The woman with black hair said, “Paco will bring some more in the next day or two. Then we can make a load for transport.”
Consuela stood and said to them, “Where is my mother? I want my mother.”
The black-haired woman struck Consuela with a closed fist, shooting the punch straight from her shoulder like a middleweight boxer. The girl flew off her feet, hitting on her back so hard on the rough concrete that the back of her blouse tore at her shoulders, leaving a ragged piece of flower-patterned cloth hanging from the girl’s back, as limp as a flag with no breeze.
Kelly felt her heart beat rabbit-fast. The woman turned to her, “You want to say something?” Her pale blue eyes reminded Kelly of old jeans, but her eyes were fierce in their focus, and her hands remained clenched and ready to strike again.
“No, Ma’am.”
“What do you know,” the woman said to the man, “One with some manners.”
The man’s voice was high pitched, almost girlish despite his huge size, “That’ll bring some extra coins, besides, she’s pretty, too.”
“Don’t go getting any ideas, Carl. No sampling the merchandise.”
“I know, I know.”
The other woman, the one who had dirty blond hair and multicolored tattoos of knives, skulls, witches, dragons, and naked men and women covering her bare arms returned from looking over the other children, “We’re good.”
The black-haired woman said, “Okay. Feed ‘em, and leave the doors open, it’s gonna get hot as hell today.”
“If one of them makes a break for it?”
“I think you can outrun a kid, don’t you?”
“Well, sure.”
“If they get to the point where you can’t catch ‘em, shoot ‘em.”
“But–”
The black-haired woman stepped closer. She smiled and cupped the tattooed woman’s chin in one hand, “You’re new here, so I’m gonna give you a break.” Her smile turned sadistic, “I tell you something, you do it, no questions. Got that?” She shoved the woman’s face away from her. “Now get busy and feed these rug apes.”
Kelly wasn’t sure what a rug ape was, but she figured it was not a polite way of saying kids. She watched the black-haired woman and the big man leave as the tattooed woman rummaged in a plastic grocery sack. She removed two loaves of white bread and a jar of peanut butter, placing them down in front of Kelly. “You, make the sandwiches and give ‘em to the others. Whatever’s left is all yours.”
“Can we have water?”
She pointed with a tattooed arm, the bright colors like a kaleidoscope: greens, blues, reds, yellows. “Over there, near the doors. There’s a water faucet that works.”
“Are there any cups?”
“Hah. Nah. Turn it on and put your mouth under it.” She turned and exited the barn doors.
Kelly watched her go across the path to a large mesquite where an old, rusty, green lawn chair nestled against the trunk. The woman sat down to watch the open doors.
Kelly made sandwiches, scooping and spreading the peanut butter with her fingers, and passing them around. Consuela said, “I’m not hungry.”
“You should eat.”
Kelly touched the girl’s face where fresh bruises showed under the skin. “That hurt?”
Consuela nodded, then whispered, “They scare me. I’m not hungry, and I miss my mom.”
Kelly felt a pang in her heart, I miss my mom, too. Kelly knew she couldn’t think about that right then, those thoughts were for late at night, in the dark and silence where she could cry and no one noticed. She took a deep breath and said, “Find a place to hide the sandwich in case you get hungry later.” Consuela nodded and took the sandwich.
When Kelly finished with the others, she made one for herself and wolfed it down. two pieces of bread remained, so she made one more, and that used the last of the peanut butter as well. She tucked it behind some discarded wood in the corner before standing, still holding the empty peanut butter jar. Kelly went to the door and walked out, going toward the blond, tattooed woman, who sat up and frowned at her.
“Can I rinse this at the faucet and use it for a glass? Its plastic.”