s h ort The Serpent
from the previous page
hide because confinement causes stress and augments his trauma,” they explained. William decided it was the right time to feed the dog and took it to the kitchen. He opened a can of organic food, recommended by specialists in canine nutrition, which helps with the dog’s mental development, or something like that. He stirred up the food so the dog wouldn’t have trouble chewing and put it on a very wide, approachable tray. The dog was eating unconcerned when Jonas appeared. He had awakened, but stayed in bed awhile. Then got up, took his serpent and went into the kitchen in silence. Sucking his thumb, he observed the dog and took a few steps forward to get a bit closer. The dog did not notice the boy. Without intending to, Jonas dropped the serpent on the floor. The dog saw it bouncing, coming his way, threatening —it jumped in panic, crashing against the refrigerator. Then, it crashed against the stove and hid under a chair, terrified. It did not bark, but let out roaring howls like weird snoring. Jonas was not surprised. He grabbed the snake and walked into the laundry room. William and Allison, alarmed by the yelping, rushed to the kitchen. They found the dog, bulge-eyed. “What happened, sweetheart?” they asked. The dog calmed down. They wrapped it up with a blanket, lulling him like a baby, left him under the chair and went back to the backyard. Jonas reappeared in the kitchen before long, the serpent crowning his head, and stood in front of the dog —blocking the exit to the backyard. The poor animal had no other alternative but to launch itself into the laundry room where, by chance, the dryer’s door was wide open. Like a bullet, the dog crashed inside the dryer. The collision —with a muffed sound— made the door close. Jonas remained still for a few seconds, bewildered. His young mind couldn’t absorb it all, so he did not try to comprehend what had just happened. At his age he was not alien to manipulate electronic devices. Besides, he could distinguish the green button from the red button, as well as each other’s function. So, curiosity invaded him and, without much ado, he did what his mother always did when she was in front of the dryer: he pressed the button. Impressed by his own success, he saw the dog turning around and around at full speed. Laughing his head off, with his serpent as a hat, he walked out onto the patio jumping up and down announcing, pointing to the laundry room: “The dog is turning inside the dryer!” They all ran to the laundry room and bewildered saw how the dog, desperate, floundered 22 Joaquín SEPTEMBER 2020
s tor i e s
•
e l
c u ento
in the air attempting to get a hold of something, in vain. “Oh my God!” Allison screamed. They pulled the dog out more dead than alive, like a stupefied drunk. Allison asked: “What happened? How did the dog get into the dryer?” Everyone’s eyes converged on Jonas. Minutes earlier, William had told the attendees how the dog almost died after a rattle snake bit it. Fortunately, the vet gave it a shot of antidote just in time to save the dog’s life. Also, the vet recommended taking the dog to intensive therapy with a psychologist to treat the trauma; which consisted of throwing a plastic snake at the dog to scare him from approaching any snake again. That is why they were seeing the therapist twice a week: Tuesdays was for firecracker treatment and Thursdays for snake encounters. In the meantime, the dog couldn’t stand on his feet. It was shaken. William thought: “This will keep us in therapy the entire week.” Jonas, with the snake as a turban on his head, couldn’t figure out how to get out of this one, and feigned a smile to assuage the guilt. He knew that his dimples were a powerful weapon, capable of putting anyone at ease. His charming look was enough to spare himself from any peccadillo. But nothing was sufficient to shake off his guilt. Everyone’s eyes were condemning him. Now his cute face became blurred; his watery eyes and sobbing announced that tears were about to pour out. Hearing the ultimatum, he ran towards grandma, grabbed her dress with words that disarmed the punitive squad, forcing it to accept a truce: “Loli will protect me all my life.” La Serpiente viene de la vuelta
despreocupado cuando apareció Jonás. Había despertado, pero permaneció acostado un rato. Se levantó, tomó su serpiente y se dirigió a la cocina en silencio. Chupándose el pulgar observaba al perro. Dio unos pasos y se acercó un poco más. El perro no lo sintió. Sin proponérselo, a Jonás se le cayó la serpiente al suelo. El perro la vio venir revotando amenazante contra él. Pegó un brinco de pánico estrellándose en el refrigerador. De ahí chocó contra la estufa y se parapetó debajo de una silla, aterrado. No ladraba, expulsaba sonoros aullidos como ronquidos destemplados. Jonás no se sorprendió. Cogió la serpiente y entró al cuarto de lavandería. William y Allison, consternados por los quejidos, se apresuraron a la cocina. Encontraron al perro con los ojos desorbitados. “¿Qué tienes, corazón?” preguntaban. El perro se calmó. Luego lo arroparon con una cobija, arrullándolo como bebé, lo dejaron bajo la silla tranquilo y volvieron al patio. Jonás reapareció en la cocina sin protocolo
con la serpiente coronándole la cabeza, y se plantó delante del perro tapándole la salida al patio. El pobre animal, no tuvo otra alternativa que dispararse al cuarto de lavandería donde, por casualidad, la puerta de la secadora estaba abierta. Como proyectil, el perro aterrizó dentro de la secadora. Con la inercia, el tope se oyó seco y la puerta de la secadora se cerró. Jonas permaneció inmóvil por unos segundos, desconcertado. Su entendimiento no lograba absorber la complejidad de aquella escena. Por lo tanto, descartó los motivos de tal situación. A su edad no era ajeno a palpar aparatos electrónicos. Además, podía distinguir el botón rojo del verde, así como la función de cada uno. Entonces, la curiosidad lo invadió y, como tal, imitó lo que su madre hacía en frente de la secadora: oprimió el botón. Impresionado por su éxito, vio al perro flotar, girando a toda velocidad. Muerto de la risa, con la serpiente haciendo de sombrero, salió al patio pegando brincos y anunció, apuntando con el índice: “El perro está dando vueltas en la secadora.” Corrieron incrédulos al cuarto de lavandería vieron al perro, desesperado, pataleando en el aire tratando en vano de sujetarse de algo. “Oh my God!” exclamó Allison. Sacaron al perro más muerto que vivo, como borracho inconsciente. Allison preguntó: “What happened? How did the dog get into the dryer?” Todos los ojos convergieron sobre Jonás. Minutos antes, William había narrado cómo el perro casi murió después que una serpiente cascabel lo mordiera. Por fortuna, el veterinario le inyectó el antídoto que salvó al perro justo a tiempo. De paso, recomendó llevaran al perro a terapia intensiva con el sicólogo para eliminar el trauma; la cual, consistía en lanzar una víbora de plástico al perro para que este les tuviera miedo y no volviera a acercarse a ellas. Entonces visitaban al terapeuta dos veces por semana: los martes trataban los truenos y los jueves el encuentro con víboras. Mientras tanto, el perro no lograba ponerse en pie. Respiraba agitado. William pensó: “This will keep us in therapy the entire week.” Jonás, con la serpiente de turbante, sin saber cómo zafarse del problema, amagó una sonrisa pícara ante la amenaza. Sabía que los hoyuelos en sus mejillas eran un arma potente, capaz de amainar a cualquiera. También su mirada coqueta era suficiente para librarse de todo pecado. Todo no bastó para sacudirse la culpa. Las miradas lo condenaban. Como consecuencia, su carita simpática se desdibujó; los ojitos nebulosos y los pucheros anunciaban el llanto. Tras el ultimátum, corrió hacia la abuela, se prendió del vestido y pronunció unas palabras que desarmaron al pelotón obligándolo a aceptar una tregua: “Loli me protegerá toda la vida.”
