THE PASSENGERS

Gerardo Quiroz

The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 1

While I was walking down the street, I found a small, gold
ring on the pavement.That gold ring looked familiar to me
as I walked down Central Avenue toward the great downtown
library.
When Mr. Robinson arrived there, as always, he invited
her to a relaxing cup of tea. Just a week ago she had
returned from her vacation in the forest, however, I
helped her feed her cat, a white and grumpy cat.
The library was filled not with books but also with
artifacts and gadgets, some even purchased by Mr.
Robinson's family.

I had just finished a book of recipes for small cakes when

he asked me if he could please help me clean up the
basement where I had more furniture and old things.

When you go down to that place it seems that time also

changes that of kneaded bread and that time does not
exist.
The coldest but most humid place, it was made of stone and
had many strangers, it seems to me that it had been part
of a castle before and that was the dungeon part.

The day had seemed very fast so by around 6 in the

afternoon I was already heading back to my house. The
weather was cloudy and after I had taken my daily chat
with Mr. Robinson over tea, I headed home, after eating
my bedroom address and I was able to look more closely at
the ring a ring had a charm on it it was like a bird flying
the ring was gold and the symbol on the side and its was
black with gold in an oval very well decorated and quite
old, really Lucía precious.
The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 2
During that week I had also found in Mr. Robinson's
objects a small moment in the basement, there were several
cups, books, among them there was a very beautiful
necklace that seemed familiar to me, Mr. Robinson hardly
spoke of you himself but he was very good at listening and
interest tactics such as giving his opinion about a book or
an anecdote during his time in the library.

I knew that I had been married before. Well, when I was

little, my wife had died. I knew that she was going to have
children, but due to misfortune it did not happen.

Someone was looking because that kind of looks felt like a

stranger, for days I had that feeling Even in my house
especially as if someone Saw from the floor or from the
wall even sometimes before sleeping the ones on the chest
and they were like small eyes.
Towards Sunday I walked towards the river with my best
friend Charlie.
We didn't always talk much or go out but we understand
each other somehow.
I had told him about what I saw in the cellar with the
necklace and I showed him the ring.

– you should just be careful not to meddle in

matters that are not yours that will keep you safe.

A guerrilla too cautious for my opinion, however, he was

right about that and I didn't want to bother Mr.
Robinson.

The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 3

However, the rest of the weekend that feeling increased as
the night approached.
For some strange reason I had an incessantly intense
desire to get closer to the river once more.

Little by little I approached the river more and more as if

someone was calling me so I entered it.
I didn't feel the cold or the water, I just felt a strange
call and I do know that I ran through my skin like a push
inward.
After that I could see inside my mind like a dream little
children running and walking screaming playing and at the
same time running for their lives screaming my name
-Careful John.

During this week I dreamed they played with me.

all fall down inside of me.

Shortly after I went back down to the basement but

suddenly I heard the voices...
The peculiar and large nexus however did not scare me, so
I just decided to continue and then something caught my
attention again, the necklace and the ring.I looked at the
ring carefully and the dark center with that golden bird,
was identical to the necklace on that old shelf.
The resemblance was the same, each distinguishing piece
fitted perfectly with one another.
Then I heard those giggles try again approaching me and
for some reason put the ring back.
Mr. Robinson was coming down and coming over to offer me
some tea once more.

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Seeing me admiring the necklace he asked me if I already
knew that history of that artifact.

– I totally do not know, Mr. Robinson.

- Then it will be better if I go upstairs to tell you the

story.

By the time I realized it was too late and we had gone

overboard with the biscuits and tea and I was satisfied
with them.
The story revolves around his wife who before she died had
some children and they played all the time around her. That
necklace along with the ring had been decided by Mr.
Robinson in the company of the children during a bazaar
very late at night on a special occasion, shortly before
his wife died.

So I asked.

– And those children, what happened to them?

– disappeared a day before my wife died.

I was silent for a long minute that seemed like an

eternity.
Before I left, Mr. Robinson asked me, almost pleading, not
to be afraid and not to worry about him anymore because
the ring had been lost for many years and he didn't think
it would ever appear again.

So I asked again.

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– and what would happen if he found it?

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Mr. Robinson

answered.

– I hope nothing bad, but I would like to have him back, it

is very important.

Between that moment I heard the cries of those children as

if they were coming from below and he turned in that
direction a little worried.

– Is everything okay John?

- all in order.

He looked at me mystery concert and then proclaimed.

– Wow, look at the time, it's quite late. I'd better close
the store now. Besides, I don't want your mother to worry
about you.

– It's true, I have to go see you tomorrow Mr. Robinson,

rest.

– likewise John.

I ran out after Mr. Robinson closed the library.

I ran with Charly to his house and called my mother. I told
her that it was okay and that I would stay with him for
tonight and that I would see her again tomorrow after
school.
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It was important to tell Charlie what he had heard about
the ring, the necklace, and the story.

– You should get rid of it or return it to Mr. Robinson,

it must be very important to him, I already told you.

Charlie confessed.

However as he looked again at the ring carefully he seemed

to have broken it, but the main medallion was turned.
And it looked like a small key.

We were both absorbed, but Charly insisted that I throw

it away and go to sleep.
During that night the children reappeared in my dreams and
showed me a lady who sang to them.

blood of my blood
Flesh of my flesh
we are one
we are one
My passenger
And I think the stars are
Peepholes in the firmament.

The next morning he was ready to return the ring but still
hadn't decided whether to throw it in the river or leave it
for Mr. Robinson near the necklace.

School finished, I went home to eat, and then I

prepared to return the ring to the river.

The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 7

Once near the river before throwing the ring I had a
vision, another similar premonition.
The necklace hides something.
Then everything changed and I went directly to the
library, to the basement, I warned Mr. Robinson that I
was almost done clearing everything down there.

As soon as I got down I started moving some piles of

books and dusting some furniture so that he could hear
the noise of my work.
But then I was moving another piece of furniture behind a
wall.
I immediately thought... The necklace.

I went to the old showcase in the back right where the

window facing the street is and it is darker there I go
out because of the small light reflected by the stained
glass window of its furniture.
I opened it you say the glass that covered the necklace on
its pedestal.
And I turned that golden bird symbol to the right like
Charlie had done with the ring.
Immediately it opened.
It contained a small piece of paper and a photo.
The photo was of the woman with her children and the
paper had three pairs of numbers.
I took the paper and closed the collar again and tried to
leave everything as it was.
Then Mr. Robinson came down.
I got nervous and returned to rubble somewhere other than
where I was at that moment, I put the paper in my pocket
and did as if nothing had happened.
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– wow john, you've really done a great job here I think
it's about time I helped you out a bit.

– Don't worry, I'm almost done.

– That's what I mean Let me help you then.

I couldn't refuse anymore, it was very insistent.

When we finished Mr. Robinson went upstairs to make tea

every afternoon.
Then I took out the ring, I looked at the symbol. I
turned it, took out the key, the piece of paper, moved
the piece of furniture, and discovered the door.
Insert the key, and the door opened, however it's a loud
bang.
Falling some stones from the ceiling and the dust revealed
an even older room.

That was when everything changed.

I walked inside.
The place was a warmer than normal.
The floor was a fence and the river ran under it.
Only the walls weren't walls, they were cells, like a prison
even older than she thought the place already was.

I entered with some fear but I felt the voices of

the children nearby.
But the horror invaded me when I could see the first
vaults and their interior.
Look at the paper.
The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 9
22 45 38 12
And also look around the prison.
Look for 22 First it was the one almost in front of me.
And I couldn't believe it.
There was a child's body, the same on 45 and 38, which
were relatively close.
But in all the cells there was the same thing.

I was shocked and terrified. I tried to open them with the

key, but it was useless and I should not have tried.

– Go johnny, it is very sad and disappointing in this

situation.

– Mr Robinson what is this.

– Give me the ring Johnny, it's mine.

–What happened here?

– you should not interfere, you should go home.

– They were your children, right?

– Please go now I won't have to do something unforgivable,

you're a good boy and I like you, but you'd better go.

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I was in shock I didn't know what to do, then he attacked
me.
I screamed, but no one heard me.
He grabbed me by the hands, he threw me to the ground,
and he dragged me, the drain floor scraping my back and
arms as I tried to escape and move in great pain and
fear.

Then I was almost able to escape, I ran a window, but he

pulled me again and the ring went flying, Mr. Robinson
picked it up and then he locked me in cell number 12 and he
went away locking me up.

As night fell I felt the laughter again, but I also

heard the woman singing.

– Fear not brother, the end is near.

I started to cry.

Where the midnight came Mr. Robinson too.

He had a big, sharp knife, he came into my cell, and it was
painful.

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I could see.
I was watching.
I became a passenger of the river.

Mr. Robinson dropped the ring again, this time near

Charly's house.
And I could feel the rest of my brothers.

They were blood of my blood and flesh of my flesh, and we

knew that there would be more of us, thanks to someone
else, finding that golden or gold, history will repeat
itself.

And so when you find that ring on the street and you pick
it up, wait until we find you, we'll watch you and you'll be
one of us.
a passenger.

The passengers Gerardo Quiroz 12