invited them in to see the house. The first one hurried inside, but the other was still standing on the threshold holding a baseball. I looked at her for a few seconds.

-You can come in too," I smiled half-heartedly, and she nodded.

My father knew who Lisa was, my parents' company had financed one of Mr. Conde's projects. I was behind my father with the other girl, who wasn't very sociable. There was something about her that made it hard for me to take my eyes off her. She looked the opposite of her friend, wearing blue trousers and a white T-shirt, while Lisa was wearing a pink dress. I knew from that moment on that she was a tough and caring person.

-I like that outfit too," I commented.

-I like baseball a lot, but just between us... Lisa says it's not good for a girl to talk about sports with a boy," we both laughed.

-Lisa turned to look at us, and we stopped laughing.

That's how we started talking about plays and games. I found her charming, although sometimes I got lost in her gaze. I didn't know why it all happened. But I was sure that my number one rule, maybe it would be broken by her.

›› July 2011 [Sebastian Harrison].

Sunlight streams in through my window panes. I couldn't fall asleep, there are things I keep thinking about, what would have happened if I had stopped going to that hospital, maybe now I wouldn't be worried about my illness, I wouldn't know about its existence.

● ● ●

The doctor takes the paper with the fake authorization from my parents to be a bone marrow donor. I'm very nervous, my heart is racing, in a year and a half I'll be eighteen, but she can't wait that long, she needs someone to save her.

-Are you aware that it is a very strong procedure for someone so young, as well as painful," the doctor asks.

-I know, doctor... I just want to help her, haven't you ever felt the need to make your life have a purpose... you see, I knew your brother, I saw him struggle every day to pay for his treatment, I just wanted to continue with what he was trying to do; my parents know that, and they support my cause.

She looked at me cautiously, turned her gaze to the sheet of paper, and picked up her pen to sign it.

-You convinced me... if your parents agree, I agree. Go and do the exams, as soon as they are ready, I'll call you. In the meantime, you'll wait in the hall.

I was very excited and went out for the tests, they took a lot of blood, and made me drink a bitter liquid. I felt very weak. I asked the nurse if it was normal to feel that way, and she said it was more normal than I thought.

Those tests were a complete examination of my body, she wanted to check my compatibility with her, and if I didn't have some kind of disease that would prevent the transplant. I wanted to think that the dizziness I was feeling was due to the fasting, and the liquid I drank.

Sometime later, I heard the doctor call me. I got up from the chair and suddenly everything went black and I fell to the floor.

● ● ●

-Sebastian, Breakfast is ready!" it was my mother's voice shouting from the kitchen.

-I'll be right down," I reply. I put on my T-shirt and tie the lace of my tennis shoes.

I open my bedroom door and go downstairs. My father is reading his favorite book as he does every morning, I still don't know what it was about Edgar Allan Poe that caught his attention, but every morning he reads it as if it was the first time. Seeing my mother, I kiss him on the cheek while I steal a piece of toast.

-Sebastian," she reprimands me, slapping my hand lightly, "I've already put your breakfast on the table. I smile victoriously and sit down to eat.

As I eat my toast with jam, I start to feel a bit sick, I instantly start to feel nauseous and run to the nearest toilet. Once there, I vomit, then try to breathe, when I look into the toilet, I see streaks of blood in what I have just expelled.

This can't be happening to me!

I wipe my mouth and pull the cord to flush new water. I dry myself with the towel on the side of the sink and get out of there.

I return to the table and Dad stares at me.

-You look pale.

-Yes, I haven't eaten very well these days. A lot of work," I say with annoyance.

-Sebastian, do you blame me?

-I didn't say that.

-It seemed that way," he said angrily.

-Or maybe I did, that's what I said!

-I don't allow that attitude in my house! It's not what I taught you.

-That's what the world you've thrown me into has turned me into. I remind you that I've only followed your designs and all this to make up for your mistakes.

-Enough!" he slammed the table, and my mother dropped the crockery on the floor in shock, "In this house we all make sacrifices, or would you rather live in an orphanage?

-Anything was better than this.

I get up abruptly from my chair and hurry out of the house. Discussions like this have become all too common in recent times. I'm ashamed to know that my father is another one who follows orders, but what bothers me the most, is that he uses me to achieve it.

I have completely forgotten the person my father used to be, the man who used to sing me to sleep, or make me read books every evening; now I only see a man who is also afraid and represses it, I see someone who is strict, and cold-hearted, who only wants to keep his word to the letter; I don't know which man I need more in my life, the benevolent one who supports me, or the ruthless one who forces me to be strong.

As I drive my phone rings. I curse and answer it.

-We have a problem, Harrison - by the sound of Julian's voice I know it's something very serious.

-What's going on?

-They found the Riverbank bodies...

The memory of the gunshots comes rushing into my mind. The look in the eyes of those young men, and the echo of the bullet's ricochet as it hit the ground.

-The boss gave the order to be on the alert, although he assures me he'll take care of it," he reports, nervously.

-And what did he say, Manuel?

-You know the rules of the game, Sebastián... if one goes down, we all go down.

I hang up the call and hit the steering wheel.

This must be a nightmare!

I park the car and walk into the school. I go straight to Natalie, who is always on time and is at her locker.

-Are you ever late," I ask to get her attention.

Her eyes sparkle and her smile is the first gesture she makes when she sees me. Since our meeting on my arrival in town we have been friends, Nita or Natalie is a kind and funny young woman, so strong that even a rock is envious of her strength and she is the only reason I get up every morning.

-Hello, Clown! And no, I won't... you know what I'm like, punctuality will help me...

-To get into a good university, and a good university is a long way from this town -I finished his sentence. Whenever he can he says it, and I share his desire to get out of this place-. I'd rather sleep five more minutes, though.

-Your five minutes is an hour more.

-I'm so proud that you know me so well," I feigned tears of pride.

-Hi, guys," greeted a high-pitched voice we soon recognized as Lisa.

They're my best friends, we've shared every day and every class. We are a perfect trio for Natalie, but not for me anymore.

-Hi, Lisa," we reply in unison.

She hugs us and seems very happy for some reason.

-You're very happy today, any particular reason," Natalie asks.

-Well, since you ask... yes, Nicholas is running for student president!

I stop myself from laughing at the emotion with which he expresses it.

-And that's good for you because..." I say.

-If he's the school president, I'd be like the first lady of the school.

Nita is the first to laugh, and then me.

-What's so funny?" she asks seriously.

-Nothing, nothing... it's just that we think it's extraordinary, don't we, Sebastian?

-Yes, of course, you the first lady and us the ministers.

-Very funny, Sebastian," he replies, tapping me on the shoulder, and I groan.

-We're your friends, Lisa, we'll support you," Natalie says, hugging her.

-Thank you, Nita. You're a good friend," she says looking at me in a challenging way, "not like others, who just laugh.

-Hey, Natalie laughed first!

-Do you have proof of that?" Nita blurts out and puts on her face an expression of victory as she realizes she can't answer that.

The bell rings and we head off to economics class. I put my arms around Natalie and Lisa's shoulders, so we walk down the corridor together. Nita and I sit together, while Lisa sits in another row next to her boyfriend. While the teacher explains, we pass papers to each other, with notes and drawings. Nobody pays much attention to Professor Camping, and that was our way of not getting bored.

For a moment I look at Natalie, she is so innocent and oblivious to all the evil in this town, and on the other is Lisa, always looking for the highest bidder, the one who will help her maintain her status, the one who will keep everyone from seeing what she is. And then there's me, making lies and cowardice my daily dish. Appearing to be just one of the crowd, completely avoiding Natalie learning the truth about her two best friends.

Two hours later the bell rings and class finally ends. Before I left the classroom Tim waved me over to indicate that we needed to talk, so I informed Natalie that I needed to get some notes, to wait in the library, because I would be there in a few minutes.

We gathered behind the school, all of us who were part of the game: Manuel, Tim, Facundo, Tatiana, Julian, Mathius, Andres and Lisa.

There is a lot of tension, I knew that feeling perfect, it was fear. This whole thing got out of hand. We are no longer innocent. It wasn't just tiny shoplifting, we were talking about a murder.

-I don't know what I'm doing here, I had nothing to do with it," said Lisa.

-It was your challenge, remember, and because we didn't do it right we had to finish it for you," replied Facundo.

-It was everyone's negligence, and to save us all," I clarified to avoid further arguments. He'll take care of it. We must stay out of all this, not comment or write anything electronically.

-Sebastian is right. You must not use any virtual means of communication to talk about these issues," Julián ordered.

-I don't understand why they are so worried," said Manuel. That was just a challenge in our game, what didn't go as expected and got complicated? Yes, that's true, but it's over now. The police will never know it was us unless one of us talks...

››October, 2012 [Mathias Miller].

I had a dream, I think it was more like a nightmare. He was standing in front of me, and suddenly he fell towards a cliff, I tried to hold him, but I couldn't. I felt rage and helplessness and without premeditation, I kicked my night table and threw everything on the floor. I felt rage and impotence and without premeditation, I kicked my nightstand and threw everything on the floor.

Damn it, Sebastian!

He was my best friend, and he won't even let me live his departure in peace. I turn in the direction of the wardrobe. And I know I have to start getting everything ready today. My days are numbered, and I have a lot to process. On my desk is an envelope with my documents, I wouldn't have even imagined I'd have to go begging to go back to the school I left of my own free will after setting fire to the lockers. I check to make sure everything is in order. Then I glance at my diary. I open it and read the next page.

Day. 2 [Sebastian's diary].

I never imagined that my life as I knew it would change in a single minute. I didn't even think it would end so soon. But come to think of it, the life I've led so far is the worst. They say I am free, that I can do whatever I want, but if I do what I want to do, they will kill me, so I understand that being free is a lie, and I am completely trapped in this big labyrinth.

Sometimes I ask myself: how did I come to be in this game?

In the beginning, none of us imagined that this would get out of control, and maybe we should have stopped after setting fire to that chicken coop, but no, we got more of a taste for adrenaline, for going through the streets just worrying about our wellbeing. And it was that since we were children, we got in love with money, power, and freedom... well, false freedom.

Because of that game, we became Cervantes' puppets. And how do you fight against someone who has the most power in town, the person who owns more than half of the business, and controls every event? So, I've always had only one option, and that was to follow orders.

... it's just a game.