24 - THE FAREWELL

 24 - THE FAREWELL

  - You are kidding with me...

- No, dad... I'm serious...

- Serious?! How can you be serious, girl?...

- It's true, father... Grace and I are going to look for Zé Ferreira...

- You're going crazy... you can only...

- Of course not... we accepted a contract and went ahead... wasn't that what you taught me?

- Playing crazy?

- Father...

- Girl, listen to me well... what you and your friend want to do is crazy...

- Why?

- Because you're not ready for this... just for that...

- What do you mean, I'm not ready?

- Do you think that chasing a person is like that? Do you decide to go and that's it?

- Of course not, right...

- Have you thought if you have to go out on arm with him? You'll catch like big people...

- You only think the worst...

- Uh... do you think he's going to give himself up to you guys... just say you've captured him and he'll come like a little lamb...

- Suddenly...

- Wake up, girl... he knows what Leôncio wants. And if you think he's going to turn himself in...

- Dad, we know that. And we're armed...

- And you think carrying a gun is enough?

- I think...

- All right... let's imagine that you manage to corner the guy...

- Right...

- And he reacts and starts sending a wingless beetle at you...

- Wingless beetle?!...

- He starts shooting at you...

- Well, then we protect ourselves somewhere, right?... and wait for his ammunition to run out....

- And you think this will work...

- Oh, of course it will...

- What about your weapons?

- What about them?

- Aren't you going to use them?

- Only if absolutely necessary...

- Ah... it means that him sending bullets at you doesn't make it necessary to fight back...

- It's dangerous... what if we kill him?

- Well, if he's shooting, he's thinking about doing it with you...

- I...

- See? That's what I'm talking about... if you're going to go after someone, you have to be willing to use every means available... to attack and defend yourself...

Maria was silent for a moment. She knew her father was right. But she didn't want to give in... in any case... if it worked out, she could leave that end of the world, look for a better life, where she would be able to afford more than a calico dress bought at great cost in the country. Christmas... Grace was arriving, all dressed up. The bay horse that Leôncio had made available to her was really beautiful, and he was a good racer. For Maria he had given a black horse, whose name was Ventania. The bay was called Corisco. If they were really fast or if only the name gave that impression, they would soon find out... Grace dismounted in front of Zacarias's house and went to join her friend. Zacarias shook his head, as he was afraid the girls would stick their feet through their hands...

- Is ready?

- I'm saying goodbye to my father...

Zacarias looked at the girl...

- Grace, don't you think the weather is a little hot to wear black clothes? With this sun going down today, you're going to cook on top of the horse...

- Don't worry, Mr. Zacarias... I know what I'm doing...

- Really know? Do you know how to use that gun that's on your waist?

- Hey, just point and pull the trigger...

Zacarias looked first at Graça, then at Maria... he wasn't going to stop his daughter from leaving, because from the earliest age he had taught her to follow her heart... and it wouldn't be now that he would cut her wings, even if that was the case. the urge I felt. He was afraid that his daughter would get hurt in the adventure she was embarking on... he knew that the two girls weren't prepared to face a situation of that magnitude... but his life motto was: "it's falling down that you learn to get up ...."

When Maria was going to ride her horse, Zacarias asked her...

- Aren't you going to check if your gun is loaded?

- But, dad... I know it's loaded...

- You know, nothing... check...

- Father...

- I'm serious... check the barrel of your gun...

Rather begrudgingly, as she was sure her gun was loaded, Maria unlocked the barrel and went to examine the chambers... she was surprised to see that there was no ammunition in it. Seeing this, Graça decided to check it too... and her gun was also unloaded...

- Now imagine that you two needed the gun and found out at the time that it was out of ammunition... have you thought about the situation?

The two girls remained unresponsive. After all, they were careless with their equipment, they couldn't deny it...

- Girls, since you decided to do this nonsense, learn one thing... we always examine our weapons... trusting without verifying is signing your death sentence...

The two mounted and prepared to leave.

- One last piece of advice... always be alert and never turn your back on your opponents... got it?

The two nodded their heads...

- So, go... and may God protect you...

Then the two left, not looking back. Zacarias stood there, watching the two girls disappear into the horizon ... and he wondered why the two girls were tangled up were going to get involved...