“Before you go on a big trip.”
“Where?”
Kit turned, “Shut up. Say anything more and I’ll tape your mouth shut, you got it?”
“Yes ma’am, I’m sorry.”
Kit seemed mollified, “Okay then. Let’s get down there.”
They walked another fifteen minutes to reach the barn, where Kit shoved the children into it and locked the door. The lights showed the scared faces of the other g
irls huddled in the corner. Another child, smaller, sat alone across the barn. She looked up at Kelly and Consuela, and Kelly felt awed by how beautiful she was, like no one she had ever seen before.
The child appeared cowed, but unhurt. She glanced at the group of girls, then at Kelly, as if waiting to be hit. Kelly walked to her, smiling, and said, “I’m Kelly, what’s your name?”
The child hesitated several seconds before saying, “I am Anita.”
“Nice to meet you, Anita. Why don’t you come over and sit with me and my friend, Consuela.” She leaned down to the child, “My friend was hurt, and I think if you talked to her, it might make her feel better. Want to go over there?”
Anita nodded, got to her feet, and followed Kelly to Consuela, where they sat some ten feet apart from the other girls.
After they introduced themselves, Anita asked, “Did you hurt your nose?”
“Yes, I did.” Consuela added, “Where are you from?”
“Acuña.”
“So am I.”
“The bad women took you, too?”
“They did, and took Kelly, too.”
“Why did they take us?”
Consuela glanced at Kelly, who said, “I think they want something, but I don’t know what it is.”
Anita nodded. “Quiero mi mamí, I want my mommy.”
Kelly said, “We have to be patient and brave, can you do that, Anita?”
Anita nodded, then looked up at Kelly as a shaft of sunlight fell across her face, highlighting her violet eyes as if a light was behind them.
Kelly said, “You have pretty eyes.”
“Mamí says that, too.”
Ten minutes passed before Kit and the man came inside. Kit said, “You’ll be leaving soon, so be quiet and don’t cause any trouble, you got that?”
The man looked at Kelly for a few seconds, then ran his tongue over his lips as his eyes mimicked satisfaction. He smirked and followed Kit out the door. Kelly almost cried, but held it back.
Anita said, “I don’t like that man.”
Consuela said, “He scares me, Kelly.”
“Me, too.”
Consuela said, “The way he looks at you, he wants to hurt you and…do other things, too.”