Yolanda appears in the doorway. Beautiful as always, almost identical to her twin brother. Long hair falling past her left shoulder. A smile is sketched on her lips.
"Carlito, come down for a snack. There is toast with fruit and cheese."
"No thanks. I'm tired. It's pretty late now."
"Can I bring something up here for you?"
"Oh yes, of course. Thank you."
She closes the door when she leaves, but I don't want it shut. I don't want to lose the connection with my siblings, although I don't want to sit down with them. My portrait of my mom stares at me from the opposite wall. A very good looking woman, very short red hair. I expect her to say something, but she remains silent. It is a good work, this painting, in acrylic. I did it three years sago, from some photos. I am feeling heavy with sleep. I turn off the lamp on my night table. Shortly after I sink into the pillow, hearing some kind of music. But it isn't coming from below, nor from anywhere in the house. It is one voice, singing very sweet, not precisely feminine or masculine. The voice of the bird that was flying like a swallow.....
As I wake up the sun is already shining into my room, like liquid gold. The sun has just risen and the light has a tone of molten copper. I'm just about to get up. The house is silent. Everything is very silent. I approach the closet. The door is closed It won't open. Locked. How? I shake the door. It doesn't budge. I see the maroon bag. Perhaps. I am going to search in it. The key. Here it is in the bottom. It shines like gold. Maybe it is gold. I am naked. Completely naked. I don't know why. I was wearing pajamas in the night. This condition for me is very unusual. But, yes, the key. I don't recall such a lock on the door.
Neither that it would be made of such a dark wood, such a deeply and intensely coloured wood. The key fits okay in the lock. It turns, slowly and it clicks a bit, and suddenly I push open the door. Where are my clothes? But I remember that I left them for the night on the chair, my T shirt and jeans. It is almost dark, but I see a corridor, and despite my nakedness I feel like exploring. There is some kind of faint light, thank God, because otherwise I would fall down the stairs shortly after. There is another door at the bottom, but now it is pushed open. I am inside a great chamber, rounded walls, but the most amazing feature is the inhabitants. There is in the centre a fire, not very bright. But the people, if indeed they are people! I count twenty-four, their eyes closed as though asleep or in a trance, dressed in robes that cover their feet, of fabric of all the colours of the rainbow. Each colour is singular and solid. The lady directly before my eyes is wearing sky blue, her blonde hair falling like a cascade over her breasts. Like the others, she is incredibly beautiful and young. On her head there is a light crown of gold. On her right, a man dressed in red, His eyes open and I see my Angel, the Spark of God. He looks at me, and a light smile forms on his face.
"Welcome, my friend", is his greeting to me. "You have arrived...you have come to liberate us..."
It is Juan's bathrobe that is covering me. The angel, Spark of God, accompanies me to the other door, and I am outside of my house, on the sidewalk of the street, naked as the day I was born. I have been standing, hardly aware of my vulnerable state. But I have never been modest, and I am indifferent towards my nakedness, but there were other people in the street, horrified, and Juan ran from the house to throw his white bathrobe over me. Now we are seated at table in the kitchen, drinking coffee. Yolanda and Raúl both have left for work. They are employed by the city. Juan is a university student, but he is having a break before returning to classes. We haven't spoken so far, and I am afraid of what my brother might say to me. Meanwhile, he, as always, is on his so very precious phone.
"I have always liked this housecoat"; say I. He looks at me, with a very grave and worried look.
Suddenly, he bursts into wild, uncontrolled laughter, "My little brother, out there naked. What a riot. My white Canadian brother, shining like virgen snow. What am I going to do with you, Carlito,?" And smiling, he looks at me. "What are we going to do?"
"Are you going shopping today?"I ask.
"Yes, after breakfast. Are you going to come with me?"
"Of course."
"As long as you promise me to remain properly clothed, we will go shopping today."
I sip some more of my coffee. "Very tasty," say I, and it's great that we are together, Alonso."
a very soft smile appears on the face of Juan. He gets up in order to serve us both toast and eggs.
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