To the Land of Green

Chapter Fifteen

"Dangerous? Tell us what's going on," Andres says. "Remember how I mentioned the wardrobe?" I ask

"Yeah, what about it?" asks Manoy.

"Well, when my siblings and I arrived in the condo, I went straight to the room."

"Just say it, Marie," says José.

"I found a diary inside the vintage wardrobe and, while I was in the cell, I got a chance to read the first pages of the diary in the bathroom."

"You, have it. So where is it?" Andres asks. "I had it, but I think I lost it," I say.
"What do you mean!?" asks José.

"It's not in my bag and the night before the planned escape our guard was rushing me, so I don't know whether I put it back in my bag. I must have left it in the bathroom and Alvarez probably has it now and knows my identity," I admit. José rubs his hands over his face and walks away. I break the silence. "I'm sorry. It was the only material item you guys have to remind you of your sister and the only thing that could help you guys," I say.

"It's okay, Marie and you didn't know about it. It should be us saying sorry to you. We didn't tell you the truth because we feared that you would not help us, so I deeply apologize," says Andres.

"That's right, we apologize, Marie," says Manoy and Nando.

"And don't worry about José, he will come back in a few hours. He just needs to cool his head," Andres tells me.

"By the way, how many siblings do you have?" Manoy asks.

I tell them about Juan and Rosalinda and what our world is like.

**

"I still can't believe that you live in the year 2059," says Manoy.

"And I can't believe I am in the year 1898," I reply.

"Don't worry as soon as we get the diary and find where Angela is, we will help you. Even if she's dead, we will find a way to help you get back to your siblings," says Andres.

"Thank you, all of you," I say.
"We have to get back there as soon as possible," says José.

"We will José, but right now we have to go and meet Fredo and the rest. We'll need more help. His armed forces are too strong. We need to come up with a plan," says Andres.

"Lucas also needs more medicine. Your medicine will not be enough for him. We need to start moving tomorrow," Nando says.

"I agree," says Manoy.
"I'm going to help Patricia," I say.

"How is Lucas?" I ask.

"His fever is down. I just hope he heals soon," Patricia says.

"He will. He is strong," I say.

"He is," she whispers.

"Let me know if I can do anything for you," I say. "I'll grab some more banana leaves and maybe some food too."

"I'll come with you," Nando says. Nando and I head off into the jungle.

"It was not great. I will be honest. It brings up many memories I don't want to remember. The pain because of that pain, I almost didn't have energy to escape. Luckily, Manoy found me and woke me up from it," he says.

"You don't have to," I say.
"No, it's fine and I want you to know," he replies. "So what happened?" I ask.

He then described how he was treated. He thought he was going to feel what Andres and José felt but he was wrong. They didn't hurt him at all, not once, but the memories haunted him. Maybe that was Alvarez's plan, he knew Nando's weakness. So instead of physically hurting him, he puts him in the same place where he saw how his family was mistreated. He was put in the same cell, just further down from my cell.