Part 3 - The Calling

The moment was coming and Lara was more and more nervous and uncomfortable every minute. She couldn’t stop scratching her hand’s back, a nervous tic she had since she has very young. It used to happen in every climax moment of every Jean’s crazy plan.

- And what if something bad happens?

- Don’t worry – John tried to comfort her – She can’t do anything on this side of the border. So we just need to push him. And Fil can push anything because he’s the strongest.

John pointed to Lara’s brother and to Jean, who were tiding the rope around a very pale Igor’s waist.

- I don’t want to do this.

- We have to – Jean wasn’t going to let Igor quit now. They had to do this. – Our parents need us to do this. Let’s make them proud.

- Am I making mommy proud?

- Of course…

They both stared even more to the dead plain and started leading over there. Everyone followed them, but Jean and Igor were the only ones to set down their feet over the salt carpet and walk over it.

The more steps Igor gave, the less comfortable Lara was feeling. At every step he gave, the need to run to him to catch him and to run away from Jean grew. But she knew that it would be useless. Jean was far faster than her, even more with her carrying Igor. And there also was Teo, who was grabbing Igor with a rope.

They stood together, Jean and Igor, at the end of the carpet, a step away from that dead land. John, Teófilo and Lara were nervously watching them, and for a second, also Teófilo wanted to push Igor and run away with him.

- Am I going to make mommy proud?

That question let Jean a step away from a complete break down. They needed to do this to help everybody, but no one had asked them anything. She had forced herself. Jean looked to Igor and after, over her friends. She had forced them too.

Jean kept her tears inside, forced a smile and said:

- Of course. Very proud.

That was enough to increase Igor’s will power, overshadowing his fear. To keep himself focused he kept repeating those words, like a mantra.

-Very proud.

Jean grabbed the rope and guide herself with it until she reached her friends. Not that she needed help to come back, it was more a psychological need to touch something. She left Igor staring to the dead plain, repeating his mantra to prepare himself. Right when she arrived near her friends, she grabbed John’s arm and pulled the rope two times. The signal for Igor to go.

First Igor gazed upon the plain, then he looked to his friends. He took a deep breath, repeated his mantra and jumped.

On that moment, the only though crossing everyone’s mind was to push Igor. However, for the next seconds, no one moved. Not Lara, not Jean, not even Igor. Everyone kept gazing at him standing still.

Until, with a woman’s voice, he let out a powerful shaking laugh and turned to his friends. His eyes were grey, almost white, and so much sparkling they almost spread light. However, although it looked like they were happy, hiden under all the light and seriousness, Igor's sharp eyes were sad and empty.

-You made a grave mistake! – Igor kept talking with that mighty undaunted voice, which spread power and paralysed the group, both for its intensity and surprise. A grin spread over Igor’s face, showing that, for whoever it was who was controlling Igor, this was just a joke.

Always gazing upon the gang, Igor raised his right hand and snapped his fingers in a completely regular way, if it wasn’t the ear-piercing crack. the group step back frightened. Scared, both John and Teófilo searched for each other hands. Because it’s no shame to hold hands when we’re scared.