2020-When Time Stood Still

Chapter Fourteen-The Last Supper

Chapter 14

The last supper

We thanked Miguel for his help and hospitality and made our way to the supermarket before leaving the town. Upon entering it was compulsory to clean our hands with hand sanitizer and put on disposable plastic gloves, even though we had our own. "More plastic to contaminate the oceans." I grumbled to Ronnie.

I was struck by the sight of a small girl, perhaps only five or six years old, wearing the mask and gloves but more poignantly, the doll she was carrying also wore a mask. She stopped and cleaned the doll's hands obediently and entered with her mother. I caught Ronnie's eye and he shook his head sadly. "The new normality. What will these children be like in the future? Afraid of everything I imagine."

I watched other parents with young children hurrying them around the supermarket and slapping or scolding them if they dared touch anything. I shivered. I was so grateful not to have young children in these stressful times.

It felt very tense inside the shop and people attempting to avoid each other in the aisles. I shopped as quickly as I could to get out of there as fast as possible. I hated every moment of it.

We all breathed a sigh of relief to be back at the vehicle. "Apart from going to Miguel's, there is nothing that would draw me back to the town in a hurry." I muttered to Jim.

"Yeah, it's sad how everything has changed so drastically. You can almost smell the fear, though strangely I felt it more from the younger people in the supermarket than the older people we saw sitting in the square together. Maybe because they have already been through so much not much fazes them anymore. I've got to say, I will never forget old Pepe. He's a legend!" We both laughed. Pepe was indeed a legend and I wouldn't forget him in a hurry either.

I was soon to find out, that no one would, and Pepe would become unforgettable in every way.

We had been so distracted by everything else that we had forgotten to ask about the embassy.

"Jim, we completely forgot to ask about the situation with the embassy." I said.

"Oh shit! Of course, only one of the most important reasons for coming into town but with all the drama I completely forgot." Jim slapped his head. "Basically, they have said we just have to stay put. No more flights are leaving the country at present. A plane will be specially commissioned by the government at a later date to take all expats home but right now things are very precarious on all levels and as long as we are healthy and in a safe place we should stay where we are and not move. The police and military know where we are too so it would be very foolish to try anything else. They said to check in next week but if anything, major happened in the meantime they would send the police to the house to inform us."

We sat in silence for the rest of the way home, all lost in our own thoughts. So, this was it for the near future, stranded in Spain. Once again, another obstacle, or was it?

Was this all part of the plan and for reasons unknown right now, this was where we were meant to be? Whilst London may be our final destination, perhaps it was this entire journey that was the major awakening for us all, the time spent together and the shared experiences.

Nothing was an accident I now realized. I missed kai despite the very short time spent together, I felt like he'd truly got under my skin. However, when I thought of Jim's arm around me, I momentarily blushed like a teenager. Ronnie instantly caught my eye as if he knew what I was thinking. I punched him playfully and whispered, "Shut it! I know exactly what you are thinking!" He laughed in response. We had formed a special bond and even though the thought of being stranded here indefinitely scared me somewhat, I was grateful for these special people I had met, especially Ronnie.