Olifina: Love And Trouble

4. Stray Fox

"So, why are you in Tepoztlan?"

That question again. I just had to tell him anyway. "I'm looking for my dad."

"Your dad? He's missing?"

"Yes."

"When did this happen?"

"It's over a month now."

Oliverio stared at me quietly. What was he thinking? Why was he quiet?

"So, you mean you came all the way here to find your dad who has been missing for what? A month?"

"Yes, and why do you sound like that?"

"It's hard to believe."

Hard to believe? My dad was missing and as a concerned daughter, I was out there looking for him.

"What's hard to believe?"

"You're out here alone looking for your dad...alone" he replied, "and y-you don't even know how to go about it."

"So, I tell you about my problems and you begin to criticize me?"

"I'm not criticizing you, I'm just stating facts. Have you ever tried to contact the police?"

"I'm already handling things myself."

"Says the person who fainted on the mountain."

"I will not let you insult me just because I'm in your house."

"I'm not insulting you. I'm just trying to help you. Who knows what could've happened to you if I hadn't rescued you from that mountain."

"I'm grateful but I can handle things myself."

"I'm worried that something bad might happen to you. Let me at least call the police."

"If I wanted the police I would've called them myself. And stop treating me like I don't know what I'm doing."

He brought out his phone from his pocket.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling the police."

I stood up from my chair immediately. "Oliverio!"

He didn't answer. "Oliverio!"

I walked up to him and dragged the phone away. "You have no right to call the police after I've told you not to! Just because you helped me at the mountain doesn't mean you can involve yourself in all of my business."

"You can't do this on your own! And why are you so scared to call the police?"

"It's none of your business."

I'd had enough of that nonsense so I angrily walked away. I stopped in front of the house and looked at the surrounding area. It was filled with bushes everywhere. How was I supposed to find my way? I looked behind to find Oliverio staring at me through a window. He was waiting for me to come back and beg him which I wasn't going to do. I was fed up with the insults.

I walked some distance into the woods, the dry autumn leaves crunched under my boots. The trees grew far from each other so there was enough space to pass and also see the road ahead. There was no visible track to give me a hint on where to pass. I trudged on with a mind full of thoughts. The road got more confusing as I got deeper into the woods.

After a while of walking, I pulled myself to the ground by a tree and burst out crying. Maybe Oliverio was right. Just look at me. I was lost in the middle of the woods with no leads on Dad's location.

My head ached badly and I placed my hand on it. Why did Dad leave anyway? Did he not think of the effect his absence would have on me? He was the only one I had since Mom left. Uncle Casey and his family had been really helpful but I needed dad. Living alone was very lonely and I was sick of it.

I folded my legs to my chest to brace myself against the pains in my abdominal area. I was sure the Itasos were very worried. I didn't even have my phone to call them. What was I thinking?

My vision began to spiral as the woods seemed to close in on me. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening it again. My stomach growled. I should've finished my food at Oliverios' house. 

I managed to stand up using the tree as support. I was lost. Like, lost in a strange wood in a not-so-familiar city kind of lost. Like a stray fox -fiery, dogged, but lost.

Was this Oliverios' plan? He had brought me there so he could manipulate me without me being able to escape. 

Sulking wasn't going to solve any of my problems. I needed to get moving. I would walk in a straight line in a particular direction and see where that would lead me. I followed my plan and walked in a straight line. Gosh! I was lost. It seemed like I was walking in circles. I was just wasting my time. Was it just me or was the sun getting hotter? It felt like I was having a fever. I clutched my stomach as a wave of pain shot through it. The trees seemed to oscillate when I looked at them. Just one step after the other, I couldn't give up. The pains in my head loosened up and it suddenly felt light. Such relief! My vision started to darken and before I could figure out what was happening, I dropped to the ground.

My eyes fluttered open as raindrops met my skin. Was I asleep? I sat up and looked around me. I squeezed my fingers into a ball, gathering sand. Why was I on the ground?

Goosebumps began to form on my already freezing skin. I stood up and embraced myself against the cold. It was dark and the chirping of crickets coupled with the croaking of frogs and noise from different animals filled the night air. I suddenly felt like a prey, a real sitting duck.

I had no other choice but to go back to Oliverio. Turning around, I tried to get my bearings.  I couldn't see very clearly even with the moonlight, I was officially hopeless. Why did I have to suffer all this? Why did Dad have to leave? Maybe I should've stayed back in Sinaloa. Anyway, that was not the time to give up. I was just getting started and I needed to be strong. Oliverio wasn't right, I could handle everything. I started to walk again on a straight path.

A wave of nausea hit me before I could count ten steps. I saw myself falling but someone caught me from behind. I turned around to meet a male figure. He was wearing a face cap which covered half of his face. He held me until I was stable before he led me through the woods.

After some minutes of walking, we stopped in front of a house. The man opened the door and took me in with him. He led me to a room upstairs and removed my boots to help me lie down before taking my boots to a corner. At that point, I was beyond weak so I just slept off.

In my dream, a dove landed in the palms of my hand. It gave this graceful and magnificent feeling, very peaceful. I watched it fly from my hand into the skies, a golden sight indeed -one that I'll never forget. The scene slowly shifted from there to a place of complete darkness, then to a room as I opened my eyes slowly.

There was a disturbing feeling in my gut. It felt like something that had been there a long time before I woke up. Suddenly, I felt sick and rushed to the bathroom as fast as I could.

Kneeling before the toilet, my bowels emptied their content as I vomited. I felt hot and cold at the same time. After some minutes of kneeling, I tried to stand but my legs quaked underneath me. My head felt empty and I almost tipped over. I held onto the wall and stayed there for some seconds until I could safely walk out of the bathroom.

I sat on the floor close to the bed and rested my body on it. My head still felt light.

Mustering enough strength, I pushed myself up to stand. My legs felt heavy as I walked out of the room to the grand stairs leading into the living room. Placing one hand on the rail for support,  I put the other on my stomach to try and pacify the constant crumpling feeling in it.

I paused in my tracks on seeing Oliverio in the living room. He was making a call and had his back turned to me. I continued to stare at him as memories of our quarrel flashed through my mind. He turned around and our eyes met.