Perspectives

That man walks through the door and you immediately see that he is sad. The other adults approach him, help him sit down, and look worriedly at one of his long legs. You're not moving. Rambo has run off and is now licking the man's hand.

"Sofia?" The man says your name.

You clasp your hands like you have a gift and look up. Adults watch you take a step forward. You stop and adjust your dress. The man calls you back.

"Sofia?"

His face reminds you of dad, but there is a different face that is also dad. Who is this man?

"Sofia?"

The man's voice is as soft as soap. And also, he takes good care of you and Rambo. Dad has always taken care of you and Rambo. How sad Dad looks!

"Sofia," asks the woman you like very much, "aren't you going to say hello to your father?"

Dad frowns as the other adult washes his leg.

"Daddy!" You run towards him and grab his legs as a prize.

"Ah!"

"Slowly, Sofia," says the lady who treats you very well.

"It's all right."

Images and sounds spin in your head as if you were watching TV. You remember dad taking you to the car of the other man who speaks strangely, changing your clothes, feeding you in that same room, sleeping with him... Then you laugh and kiss him on the cheek.

"Gross!" you say licking your lips.

Dad laughs, but you don't know why. You look at him frowning. The rest of the adults laugh with him. Only Rambo seems to be just as confused as you.

"What are you laughing at?"

Dad lifts you in his arms and kisses you.

"Yuck, gross!"

You look at him, you look at the rest of the grown-ups and you laugh too. You don't know why, you just know it feels so good.

With Sofia in his arms, Iñaki examines his leg and verifies that the "medical team" has completed its work.

A white bandage surrounds his thigh and he can still feel the alcohol tickling his brain. Maria, with gauze and scissors in her hand, observes him with the face of a successful surgeon.

"I will survive," Iñaki says with a grimace.

"That's what I was afraid of…"Mike lets out a laugh and hits his shoulder.

"Still no word from Victor?"

"Nothing."

"It is very strange..."

"Ok," Eduardo summarizes, changing his tone and posture, "we still have to go get water. The situation is critical. Iñaki will of course stay here, we'll go alone you and me, Mike."

"Ok."

Martina remains silent.

Eduardo looks around the room and then turns to Iñaki.

"All right, I'm gonna need a few bottles of water, your backpack, and Mike's hunting knife."

"I can give you more than that," Iñaki says with a smug smile.

"Huh?"

"Open the backpack."

Eduardo approaches it cautiously as if opening it could bring out a snake from inside. He grabs it, and looks at it, Iñaki nods and Eduardo opens it. Eduardo's eyes widen as he finds the gun and the walkie-talkies.

"Thank the City Police."

"This is magnificent!" he says after grabbing a walkie-talkie. "I had my doubts about our "water excursion" but now everything will be easier."

"How?"

"You can go up to the roof with the binoculars and guide us through the walkie-talkies. We won't have a blind spot with you upstairs!"

"I like it..." Mike adds, nodding.

"There are still a few hours of light, you'll only have to warn us of possible threats and we'll take care of the rest."

"It's a great plan, let's do it."