Chap 8

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

𒄆─────────⋆𖤐⋆─────────𒄆

With a heavy sigh, Dad sat down at the dining table and continued his story.  -¿Pasó todo eso, padre? ¿Qué crees que pudo haber sido?  Eztli inquired; her eyes wide with curiosity.

Mom, a gentle soul with a cautious demeanor, interjected,  "Cariño, intenta no contar ese tipo de cosas delante de Eztli." It's hard enough to get her to stop making up all this nonsense, and then you just make her even angrier." Mom's words held a tone of concern.

Dad chuckled softly, a faint hint of sadness lingering in his laughter. "Lo siento, cariño. Al menos mi pareja está recibiendo la ayuda que necesita por ahora. He will recover soon and I need a rest."

Eztli, now filled with excitement, bid her family farewell as she headed off to college. The campus buzzed with life, a vibrant backdrop against the heaviness that hung in the air. Surrounded by her friends, Eztli couldn't shake off the unease that gripped her heart, the mystery of her father's experience lingering in her mind.

"You have no idea what happened with my dad! Seems like his partner at work saw something weird at the crime scene when they were investigating," Eztli shared with her friends, her voice calm.

Peta, asked, En serio, ¿qué vio?" Eztli shook her head, her expression grave. "He didn't say exactly, but it seems like his partner was really shocked".

Her friends' eyes grew wide with excitement. "¿Y el cuento del rancho?" Rono questioned. "Yeah, my mom doesn't believe in it, but my dad's story makes me think twice," Eztli replied, her voice trailing off as she remembered the doll's unsettling presence on her room.

Rono, a skeptic by nature, scoffed.  "Es una locura, a tu papá le pasan cosas raras todo el tiempo... y tú aún no has visto nada," Rono remarked, his tone tinged with disbelief.

Eztli, caught between skepticism and belief, mused, "You know, I've always thought people who have strange or paranormal experiences need to believe there is something out there, but you know I don't need those things to believe."

Rono leaned in, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Your dad's seen some crazy stuff over the years. I've heard stories, but he's never talked about them much. It's like he's got some kind of gift or... curse."

Konane, a friend with a contemplative gaze, interjected,"Me pregunto qué tendría que ver alguien para estar en un estado como ese.." And one day, you might see the same thing happen to you. If it actually existed, I wouldn't be able to sleep if I saw something like that."

Peta, nodding in agreement, added, "I agree with him. It's like we can't intervene with their environment. It's like wild animals; we shouldn't make contact to begin with."

Eztli's mind drifted back to her father, his calm demeanor masking the storm that brewed within him. "It's cool. He's fine. He likes doing his job, and I know for sure he knows how to take care of himself. Like my abuelos, they are quite extraordinary," Eztli reassured her friends, a sense of pride in her family's resilience evident in her words.

Eztli and Peta bid farewell to their friends in the bustling university campus, heading towards the towering building where they both had classes. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the cobblestone pathways, creating a mystical ambiance that added a touch of mystery to the evening.

As they strolled, Peta suddenly stopped in her tracks, a shiver running down her spine. Eztli, noticing her friend's sudden unease, inquired, "What's wrong, Peta? Peta tried to brush it off, "I'm fine, just a chill. Must've been a cold breeze or something." Eztli peered at her closely, concern etched on her face. "Are you sure? You look pale."

A sense of foreboding lingered in the air as if unseen eyes were watching their every move. The building loomed ahead, its imposing facade reflecting the fading sunlight, giving it an almost ominous feel.

"Come on, Peta," Eztli said, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "We're going to be late."

Peta nodded, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "You're right. I'm probably just felt something.

1) -¿Pasó todo eso, padre? ¿Qué crees que pudo haber sido?

[Did all that happen, father? What do you think it could've been?]

2) Cariño, intenta no contar ese tipo de cosas delante de Eztli. Ya es bastante difícil conseguir que deje de inventarse todas esas tonterías, y después la enojas aún más.

[Honey, try not to tell those sorts of things in front of Eztli. It's hard enough to get her to stop dreaming up all this nonsense, and then you wind her up even more."]

(3) Lo siento, cariño. Al menos mi pareja está recibiendo la ayuda que necesita por ahora. Él se recuperará pronto y yo necesito un descanso".

[I'm sorry, honey. At least my partner is getting the help he needs for now. He'll be better soon and I need a break.]

(4)-En serio, ¿qué vio?"

[-Seriously, what did you see?]

(5)  "Es una locura, a tu papá le pasan cosas raras todo el tiempo... y tú aún no has visto nada,"

"It's crazy, weird things happen to your dad all the time... and you haven't seen anything yet,"

(6)"Me pregunto qué tendría que ver alguien para estar en un estado como ese.."

["I wonder what someone would have to do with it to be in a state like that.."]