25 - THE FIRST STOP

 25 - THE FIRST STOP

 

- It's a good thing that stump doesn't move, right?

- Maria, don't stuff...

- Seriously... if we depended on your lasso skill to get out of trouble, we'd be lost...

- As if you knew how to do better...

- I don't know... that's why we were lost...

Maria and Graca were camped a few leagues from the camp where they lived. They decided to take a break from their walk, to practice a little with the lasso and the revolver. After all, they didn't know how to use either one or the other...

- Grace, can I ask you something?

- Question...

- Why did you decide to dress all in black?

- Do you swear that if I talk, you won't make fun of me?

- Interest...

- I heard that Juvêncio is around these parts...

- Who? That masked one?

- Yeah... wouldn't it be great if we crossed with him in this big world?

- I don't know... but what is he doing here?

"Cassing off some gang of bad guys, for sure..."

- As long as it's not Ferreira...

- I don't think so... Zé Ferreira is a small fish... he usually goes after sharks...

After missing her loop for the hundredth time, Graça pauses to drink the coffee her friend had just prepared. The two were silent for a few moments. Again, Maria was the first to bring up the subject...

- Is your mother?

- What about her?

- Do you know what you decided to do?

- Let's say I didn't tell the whole story... I hope your mother doesn't spill the beans...

- You can be sure not. My mother is not a gossip...

- I'm glad your family is going to take care of her for me... and I hope we find that bastard soon... I need the money to take her to the big city... the doctor said that the sooner he takes her to a hospital, the more chances she has to heal...

- We'll make it, you'll see...

- I hope to God so...

- Is he handsome?

- He who...

- Juvêncio, come on...

- I don't know... it must be... at least that's how I imagine him to be...

- But why does he wear that mask, anyway?

- They say it's a sign of mourning... they say that when he was younger a gang invaded the camp where he lived and killed his whole family. He wasn't at home, he was dealing with the cattle... when he arrived and saw what happened, he swore he would catch those responsible for it... he put on his mask and started chasing the bands of criminals he found.. .

- And he got revenge?

- Who will know? What is certain is that even today he continues to ride through this hinterland, doing justice for the people...

-Is he still young?

- They say he's about forty years old...

- It's already old...

- You're kidding right?

- Joking? You just look at the people around us... twenty-five, thirty years... and it's all over...

-Yeah, life in the countryside isn't easy... but Juvêncio doesn't use a hoe in his work...

And the two were silent again. Graça took another piece of cornbread and while he chewed the food, his expression was that of an absent soul. Maria stared at her, wondering what was going through her friend's head. At one point she asked herself what was going through her head, since she was aware that she didn't have any skills to fulfill the mission that she and her friend embraced... her father was right... what would they do when find their prey? Would she have the courage to shoot the man if necessary? Or would she be paralyzed with dread since she simply couldn't stand the sound of a gun cracking? No, she had to get these crazy ideas out of her head. Since she had decided to take this path together with her friend, she would go all the way...

- What do we do now, Grace?

- How about taking some shots and see if we can hit something?

- It's crazy...

- No, seriously... we have to improve our aim... we might need to use the weapon at some point...

- Hope not...

- Maria, we're going to have to use the weapons... and we're going to have to shoot who we're chasing....

- And will you have the courage?

- But of course... who is in the rain is to get wet, my dear...

- I don't know...

- Look, if you want to give up, don't worry... we're still close to home... now, if you decide to accompany me, you have to be prepared for anything...

Without saying anything, Maria pulled out her gun and shot... Graça was stupefied, not understanding what had happened. Maria was livid, all the blood in her face seemed to be suddenly gone. Gradually the color returned to her features, and she slowly lowered the gun. Graça ran towards her friend, as she was visibly in shock because of her action...

- What happened, Maria? Why did you almost kill me, you crazy girl?

- Look over there where you were...

Grace turned and looked... and was scared, for a moment. A few steps away from where she was, a snake was giving its last poses, its head shattered by Maria's shot... the girl had just saved her friend's life...

- Wow...

That was all Graça managed to say... meanwhile, Maria exchanged the exploded capsule for another...

- Girl, I didn't know you shot so well...

- I don't know how to shoot... it was all of a sudden... I saw the snake arming the boat against you...

- Thank God you hit her and not me...

- Amen... let's get out of here...

They dismantled the camp, packed their things, saddled their horses, mounted and left again, for the time being without any definite direction... the two rode in silence, thoughtful... the first obstacle they faced came in the form of a poisonous serpent, which he had nearly ended his odyssey right then and there... it wasn't a very promising start...