Neophyte

Descendant

Guillermo was outside eating a piece of rabbit he had hunted. He couldn't stop thinking about his sister. He was overwhelmed with guilt for not being able to protect her. He suddenly saw Metztli walking toward him. "Metztli, cualli teotlac (good evening)."

"Teotlac (Evening), Guillermo. Quen tinemi? (How are you?)"

"Better than most days, but I have my days. I am surprised that you are visiting me this late. Is something the matter?" Guillermo noticed Metztli was playing with her fingers; he knew that something wasn't right. "Want to sit?"

"No. Actually, I came here to ask you to come with me."

"Where?"

Metztli clamped her hands together, trying to soothe her nerves. "We need to visit your sister."

Guillermo flinched. "Metztli, our sister, will turn away everyone except Toypurina, she-"

"She needs us. Valentina needs you. You would understand her more than any of us. She needs you by her side. I also have something to tell you both. It will take a lot of willpower for you to believe what I am about to tell you." 

Metztli sounded serious, and Guillermo was still uncertain whether or not to visit his sister, but she did have a point. He wanted to visit his sister, to hug her, to tell her that he would always be by her side. Guillermo also felt that he failed Valentina in the worst way. He got out of his thoughts as Metztli gently held onto one of his hands. "Please, trust me. We can do this, together."

Her words sounded sincere, making him feel hope as never before. "Alright, let's go." 

The two silently walked toward Valentina's kich, which was at one of the corners of the village. They saw some light, knowing Valentina was inside. 

"Ready?"

"No, but I know we must do this," Guillermo slightly stuttered. Both slowly entered the kiche where it was dimly lit by a bonfire that was slowly giving out. There was nothing but folded clothing, blankets, and some plates and pots in disarray. At the end of the kiche, a figure was seen covered in a blanket where the light of the fire barely hit.

Guillermo and Metztli felt an intense sadness that they had never felt before. They looked at one another and nodded. Metztli slowly walked forward and knelt before the bonfire. She got a small piece of wood and put it on the fire to help it expand. "Valentina..." There was no movement or response. Metztli was nervous, but she refused to leave until she spoke the truth. She was willing to take all the abuse and profanities. "I know it took us a long time to speak with you. We believed you would decide on your own to speak with us, but we chose to come to you." Metztli motioned Guillermo forward and directed him to sit on the right side of the bonfire so he could be ready for her instructions.

Guillermo slowly knelt as his eyes never left his sister. He felt his heart torn to pieces seeing his sister hiding herself, filled with shame and violation. Pascual took his sister by force, and he wasn't there to stop it. "Valentina, I-I know that what I say may not mean anything or will make everything better. I-I-"  It was difficult to find the right words to tell his sister. Seeing Metztli nodding at him, he realized that he should speak from his heart, the truth. "Onicnencauh momahuizotzin (I failed your honor). Nohuelti, xinechtlapopolhui (My sister, forgive me)."

Metztli silently watched as Guillermo let his heart out; tears formed in his eyes. "Guillermo..."

"Valentina, I was the one who should have protected you. I should have been the one to suffer. I failed as a man, as a protector, and as a brother. I hate myself for letting go through such suffering and pain. I hate myself! I hate myself! Why wasn't it me who suffered!? If I could, I would take all your pain for myself. All I wanted was for you to be happy! You were right all along! Those Padres, those white devils, were always the evil ones! They would never see us as part of them! We are mere cattle to them, and you had always seen the truth! I blinded myself, knowing I had witnessed their cruelty!" More of Guillermo's tears dripped from his eyes as everything he kept within himself was finally let out. "You can hate me all you want; I will accept all your hate and anger, but please, don't push me away."

Tears threatened to form, but Metztli gently wiped them away. Guillermo's words made her emotional. She noticed Valentina move slightly. "I know she wants to say something. She's scared of opening up."  An idea came to mind: a song her paternal grandmother had sung to her when she was eight, saying it had been sung in the family for generations. Her paternal grandmother passed away when Metztli was ten, but her father always said that her grandmother was one of the few who knew much of the language. 

She began to sing.  

While singing, Metztli felt a warm sensation throughout her body, giving her strength. She then noticed Guillermo looking at her, surprised. 

Valentina moved slowly, her face briefly visible. Metztli noticed the bags under her eyes; she knew that Valentina hadn't slept in a long time. Trauma can do that to a person. She eventually finished her song; the crackling of the fire echoed.

"H-How do you know that song?" Guillermo asked.

"Does it bring significance?"

"Our mother used to sing it to us, and it is Valentina's favorite; she would still sing it from time to time."

Metztli bit her lip, and she took a breath. "I-I know this song because it was passed down in my family for generations."

"What? I thought you-"

"I know, but I didn't tell you both and everyone the truth of my origin because I knew it would be hard to believe. Though I will tell you that Victoriano, Mitena, Esteban, and Toypurina know the truth because the situation called for it. Now, it's time for you both to know, too." Taking a deep breath, Metztli said, "My name is Metztli De La Cruz, and I was born and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, where I have always grown up close to the Mission of San Gabriel. I come from the future, the year 2015."

Guillermo's eyes widened; his lips shivered. "What are you talking about? You-"

"I am not lying to you. I forgot to bring my bag to show you proof, but what I say is the truth. Why do you think I know how to speak English and Spanish so well? Do you think that just any mestiza can learn these languages? Also, why couldn't I speak the language of our people?" Metztli noticed that Valentina turned even more, but the lower part of her face was still hidden. "Do you often wonder why I acted and dressed differently? Why did I try to take Mitena's rosary when we first met, Valentina?" Metztli had Valentina's entire attention; her eyes looked like a bottomless abyss. She knew that what she was going to say next was going to hurt her, but Metztli was tired of living in a lie, just like Valentina. "Do you remember?" Metztli asked softly.

"Yes..." Valentina responded in a whisper.

Guillermo glanced at his sister. "She spoke!"

Metztli took a deep breath. "The rosary I thought I lost belonged in my family for generations; it was said in each generation that it holds our history. That it was special, it was eventually passed down to me. It took me a while to develop a theory, but it turned out to be true. A truth that Toypurina helped me confirm, but also told me a truth that even I didn't think of." She took another deep breath. "Valentina, I am your descendant from the future."