Caray, Caray!

Marisela swears to DB that she didn't want this to happen. She tells Meléndez not to hurt DB, to leave her alone. "Enough hija, you don't gain anything by crying. That's what he wants - for us to fear him. But we are strong, hija, stronger and better than he is. Look at him, Marisela, this scumbag (escoria). He fears us. Even though we are tied up, he is terrified of us because he knows that if we were free, he couldn't handle us. Don't cry. Don't cry, hija, be courageous and strong, like my daughter."

Santos asks Melquíades how DB could have fallen into a trap and Melquíades explains about the soldier who came with the note. Melquíades says that has to leave. He has things to do. Santos replies that he needs Melquíades' help to find DB. Melquíades tells Santos that he has his skills (mañas) and they aren't like Santos' skills. Melquíades says that he will move heaven and earth but he will find them and bring them back safe and sound. If this doesn't happen, they will see him with feet first ("los pies por delante"), that is, dead. He rides off. Gonzalo says that he wouldn't want to be Melquíades' enemy. Santos replies that he is as loyal as he is macabre.

Antonio comes to see Mujiquita to get the Altamira vaqueros out of prison. Mujiquita says that the vaqueros broke the peace and damaged his bar. Antonio says that it is an emergency and explains about Marisela and DB being held by Meléndez. "Stop being a coward for once in your life," Antonio tells him, "Are you a friend of Santos, or not?" Mujiquita stands up straight and leads the way to the cells.

Mujiquita opens the cell and lets Carmelito, María Nieves and Pajarote out but not the El Miedo vaqueros. Guerrero pleads with Mujiquita to be let out also to find Meléndez but Mujiquita's fit of courage has passed.

Marisela: What should we do?
DB: Resist. That's what we are going to do. Follow me in every game and don't be afraid. Whatever the bastard does, don't give him the pleasure of seeing that you are weak. Fight. Fight, hija. We will fight.
M: All right. If you do it, I will do it.
DB: That's my girl.

Meléndez tells Sergeant Fierro that he is his personal assistant. He is to go to town and take charge of the troops. Then he is to return and make sure that no one follows. Meléndez says that he will take care of the two women.

Santos returns to Altamira and tells the vaqueros to split up and search the area. He tells Gonzalo to return to the hiding place. Gonzalo leaves meekly.

The Sargeant returns to Progresso and we see that Melquíades is watching. In the prison, Guerrero tells Fierro not to be an idiot and tell them where Meléndez is. Fierro says that Meléndez is on a special mission and has put him in charge of the soldiers. Guerrero says that Meléndez is involved in a very bad thing and will end up being court martialed and Fierro is his accomplice.

Meléndez comes back in the hut thingy and says that it is time to celebrate. DB tells him not to touch Marisela. "I already had you," he says, "Let me take the girl." DB tells Meléndez to kill her if he wants to but not touch her daughter. "I will kill you," says Meléndez, "don't you doubt it but I want you to see how I will celebrate." He rips open the top of Marisela's dress and the skirt.

Guerrero tries to order Fierro to release him and tell him where Meléndez is but he refuses. He says that Fierro knows where Meléndez is but he doesn't care. He tells Pernalete and Mujiquita that they are all going be accomplices in this disgrace.

Fierro tells the other soldiers that he is in charge and is going to get further orders from Melénde He gets back into the truck to return to Meléndez and we see that Melquíades is in the back.

DB tries to keep Meléndez from raping Marisela by inviting him to have her but he says that he has a taste for ("apetece") the girl. Desperately, DB says that he can't have Marisela because she is his daughter. She says that she made Lorenzo Barquero believe that Marisela was his but Marisela is the product of her rape. That is why she has always hated Marisela.

Neither Santos nor the vaqueros can find any trace of Marisela or DB.

Fierro is recalling Meléndez's instruction to make sure he isn't followed when Melquíades gets up from behind him and puts a knife to his throat and tells him to drive. He will tell him the way. "Where are we going?" asks Fierro. "To hell itself," replies Melquíades.

Pernalete paces back and forth while Guerrero and the El Miedo vaqueros look on.
Mujiquita tries to convince Pernalete to distance himself from Meléndez and release Guerrero. Another soldier comes asking for orders for his troop. He says Fierro has left and the the troops are hungry. Mujiquita holds out the keys of the cell while Pernalete bites his nails and tries to decide which is going to be the winning side.

Meléndez says that he doubts that Marisela is his daughter. He notes that DB doesn't hate her daughter, she is protecting her. He says that he thinks that DB is deceiving him to save her daughter but it won't work. "Nothing will save you from Nicolas Meléndez, little dove," says Meléndez. He tries to kiss Marisela but she bites his tongue. He hits Marisela and knocks her out.

The terneras come to Altamira and ask what they can do. "Pray," says Cecilia, so they all pray to their God.

Antonio brings Gonzalo back to the cellar. Gonzalo says that this is all his fault for asking Marisela to meet him at the well. Antonio tells him to stop tormenting himself. People in love do stupid things. Antonio tells the other rebels what is happening. They want to help but he tells them not make things more complicated.

Melquíades tell Fierro to stop the truck and turn off its lights. Fierro begs Melquíades not to kill him. He is only a soldier who doesn't have anything to do with anything. "Bad little soldier," says Melquíades. "We don't have much time."

Eustaquia and Juan Primito are praying to their gods.
JP says that he is afraid. He asks if the gods will protect Marisela and DB. Eustaquia says that she doesn't know. Lately, the gods have been deaf. Evil has invaded all of the Arauca and only a miracle can save them. Santos shows up and Eustaquia asks Santos not to let the bastard return and... hit my little girl. Right away, Santos picks up on the verb and asks Eustaquia if DB knew Meléndez from before. Eustaquia hesitates, Santos presses and finally she says there are things that she can't tell him or anyone. Santos leaves.

Melquíades tells Fierro to tell him everything he knows.

Meléndez comes into the hut with a pail of water. DB dares Meléndez to try it with her or is he afraid? He tells her to be quiet. She says that she will tell him how she will kill him. She says that she will kill him like she killed the other three. Always trying to distract him from Marisela, DB describes how she killed the other three. She says that she has prepared a very special death for him. Would he like to hear about it? Meléndez says that she doesn't frighten him. He doesn't care if she killed the others. That's fewer people who know his history. He thanks her for having killed them. He says that if she likes stories about ugly deaths, he will tell her one that she will like a lot. He hits her. She tells him to hit her again. He can do what he wants with her but he must let her daughter go. "Beg for her," says Meléndez, "Beg. I like it. Do you know why you are here, Bárbara? To see what I am going to do to your daughter and so she can see what I'm going to do to you. "
Meléndez tells Marisela to wake up and pours water on her.

Mujiquita continues to try and get Pernalete to do the right thing and release Guerrero.
Finally, Pernalete releases him and Guerrero takes charge of the soldiers. Mujiquita tells Pernalete that they can go and see Josefa's face now that Meléndez has fallen.

Meléndez goes up to Marisela and then curses. "What happened, Meléndez?" says DB, "Dead already, cadaver? It's fear and drunkeness." Meléndez admits that he is drunk and can't do it now but he says that it will pass and both of them will know that he is a man. He lies down to sleep. DB tells Marisela not to cry, that scum like Meléndez like that but she can't control her fear. She sobs and cries out for her father.

At Altamira, Lorenzo wakes up and hears his daughter calling. He tells Cecilia that he had a nightmare. Something bad was happening to Marisela and she was callling him. He asks Cecilia whether Marisela has returned and Cecilia has to say that she is still missing but she is sure that she will return at any moment and the Virgin will protect her. (I was crying here.)

It is the next morning. Melquíades is at the hut thingy where Meléndez is holding Marisela and DB. He kills the soldier guarding the place and opens the door of the hut slowly. DB cries a warning but Meléndez shoots and Melquíades falls to the floor unconscious or dead. "You killed him, bastard!" cries DB, "You killed my Indian..my brother." Meléndez tells her to be quiet.

Santos urges his men to continue the search even though they are tired and hungry and they agree. Santos says that he has a presentment that something bad is happening. Santos meets some soldiers and they recognize him as the man that Meléndez wants to arrest.

DB calls to Melquíades and says that he can't die now. Meléndez says that there isn't anything better for a hangover (resaca) than another drink. He says that he is functioning now and moves toward Marisela.

In the cellar, Gonzalo tells the other rebels that he has to go out and look for Marisela. They protest but he leaves.

Guerrero tells his men that this is an emergency situation. They are to look for Meléndez and the two women he kidnapped and bring them to the police headquarters.

DB tells Meléndez that he will regret what he has done. Waving Melquíades' bloody knife, Meléndez says that it is she who will have regrets. She has very little time left. She curses him and he hits her. She tells him to hit her again. He can only confront her when he has her at gunpoint or handcuffed. "Hit me while you can." Behind Marisela, Melquíades wakes up. He motions her to be quiet. DB keeps Meléndez' attention by saying that there aren't enough curses in the world for him. "Look at me in the eyes," she says, "You won't abuse my daughter. You won't touch her."

Melquíades is untying Marisela wrists one handed.

DB starts to put a curse on Meléndez invoking the Indian gods. He tells her to be quiet and calls her a witch. She tells him to look at her because she is the last thing he will see on this earth. Marisela's hands are free.

Santos tells the soldiers that he wants to be taken to see Meléndez. They lead him off while the vaqueros and Gonzalo watch from hiding.

Looking for Marisela around El Miedo, Juan Primito discovers "a blue man" ("un hombre azul"), the Sergeant's body, in a freezer. He runs for Eustaquia.

Meléndez says that her witchcraft doesn't scare hiim. It is she who will die. She and Santos Luzardo, that good for nothing shyster ("mequetrefe abogaducho"). He will invite Santos to the celebration. "He will go out with you," says Meléndez, "feet first." "No, not Santos," says Marisela and that unfortunately draws Meléndez' attention to Marisela and Melquíades. Melquíades pretends to be dead but he isn't in the same place where he fell. "The dead don't move," says Meléndez. He points his gun at Melquíades.

Guerrero finds Santos being escorted by two soldiers. He tells them to release Santos.

Melquíades attacks Meléndez and Meléndez hits him and knocks him out. DB yells at Meléndez to leave Melquíades alone. Meléndez says that he can't take any more. He is going to kill her right now. He cocks his gun and points it at DB. Marisela yells, no. She pushes Meléndez and he falls onto the straw and is impaled through the abdomen on the tines of some kind of farm implement.

Marisela and DB look at each other horrified.

Labels: barbara