The Valkyries

Paulo helped her support his wife. They took her to the car and laid her down on the backseat.

"Don't worry. She'll come around very quickly. With a serious headache."

He wasn't worried. He was proud.

Valhalla went to her cycle and brought a canteen. Paulo noted that she had already donned her sunglasses--she must have reached her limit, as well.

She bathed Chris's forehead in water, and dabbed some on her wrists and behind her ears. She opened her eyes, blinked several times, and sat up.

"Break a pact," she said, looking at the Valkyrie.

"You are an interesting woman," Valhalla said, passing her hand across Chris's face. "Put your glasses on."

Valhalla caressed Chris's hair. And even though both were now wearing dark glasses, Paulo knew they were staring at each other.

THEY WALKED TO THE STRANGE DOOR IN THE MOUNTAIN.

Valhalla turned to the other Valkyries. "For love. For victory. And for the glory of God."

The same phrase J. had used. The words of those who know angels.

The Valkyries started their engines, blowing up a cloud of dust. The women did the same maneuvers they had at the gas station--passing closely by each other--and, minutes later, they had disappeared around the mountain.

Valhalla turned to Chris and Paulo.

"Let's go in," she said.

There was no door, just a grate. On it hung a sign:

DANGER

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

PROHIBITS ENTRY

VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED

"Don't believe it," said the Valkyrie. "They're not going to spend any time guarding this."

It was an old, abandoned gold mine. Valhalla, carrying a lantern, began to move forward carefully, so as not to bump her head on the passage beams. Paulo noticed that here and there the floor had collapsed. It might have been dangerous, but now wasn't the time to think about it.

As they went deeper, the temperature fell, and it even became pleasant. He was worried about a lack of air, but Valhalla was moving along as if she knew the place well--she must have been there many times, and she was still alive. Now wasn't the time to think about that, either.

After walking for ten minutes or so, the Valkyrie halted. They sat on the floor of the passage, and she placed the lantern in the middle of their circle.

"Angels," she said. "Angels are visible to those who accept the light. And break the pact with the darkness."

"I have no pact with the darkness," Paulo responded. "I had one. But no longer."

"I'm not talking about a pact with Lucifer, or with Satan, or with..." She began to speak the names of various demons, and her face looked strange.

"Don't say those names," Paulo interrupted. "God is in the words, and the devil as well."

Valhalla laughed. "It looks as if you've learned the lesson. Now, break the pact."

"I have no pact with evil," Paulo repeated.

"I'm talking about your pact with defeat."