05.02.2016
12:23:42
The video showed a girl on the cusp of her teenaged years engaged in excited conversation with Salvador, in Spanish. She had long legs and dark hair, with bandaged hands that clutched a couple of folders and an open knapsack with half its contents strewn about her feet. She looked more like her mother than her father, but the edges of her heritage -- and the familiar, somber brown color of her eyes -- made her ancestry ring true.
?--some of my drawings. Oh! Maybe you can bring him some too?? She was already trying to fish through all her folders and papers with her bandaged hands. ?Uncle Tohias sent me a letter last month, I wanted to write him back, but I can?t find the address--?
Ana?s tween eruption of words drew back Salvador?s attention from someplace in the distance. He tipped his head and stared at her, slowly lifting his hands to silently indicate whoa slow down! A smile broke out on his face again before he figured out something to say.
?I?ll take him anything you like, and I?ll make sure he writes you back.? The younger Spaniard held up his finger again, then patted his pockets down.
?I can give you an address to send letters to. I?ll make sure he gets them. Do you have a pen?? He eyed Ana?s school bag.
The girl shot Salvador a nose-wrinkling incredulous look that needed no words to express are you kidding me? before she began to pull a very pink pencil out of her bag. With that and a handful of papers from her folder in hand, the girl let the rest of her school things drop to the ground again. She crouched down to start writing a hasty letter on a piece of blue-lined paper, her writing slow and deliberate with the gauze on her hand. ?He promised to take me to the zoo the next time he?s here, so I?ve been practicing--? She briefly waved her drawings at him in between writing her letter.
The rustling flap of papers pulled Salvador?s attention away from a brief observation of the world around them and he stepped closer to crouch down beside her. Silently, and with a smile, he took the collection of drawings from her to page through them.
?I?ll be sure to remind him he owes you a visit to the zoo.? Salvador?s smile grew as he thumbed through the drawings.
?He?s going to take me to see the porcupines,? she told Salvador, almost secretively, before her attention returned to the letter she was busily (and messily) writing in her lap. It didn?t take her long to finish -- it was hardly more than two or three lines -- but she handed it back to him to take with the drawings he already held. ?Uncle Spiky, you have to tell him to take me to the zoo and you have to tell him I love him and you have to pet the fat kitty, okay??
Canaan snickered off-screen, forcing Salvador to shoot him a scathing look. Future doom conveyed in under a second before he looked again at Ana and smiled. ?Of course,? he told her, taking the letter and setting it atop the stack of drawings. He folded it in half without looking. ?You want him to have all of these?? He lifted the whole collection briefly.
She turned somber just for a moment -- another expression that looked too much like her uncle -- and she nodded. ?Yes, please,? she murmured, perhaps a little quiet. ?I miss him. I want to come visit you and him.?
A sorrowful shadow crossed over Salvador?s face, causing his smile to falter. He looked down and nodded a few times. ?I know.? When he looked back up at her, the corners of his lips tugged up into a smile again. He lifted a hand as if considering touching her face, or sweeping some hair behind her ear, but dropped it instead. ?I?d like that, and I know he would too. Some day.?
A few seconds of introspective silence lapsed between them before the younger Spaniard spoke again.
?Ana, you must promise me something.? This Salvador said while pointing at her notebook and pencil, then turning over his hand, very clearly silently requesting those items.
She handed both over to him as she rose from her crouch to a standing position again, mindlessly straightening the pleats of her skirt as she did, but her attention was fixated on the man. ?Okay,? she agreed readily, her voice just as quiet as before.
Salvador tucked the stack of papers under the notebook and stood as well. His eyes were trained down on the notebook as he scrawled something down.
?Keep today our little secret,? he said, handing her back the notebook and pencil.
She nodded when she took both items back, her school things still spread around her on the ground all over again. ?I will,? she promised. A beat of silence passed and the girl seemed to chew on her lip for a moment before she leaned in and threw herself into another hug around Salvador.
His smile was sudden, positively joyful, and seemed to surprise him, if the slight flinch was any indication. ?Good girl,? he said quietly. Salvador hesitated, then slowly wound his arms tightly around her. He ducked his head and shut his eyes. A few moments later, he loosened his grip and touched his fingers to her elbows to try to gently coax her into letting up her grip.
?You should go before your mother worries.?
Ana was certainly quieter when she pulled back from her hug again, leaning down to collect her things which had been scattered all over once more. Salvador knelt down to help her. She began shoving them back in her bag and her clear brown eyes seemed to fixate on a spot just over the camera as she did. ?It was nice meeting you, Mister Cane..? She trailed off, slowly rising to her feet again as she shoved her knapsack back onto her shoulders. ?Are you friends with Uncle Tohias too??
The Cajun cleared his throat, his voice coming from the background, behind the camera. ?Yes, yes I am. Nice to meet you, too, Ana.?
Salvador had turned aside. He made sure the stack of drawings and letter were in order before he faced the camera again. Then he used the collection of papers to shoo Ana on her way. ?Go on, little cat.?
?Bye, Uncle Spiky. Bye, Mister Cane..?
?Just--just Cane,? Cane?s voice rumbled. The camera jostled slightly.
She lingered where she stood for a moment -- but in the end she flashed a small smile at both of them before she began to dash away, her long brown hair bouncing as she went.
The camera zoomed in very slowly, locked on Ana with her bouncing braid until she disappeared. When she was gone from view, the camera was shut off.
The sound returned a moment later, but the picture did not. Quiet breathing accompanied a creaking noise. Wherever the video took place made Cane?s voice echo faintly. Unlike the rest of the tape?s contents, the words were spoken in English, his voice low and steady despite being thick with emotion.
?I didn? know. I didn?t know ya didn? know. I?m sorry.?
The camera switched off again. There was nothing else on the tape.
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(Written collaboratively with Sinjin Fai and Canaan, extra thanks to the latter for the amazing editing and additions.)
