What Will the Morning Bring?

"She doesn't seem to think the same," Iñaki replies.

"Oh, what`s the matter? Is she your wife?"

"She'll be whatever she wants to be, like me."

Victor is on a roller coaster of emotions.

"I saved her, I offered her a safe place, I took care of her, I protected her, I..."

"You sound more like a good Samaritan than a couple."

"You don't know…"

"No, there's a lot I don't know, I just know what I told you. And that's enough for me."

"And I already gave you my answer; Martina does not move from here until she asks me personally."

"Martina is going to live alone..."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

"How, exactly?"

"She's gonna grab all her stuff and I'm gonna take it to her new apartment."

"You do not know what you are doing."

"If you get in the way, if you raise your hand..."

Victor dodges Iñaki, walks to the door, opens it, and looks at him defiantly.

"This isn't over."

"Yeah, I'm done. Goodbye."

BAM <> can be heard on both sides of the door.

"And what did he tell you?"

Martina appears on the stairs.

"No matter what he said, you're going to live alone."

"I don't want to cause any more trouble."

Iñaki grabs her hand and stares at her.

"Victor is synonymous with trouble. Don't worry, I'll help you move."

"Thank you, Iñaki." Martina's touch reminds him of her lips.

The door opens suddenly and lights up the staircase.

"Martina?"

"I'm here."

Víctor looks from the woman to Iñaki.

"Is it true what he told me?"

"Yes."

"Can we at least talk about it?"

Martina looks at Iñaki, nods, and lets go of his hand.

"Yes, Victor, let's talk."

"Martina..."

"It's all right. I'll let you know if I need you".

Iñaki reluctantly accepts and the figure of Martina disappears behind Victor's door.

By the light of a candle...

"Why was that music playing?" Sofia asks while Iñaki puts her pajamas on.

Iñaki pauses, frowns, and considers the question and answers.

" Because a musician was playing the organ."

"What is an organ?" She asks.

"A musical instrument."

"Like a guitar?"

"That's right."

"Why did he stop playing the organ?"

"I don't know..."

The girl looks at him, looks at the ceiling, and then at her feet.

"And why don't you know?"

"I don't know why I don't know," Iñaki replies with laughter.

Sofia tries to ask once more << Why? >> but the loop became so complex that she can't ask the question.

"All right."

Iñaki laughs. He kisses her on the forehead.

"How does Maria treat you?"

"Very well."

"Ready to go to sleep?"

"Aren't you going to leave me alone?"

"No, Sofia, I'm not going to leave you alone!" says Iñaki as he hugs her.

"Mom left me alone."

Iñaki looks for words in his mind, but they are all drowned under the tide of emotions.

"Hector?" Sofia asks, raising her eyes.

"Héctor?"

"My little brother."

"He's with mom..."

"Can we visit them?"

"Someday, Sofia, someday."

"Someday!"

The girl rests her head on the pillow and, with a smile on her lips, closes her eyes.

"How are you?" Mike leans into the room.

"Alive."

His friend laughs, stays silent for a second, and then asks

"Do you think the music will bring us problems, that there will be more infected in the area?"

"Probably...­"

"We 'll have to be prepared."

"In this shitty world you always have to be prepared," replies Iñaki incredulously.

"True. And how was Eduardo?" he asks with laughter, "better fellow adventurer than me?"

"Much better than you, you fucking gringo!" replies Iñaki also with laughter.

Mike graciously offers him an obscene gesture and Iñaki offers him a bow.

"Well, now I'm going to sleep."

Mike shakes his hand pretending to be angry.

"Go sleep with Eduardo if you prefer."

"I'm moving tomorrow."

Mike laughs.

"Good night, bastard."

"Good night, you fucking gringo."

Iñaki closes the door and finds himself once again with his thoughts. He walks to the picture of the castle and contemplates it in search of answers. The castle stands strong and proud on the sea, but the latter flows flexibly adapting to everything. The moon, far away, is indifferent to everything. And through Iñaki's mind pass Rambo, Sofia, Eduardo, Víctor, Martina, María, Mike, and Valentina.

Valentina's name is mixed with Martina's and leaves him stunned, dizzy, and feeling guilty.

"Valentina." He speaks to nothing. The music of the church insists on taking his sleep away. Father Manuel's words beat in his brain. He inhales, puts his hand on the figure of the moon and wonders << What will the morning bring? >