can a frustrated single mom and failed big city journalist save her family and salvage her career by returning to a town run by a gang of bungling thugs?


“The Resurrection of Puerto Cielo” is a novella published in serial form, 43 posts.




9


Espy jumped up.

Startled awake, her mind raced, was it a dream or…

“HELP!”

Hearing a scream, she leapt out of bed and dashed down the hall. Peering over the balcony, she saw Manny in the courtyard below, hysterically jabbing her hand at the fountain.

In a heartbeat, Espy was down the stairs hugging her daughter.

“That thing!” shrieked Manny, waving at the pool, “what is it?”

Espy stared into the fountain. She started laughing.

Manny gaped in disbelief, “What’s so funny? That thing just tried to eat me!”

Still laughing, Espy dragged Manny to the pool’s edge. She pointed down to a three foot long lizard, its bulbous eyes fixed on them. 

“Manny, meet Max.”

“Max? What is Max and what is Max doing here?”

“Max is an iguana, My parents have raised him from a little thing and now he lives here.”

“But he was trying to eat me,” Manny countered.

“I think he was expecting to be fed.”

Manny moved closer to observe the night visitor. Max, unperturbed by the attention,  slowly turned his head from side to side, flicking out his forked tongue.

Eerily lit by the fountain’s blue lights, the spine backed, scaly-skinned creature could easily pass for something prehistoric.

“Eww,” Manny shuddered, “what does Max eat?”

“Fruit is his favorite, and all sorts of bugs, he even eats scorpions. He disappears during the day and forages after dark. And, as you’ve noticed, he likes a midnight swim.”

Deciding the treats he’d hoped for were not forthcoming, Max slithered from the fountain and melted into the shadows.

“I couldn’t sleep,” whispered Manny, snuggling in her mother’s arms, “it’s so quiet here, so different from the city.”

Espy nuzzled her nose into Manny’s hair, so soft, so innocent, so anxious. she squeezed her daughter tighter.

“Do you always keep a candle burning for Grandma?” Manny asked, seeing the flickering light on the alter under the stairs.

“Yes, when we remember,” Espy replied. On her way up to bed, Espy had seen Sophia’s picture above the altar and stopped to light the candle.

“Mom, is grandma still here?”

Espy kissed Manny’s forehead, “Yes, she’s here. She’s always with us.”

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting its pale light on a frightened teenager and her teary eyed mother.

From the balcony above, the ghost of another generation smiled down on her family.

***

It was raining again. the gry morning drizzle was barely noticed by the colorfully clad swarm of students buzzing back to school. Water dripping from their hoods, Manny and Gabe stared at clusters of kids, parents, cars and trucks, colliding from all directions. The middle and high school buildings stood side by side and a torrent of animated students streamed through the entry doors.

“Yo, Gabe,” called a nearby voice, “hop on.”

They turned. A grey hoodie on a bike, Dante, Carmen’s son.

“Later Sis,” Gabe yelled as the boys wheeled towards the middle school.

Anxious with first day jitters, Manny determined, better get this over with. Putting on  a brave face, she marched  to join the river of kids surging into the high school. 

In front of her, untouched by the throng sweeping by, Manny saw someone in a wheelchair struggling up the entry ramp. walking up behind, Manny began pushing the chair.

“Hey, I didn’t ask for help.”

Manny stopped.

The voice threw off its hood and turned. A girl with long dark hair and sad brown eyes stared up at her.

Manny stared back. She replied, “No, you didn’t, but you need it,” and continued propelling girl and chair up the ramp and through the doorway.

Inside, Manny moved in front of the chair.

The girl in the wheelchair quietly offered, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Manny said. “Just to be clear, I don’t feel sorry for you. Sometimes, we all need help.”

Manny looked closely at the girl. She was very pretty. Then, she added “I’m Manny and I’m lost here. Can you help me?”

“I’m Maria, and I’m just as lost,” said the girl with a big grin.

“Well,” Manny smiled, “let’s sort this out together.”

Two new friends were carried off in a swarm of youthful zeal. 

***

To be continued-

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