📸 Photo

39 HIDDEN ENEMIES

The first blow came one morning after *lista*. Abregon came rushing up behind me as I was returning to my room. He was flushed and out of breath. He didn’t even have time to say hello.

‘Thomas, they’re transferring me to Chonchocoro,’ he panted.

‘What?’ I looked at him in amazement. Abregon nodded that I’d heard correctly. I hardly knew what to say. It was everyone’s worst nightmare to be sent to maximum security. The conditions up there were horrible. It was even colder at night because of the 4000-metre altitude; the cells were small and bare; the guards were tough; and the prisoners were even tougher. Compared with Chonchocoro, San Pedro was a holiday resort. ‘But what for?’ I asked.

‘They won’t say.’

‘But they have to tell you the reason. They need an order from the judge, don’t they? Just wait. I’ll ring the governor.’

‘It’s too late for that. They’re taking me now.’

‘When?’

‘Right now.’ At that moment, we heard Abregon’s name being called from down in the courtyard. I looked over the balcony and saw the lieutenant and two guards striding purposefully towards the stairs.

‘Here. Take my spare key,’ Abregon said urgently, struggling to twist a silver key off his key ring. He held it out to me, his hands shaking slightly. ‘You remember where everything is hidden?’

I nodded. The second floorboard back from the wall, directly beneath his chest of drawers, was loose. He placed the key in my palm, but when I went to take my hand away, he wouldn’t let it go. His fingers wrapped tighter around my hand, with his thumb pressing down on the key. ‘I’m trusting you, my brother.’ He squeezed even harder. ‘You understand?’