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.




34


The day dawned clear and calm. After weeks of rain, the waters of the lake gently lapped over the top of the soaked earth dam. There were no signs of life.

The squirrel was gone, driven by instinct to find a new home.

***

The young engineer punched the obnoxious alarm. In the ensuing silence, Antonio considered his options.

He could, he should, get out of bed and make the long tedious drive to inspect the dam.

Or…

He reached over and softly stroked Carmelita’s warm body, asleep beside him.

The decision was obvious.

***

People were still talking, still laughing, still amazed at yesterday’s Main Street showdown.

Oblivious to the honks and cheers from passing cars, two of the heroes lay motionless in front of the bench bound Bernies. Lazy and Arnold were dead to the world with hangovers.

Meanwhile, the Zorros were pedaling through Puerto Cielo handing out flyers for the afternoon’s “Carmen for Mayor” rally.

Juan Jimenez was also handing out flyers.


Reward 

One dozen lost pigs
Payment in bacon
Call Juan Jimenez


Someone had stolen Juan’s pigs, the dozen fat hogs he’d been feeding for a year, and Juan wanted them back.

“What you going to do about my pigs, Sheriff?” Juan demanded as Eddie came down the City Hall steps.

Distracted by two men he’d just seen enter a Main Street shop, the sheriff stopped to answer, “Don’t worry, Juan, we’ll find them. Tough to hide hogs that size around here.”

With that, Eddie patted Juan on the shoulder and strode across the street.

Not the least comforted, the distraught farmer continued pleading with passersby.

The sheriff walked past the familiar black SUV into Felipe’s phone store. He heard threatening voices. Unnoticed, he approached the two men at the counter harassing Felipe.

Eddie’s voice boomed behind them, “Hello boys, I don’t think you got the message.”

Ivan and Gomez turned to find Eddie’s bulldozer bulk confronting them. The big man of the law was smiling. He added,“Puerto Cielo is tired of you.”

Ivan’s response was cut short as Eddie grabbed both men by an ear, banged their heads together, and dragged them whimpering out the door where he slammed their faces into the side of the SUV.

Calmly wiping his hands together, Eddie announced, “There, I think you’ve got the message. Now, stop troubling my town.”

Arms folded on his barrel chest, the sheriff stood watching the stunned goons scramble into their car and speed away.

He heard the clank of bottle. A few doors down, the Bernies had seen it all. Three beers were raised in salute.

Eddie tipped his tattered hat and smiled. He hadn’t felt this good in years.

***

In City Park, mothers watched their children splash in the fountain. Birds skimmed through plants and trees under a luminous cloud free sky. Workers scurried about making final preparations for the rally. Chairs were being set up in front of the gazebo now festooned with yellow, red, and green bunting. Someone was testing the sound system.

By mid afternoon, vehicles and people were converging on the park from all directions. Everywhere there were shouts,

“Viva Puerto Cielo!”

Surrounded by an ever building crowd, dozens of kids danced to the music of the band, playing under the shelter of the gazebo’s octagonal roof.

The energy was electric. People were alive with hope.

***

Inside Mama G’s, Espy and Carmen looked out at the spectacle.

“Can you believe this is happening in sleepy little Puerto Cielo?” Carmen marveled.

Equally amazed, Espy said, “Can you believe that the two most rebellious teenage girls in town are now stepping onto the stage to lead it?”

They hugged.

Then Espy declared, “Time for the show.”

Cheers erupted as the pair crossed Main Street to City Park.Throwing themselves into a barrage of well wishes, pats, and handshakes, they finally climbed the gazebo steps.

Nobody noticed the line of dark clouds flying in from the distant western horizon.

The music stopped. Arm in arm with Carmen, Espy stepped to the microphone. She looked out. The ladies in black sat in the front row. Beside them, the Diaz family, with Maria in her wheelchair alongside, waved. Hundreds of expectant faces looked up at her.

Suddenly, the weight of the moment hit Espy and she was speechless.

The ghost behind her smiled and Espy felt a surge of strength. Taking a deep breath, she began, “My friends, people of Puerto Cielo, this is our town!”

The crowd roared,

“Viva Puerto Cielo!”

Espy smiled, “This is our town and we’re going to take it back!”

She raised Carmen’s hand high in the air, “And Carmen is going to lead us!”

The crowd went wild!

“Carmen!”

“Carmen!”

“Carmen!”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a blast of wind smashed into the rally. Hats flew into the air, trees gyrated wildly, signs sailed away, and gazebo bunting began to shred into colorful streamers.

Before Espy could say another word, the sound system died.

The sky turned black. The gale lashed out, flailed the palms. People gasped, children screamed. And then the onslaught of torrential rain hammered down.

In seconds, what had been a crowd of cheering civility became a chaotic mob, people pushing, yelling, fleeing for shelter.

Earlier, no one had seen the large van creep to the back of the park. No one saw the two men open the rear doors.

But everyone soon knew that a dozen, crazed, 200 pound pigs had been turned loose.

The hysterical hogs crashed through a melee of shrieks and curses.

From the gazebo, Espy and Carmen gaped in horror at the havoc as panicked people fled the storm battered, pig ravaged rally.

It was a catastrophe. The demonstration to take back Puerto Cielo was a shattered, drowned ruin.

***

Looking down at the carnage in the park from a public market balcony window, a solitary figure breathed a sigh of relief as Manny wheeled Maria to safety. Ricky had never meant  to put his daughter in harm’s way.

But the pig release had been his idea. The calamity brought on by the unexpected storm had only intensified the devastating destruction.

Things had turned out much better than expected.

He’d watched the hope in people’s faces, even his own daughter’s, being swept away by fear.

But business was business.

***