By PATRICK CABELLO HANSEL
Agnes hurried through the early morning streets of East Phillips with little Lupe in tow. But the weight of her decision slowed her hurry down. She had decided to save Angel’s and Luz’ daughter, despite Brian Fleming’s threat to have her own daughter Ingrid killed, or worse. Agnes knew that he had connections far beyond East Phillips, and that some of the women he had controlled had disappeared. No one knew if they had been sold, or killed and their bodies disposed so that they would never be found. Agnes loved Ingrid, her only living descendant, who had made many bad choices in her life. But she could not let this precious little Lupe become a victim of the great evil that Brian Fleming was.
Meanwhile, Luz and Angel and Angelito were following the trail of hearts pinned to 100-year-old houses. They had gone six blocks north and a few west from Cedar and Lake, and though the journey was not in a straight line, they did not lose hope. The hearts on the houses had warmed their hearts somehow, and so they continued on. At one point, Angel remarked to Luz how peaceful it was, despite the terror of not knowing about their daughter. Luz said nothing but hugged him closer.
Finally, they stopped at a small house set back from the street, one of those houses that seem to have plopped in whole from the sky somehow. They couldn’t tell from the street if there was a heart on the house, but something drew them in. The door opened, and a warm, soft light illuminated the walkway. A voice called to them: “Welcome! Come through!”
As they walked on the stone path, they saw that some of the stones had been decorated with mosaics. Luz recognized the work by artists from the center she had worked at. Though there was just the light from the doorway—no moon on this mysterious night—she could make out designs: wheat, a waterfall, birds, butterflies, a turtle.
At the door stood a young woman in a long blue robe with what appeared to be a golden hijab around her head. She smiled at them and said, “Oh Luz, oh Angel, oh little messenger Angelito, we have been waiting for you. Please come in. All will be well.”
Luz and Angel had no idea who she was, how she knew their names or why her smile was so disarming. But both of them later said they knew that she had to be Mother Light, and they knew that their missing daughter would be soon found.
Meanwhile, Agnes and Lupe trudged through the night.
Meanwhile, the police finished their raid on Brian Fleming’s operation, arresting some low-level operatives, and letting the higher ups conveniently escape.
To be continued.
Patrick Cabello Hansel is a retired pastor, having served with his wife for 15 years at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Phillips. He spends his days writing poetry and fiction, gardening and yelling at the TV.
