8 The light at the end of the tunnel

After 3 days my leg had healed, as they say it was more blood and pain than wound, but this game of girl had already finished and even more knowing the truth, I may not have had much strength yet but I would not let myself be dominated more by her, so every time I heard her answering the phone I made noise hitting her wall, she logically after the call scolded me or simply ignored me, for the work I pay Rayo and his friend and they both left that same day.

Carlos and I only had the vigilance of Gloria who still tortured him to know if Alejandro had returned and what else he had done, so much was his torture that it left him almost faint; it gave me pain and sometimes I would tell Carlos please tell him or other times I would implore her to stop, but when he got tired or bored he would leave and leave us alone again, my tank pool had changed, now only from the bust up it was dry, the chains on my fin were heavier and he did not let me move much.

When I was taking my phone because of the sound of a call Carlos asked me to use Morse code, but in a not so logical way of an SOS, I didn't know if Gloria would know that code but I still preferred to be cautious, almost all of them were "crazy", "cold" and "dark"; they were slight clues of how she was and how I was, he would scold me again but he wouldn't say anything about the translation of the hits, in the same way I couldn't let my guard down and I kept on going.

I knew that whoever had called my phone before called back so much that it was almost 8 calls in a row and with one call to get to 8 of 2 hours and then go on, in one she could not take it anymore and took a gun while in front of me she pointed her gun and answered the call and as if challenging me she left the high voice, when she heard Esther's voice crying it made me feel bad, but I knew that if Carlos or I said "help" she would be able to shoot us and there they would only find us both or one of us dead.

I decided to challenge her a little and I grabbed the stone and made it sound loud which in basic translation was "I hear", Gloria didn't say anything about what the noise was but she did smile and I knew that with that she was saying "very clever, but it won't do any good", I knew it was good since Esther's father had been in the Navy, and the Morse code in Marina was more than just a teaching, it was like the bread of the day.

I repeated the words crazy, cold and dark, but included the anchor and fear, Esther insulted her and provoked her to ask

Esther: Does it really amuse you to hear me crying and despairing? -withdrawn-

Gloria: you don't know how much baby, this is very pleasant. -smile-

Luz: -uncomfortable but in a whisper I tell you- you are the worst.

Gloria: -laughs out-

Esther: you are the worst, you are a witch. -screams-

As if that were a sign, I hit the wall again with the word witch, and repeated the word "I listen". As if that was a voice of hope Esther smiled and before hanging up she challenged Gloria with her great phrase of "I'm going to get you" and from there she hung up. Clearly although Gloria did not shoot but slapped me as I left the room she said that was because she was scandalous but you were a good girl, and as she closed the door she shouted that in 4 days we would go to her island.

Carlos was smiling in part and I did not know why but I smiled and nodded to him as a sign that Esther had understood the messages in Morse code and I did not know why but something told me that the girls had got the idea. After hearing my phone again Gloria answered and I was just saying "hello" again I heard Gloria's voice somewhat calm and I did not know who was calling, for a moment I imagined that she gave my number to one of her people and I had called her, that partly scared me but I decided not to give up.

After hanging up the call, Gloria came into the room and gave me a quick check-up and took pictures of me. That made me angry and I tried to ruin her pictures, but for some reason she hadn't even gotten angry, she was so calm that it made me think about the craziest and strangest things.

Between the days close to the departure they were entering and leaving the house, I heard men's voices in the distance and he did not mind saying his animated plan and how he was only one day away from leaving Mallorca and taking his pets with him, I knew that he had declared us as his "pets", I could only whisper to Carlos to apologize for all the bad things that were happening to him and I felt guilty for everything; he only denied with his head of a "calm".

The time of the visits passed so slowly that I felt that only in seconds were minutes, minutes, hours and hours years, I really hated feeling like that, I could only ask for help from the moon that shone high above and ask "please let this just be a bad dream" and if it really was a bad dream just that I woke up, heard how they laughed and planned everything, that if the house, the rooms, who would be your neighbors, who would have access and who would not.

Rarely did he boast that he had a pet that no one else has, the man only laughed and in slight whispers listened as he said with his foreign accent

Man 1: oh, I can't wait to see your precious pet!.

Gloria: -gentle and shy smile- I can assure you that as soon as you see it you will love it.

Man 1: -laughs- I have no doubt about it Miss Gloria, my investors are very excited about you, since you have a great project and I have heard that more than one is interested.

Gloria: -arranges some papers- yes well I have interviewed several and I have seen their work and I will not deny that they are good, but... not only I have accepted to build the house but other wonderful architectures that will be in our island, the truth is that I have loved his team and a lot and I see how the architect being young has fresh ideas and I have managed to love his plans.

Man 1: oh yes, Gabriel is a great architect and his team is very impeccable and tidy.

Gloria: I have seen him and I have loved it; I am anxious for the project to begin; here are the papers, Mr. Becker, tomorrow morning I will have everything to leave.

Mr. Becker: great Miss Gloria, then I will call my men so you can use my yacht with pleasure.

Gloria: this is very kind of you and I appreciate it, the truth is that my pets are somewhat delicate and I appreciate them very much.

Mr. Becker: don't worry, they are discreet and won't say anything; they are very faithful and loyal.

After listening to both voices leave, but Gabriel's name had stayed with me and in a slight sigh I said to myself, "I wish that Gabriel was our Syoran"; and with that thought I rested my eyes for a while.

At night Gloria was preparing everything and had called Rayo with another man named Big Gill, I found it curious since it reminded me of Jakie and Gill from the great movie where Antonio Banderas is the cat in boots, I remember those moments where the girls laughed at the top of their lungs, remembering that almost made me cry but I decided not to cry again and even less in front of Gloria and her gorillas.

When Big Gill saw us he was surprised and only whispered to Rayo that the lady had strange tastes and fetishes, Rayo made him shut up while he was nodding, I saw how from a small first aid kit he took out the syringe and filled it with a liquid that made me feel calm as if in a state of trance, I was awake but stunned; They took Carlos down and with another injection machine Big Gill did the same thing, when I heard Camila's voice I knew it was her who ordered them to do that first since she didn't want it to have tie marks for now.

From the color of the sky I knew it was too early since the birds were not yet singing and I calculated between 6:30 am to 7:00 am, I kept my phone next to his while he was showing off my cell phone as if it were his now. I could not get angry but inside I was full of rage for such atrocities, Ray took me in and sat me down in a wheelchair and wrapped me up in a blanket and I partly thanked him since I missed such warmth; Carlos was given a new shirt and then handcuffed as if they were police officers, and we were taken to the living room, for the first time he could detail the living room of his house and near us they put the bags.

I wanted to talk but I couldn't, I felt as if I had gone to the dentist and had my mouth anesthetized, after a while they had everything ready and while Rayo took care of my Big Gill she took Carlos, downstairs other men were waiting for us where the man in the limousine and while Rayo loaded me and covered my tail the driver kept the wheelchair, then they put Carlos in and as I was able to say to Carlos

Luz: -speaks slowly- Glory... is confident.

Carlos: believes... that they will not... recognize us. -He tries to move his body-

Seeing that they hardly saw me I tried to move my body, I still couldn't move or talk and as if that wasn't enough between Gloria and Camila they said how peaceful they felt without hearing my voice, I couldn't even get angry but I still tried to move my hands and force my body to wake up. Carlos still couldn't move or speak but we both had the same plan to wake up our bodies and escape from these madwomen.

After a few hours we arrived at the port, I looked somewhat hastily at the port but it was not the same one where Esther had her yacht, Gloria who looked at me and believing she saw if there was anyone nearby approached me and with a cruel gesture told me that no one here would help me since I am their lucky charm and none of them would let me go and be free, while she laughed she heard Mr. Gloria was clearly quick and started talking to him in a very polite and seductive way. He introduced her to his men and told her that Gabriel would be here in a few minutes.

When she went to ask about Carlos, Camila excuses herself that she was his future back guard and she liked to do that so as not to panic about the fear of the boat's movement. Clearly that excuse was more farfetched and difficult to believe and I knew that Mr. Becket didn't believe much of that story either and preferred to ignore it. In front of them he gave them instructions on where to go and if something happened they would call him.

He was not going to leave with us as he had to wait for Gabriel and two other people to leave, when Lightning was going to carry me off again. Beckett wanted to help him and he told her that nothing was wrong since I don't weigh much and something curious said that he understood and left. He listened to me ask Gloria and her sister about me and Gloria showing her humble side said that I am a cousin of hers and I was born with paralysis and she is the one who has taken care of me, I couldn't hear anything else because I was already inside the yacht, I noticed how the men looked at me curiously and he would lower me to the part of the room, a few minutes later Big Gill arrived with Carlos and tied him up near me, from there they went up and put the rest in, when I came down Camila took off her clothes and stayed in her swimsuit while she looked at me, she said

Camila: I'm going to do what you can't do, be free and enjoy the sun. -says-

Luz: -try to speak-

Camila: oh, you want to talk to me so badly, but the effect will wear off in 3 hours, so just be calm. -sticking out your tongue like a girl-

Indeed, I still could not speak or move well, I kept forcing my body to wake up and react, but just when I wanted to make a sudden movement under Gloria and in an exhausting tone she said she would sleep for a while and then go up to sunbathe with Camila; she lay down on the bed behind me and I felt how men were preparing to sail and go into the sea. I tried to calm down and just focus on my body, I did some light exercises and a little rough to wake him up.

I don't know how much time passed, but my body was moving little by little, how could I drag myself to Carlos and even with clumsy and painful hands I was able to untie him, even though he was asking me to leave him and go, but I simply couldn't leave him and go, I knew they would kill him if they saw that I wasn't there, my left hand woke up completely and even though it wasn't my strong hand I untied him drowning out a cry of pain since he was tied with pita fiber and those are very used in sailing, I knew that from Esther.

With red, aching hands I managed to untie him and asked him to go up first while I watched Gloria who, crazy as she was, was asleep. Carlos with much secrecy climbed up and I rushed up even though my legs were clumsy, Carlos helped me a stretch and as we were able to skirt the yacht to an area where there was little visibility, Carlos wanted to take a chance and throw me into the sea, I had managed to locate the area where we were and I risked throwing myself, I waited a little while and my body reacted to the tingling, but I noticed that they were not stopping the yacht, so I signaled Carlos and he jumped in.

Clearly this scream was so strong that they stopped the engine, I hid Carlos near a rock and decided to hide a little but Camila had already seen me near a rock, when they saw me alone they only laughed saying that Carlos had abandoned me to my fate, I knew that if I looked in a different direction it was a sign for them, Gloria only laughed and said

Gloria: You know... If I had to die by drowning because of a cramp or a shot in the head, I think I would choose the latter, something quick and without agony. -looking for a weapon-

Luz: -I had a hard time talking but as I could say- that... you think... I... prefer... Not to be near you.

Camila: according to my watch you must still have your body asleep, I admire your courage but you reached the end of the road- look at Gloria- I leave you, you know I hate these parts.

Gloria: you are weak little sister.

Camila: if what you say.

As I had my hands hidden I did not know that I was making a slight noise that very few animals manage to hear, more than a warning it was an SOS, Gloria did not care and pointed the gun at me and when I was going to shoot a jet ski the bathroom and hearing the man's voice between shouts almost gave me a faint, behind the jet ski a group of rescue corps and police arrived and among them was none other than Mr. Becket who had negotiated with Gloria and Gabriel, indeed my suspicion was right it was our Syoran.

When I looked closely at who the jet ski was, an angry Alexander said

Alejandro: you're a filthy rat, I don't want to imagine what you've done to my partner. -furious-

Gloria: -imitating my voice- oh, I see if it's my Prince Charming, a failed detective who comes to my rescue -Pause for a minute- oh, please, that little novel about the gentleman at the last minute rescuing his damsel is more than scratched, that little creativity they really have -he points his gun at me and says- but you know this novel or soap opera, whatever you want to call it will not have a happy ending.

I thought he was going to shoot me but I turned his gun on Alejandro and tried to move fast to rescue him, when finally my sound had taken effect one of the dolphins that had arrived pushed me and I was able to cover Alejandro by taking the shot. Gloria just raised her shoulders in an "ups" sign but her laughter soon came out and just laughed.

I had hit my waist, it was hard for me to move around a bit, but my concern was to attract a shark, but what I hated most about it was the thought of it and "poof" becoming real, indeed the police at the sound of a strange noise and with haste and screaming approached me to take me to "the mainland" as we used to say. Esther's voice made me cry but at the same time I was worried about the sound and the movement of the radar object that could be a shark.

In fact, although the rescue team tries to hurry, the shark's fin shows up, and does the same thing as the first time, they inspect everything. The police, who were more confused by this behavior, managed to pull me up, but my fin was the last one to go up because of my clumsy movements, in spite of my condition and the slight cold that I felt, I asked Esther to see if the dolphins were leaving.

Alejandro had rescued Carlos by my signal and with it we left, Carlos and I to the hospital, Gloria and her group to jail.

They arrived as quickly as they could and more than one of them was clearly hallucinating because of the detail that I was in my mermaid clothes, and the comments and videos were not long in coming.

Doctor: -sighing- I am used to seeing you, although I see you as a mermaid for the first time.

I knew he wanted to laugh at such a comment but he said a resounding "No"; he cleaned my wound and with one quick eye he saw where I had been shot, near the hips, or rather near the hip bone as the bullet was near the belly or as I understood near the fallopian tubes. He asked to have me checked because he didn't know if I had touched that area or not.

When they saw quickly that it did not hurt that area they took out the bullet and did some stitches, after all the procedure and being in a room the first ones to arrive apart from Esther and Andrea were 2 policemen with their questions and all the routine for kidnapping and attempted murder. I explained everything to them calmly, I had all the evidence they asked for, only that the cell phone was still with Gloria, but there was more evidence of everything.

After some time in the hospital I was finally able to get out, I hated being locked up and with little freedom, they sent me some remedies for the pain and then remove the stitches and all that, again the sea was forbidden, but they did not forbid me to be near the sea and walk on the beach, Sometimes I slept with the light on and hugging Pecosa tightly, Esther knew I was still scared, they had recovered my cell phone and obtained the evidence, Rayo and Big Gill went free, Rayo only had a contract to escort me and Big Gill was a spy for Mr. Becket, I didn't press charges against them either as they knew they were still prisoners.

Thanks to a hacker that Alejandro met and with the help of Ray they "cloned my phone" so they could call him and from there they got the area where he was, thanks to Esther and my hits they knew we were still alive, they knew Gloria's plans and prepared a great plan, although they didn't count on Carlos' and my move. Carlos was congratulated and between jokes they commented that it would be an honor if he entered the police force and worked with them, the "Syoran support team" were nothing more and nothing less than the rogue kids, they managed to study with more care when they saw the fruits they had gathered.

I returned to the job I loved so much, the bar was ready and what better way to make the opening when I could swim at full speed; the video of me siren and wounded became virile along with the false rumor that a white shark had helped me in my escape, it was true that it was curious that on 2 similar occasions I did nothing. Rosa managed to fix my Megalodon suit and with Andrea's help they made a video helping the masses that the mermaid would soon be seen, the interviews were a little crazy, I decided to leave that to Andrea.

The restaurant was filled and many were for several videos that following mine the girls dared, with the title of "beautiful mermaids of the sea seen near the bar mermaid fin" those who knew us congratulated us and those who could not know a new side and enjoy a relaxing meal, that day we filled the house and desserts were sold to more not be able, that night was the official opening of the new bar, I invited the doctor and his wife, Mr. Becket and the 3 rascals, really when I cut the ribbon and entered it looked like a palace, the girls said it looked like my palace and I could only laugh, while the guests took a seat and looked at everything we went to change quickly, Andrea wore her fortune teller's suit and we our new tails, the girls jumped in order because the second floor was only ours, a large pool and the roof was high, so much so that we could jump and the most beautiful thing was that the center of the roof was with glass where you could admire a beautiful full moon and radiant with splendor.