—Le recomiendo que hable con Reyes, pero eso sí, tenga cuidado con ese tipo, es peligroso.
—No voy a pelear con él, — le dijo al hombre pequeño, era casi un enano.
—Él vive del otro lado del río, en el islote, en la rivera se va encontrar con un balsero, él lo pasará al otro lado, tiene que pagarle en dólares, el hijueputa no acepta otra moneda, ¿carga dinero? Porque si no, mejor se devuelve.

Tuvo que enseñarle el dinero para callarle la boca y se quedara tranquilo.

—Váyase por lo bajito y no le incomode si lo mira mucho, dicen que a muchos ha tirado al rio, usted anda solo, eso no es bueno.

Luego de seguir todas las instrucciones del enano, pudo llegar con el fulano Reyes, lo tenía allí, frente a él, este ni siquiera levantaba la cara, solo miraba un vaso que estaba sobre la mesa, luego habló como si yo no estuviera presente.

—¡Ramiro! ¿Pregúntale qué quiere? ¡no sé cómo carajos llegó aquí!
—¿Qué es lo que busca? —Dijo el tal Ramiro.
—¡Busco a mi hijo! Sé que el vino a hablar de trabajo con usted, tengo el mensaje aquí, en el teléfono.
—¿Y quién es tu hijo? — Dijo el tal Ramiro.
—Se llama Dimas fajardo.

El Reyes ni siquiera levantaba la cabeza, como si la cosa no fuera con él, jugaba con el vaso.

—¡Dimas Fajardo! ¡ah! un blanquito con aires de sabelotodo, —esta vez contestó El Reyes.

El sintió una risita y Ramiro sonrió.

—Así que usted es su padre y lo anda buscando, de tal palo, tal astilla, ¿Y usted como se llama?
—Soy Evencio Fajardo.
Reyes seguía jugando con el vaso sin levantar la cara.

— ¡Ramiro, dígale dónde está!

El hombre lo llevó por una puerta que daba a un patio y levantó el dedo hacia un bosque cercano.

—¡Vaya allá! dónde todo está neblinoso, es un lugar pantanoso, tal vez lo encuentre, allí viven los enanos, no son muy amigables, pero les gusta divertirse cuando hay ocasión.
—¿Por qué está allá? ¿Qué le hicieron?
—Para Hablar con Reyes, el privilegio hay que ganárselo, así de simple, — eso dijo Ramiro y desapareció, Evencio quedó solo, sabía que tenía que ir, tenía que encontrarlo, a eso vino.

Cuando llegó a la orilla del bosque, la neblina no dejaba ver con claridad, pero una voz lo hizo voltear.

—¡Ahora tiene que entrar! —era la voz de Ramiro, —ahí vive Demir, el enano, es un cazador, si logra salir vivirá, sino, será comida para los bichos del pantano.
—¿A mi hijo lo enviaron ahí?
—Así es, —esta vez habló el tal Reyes, estaba más atrás, parado entre la neblina, se veía más grande y se reía con sarcasmo, —sabe una cosa, Demir tiene siete cuchillos y dos lanzas, generalmente no usa los cuchillos... ¡jajajaja!

Evencio Fajardo respiró fuerte y con decisión entró al pantano, había leído mucho de sobrevivencia y esperaba le sirviera de algo, en la medida que iba entrando, seguía oyendo aquella risa del tal Reyes, trataba de moverse lo más lento para no hacer ruido, pero aquel barro lo obligaba a chapotear, sintió que algo se movía, no podía adivinar de qué lado venia el susurro, un chapoteo repentino lo distrajo, pero se dejó caer en el agua y una lanza se clavó a su lado, pudo ver la sombra que saltó más adelante y un animal que solo dejó ver su cola, ahora por donde avanzar, se movió con mucho sigilo, como un animal arrastrándose en el fango, vio la sombra del enano saltar, chapoteo y se escondió, la lanza paso silbando, casi tocándolo, se levantó corrió entre una madeja de raíces, un cuchillo llegó volando y se clavó en el árbol que lo cobijaba, lo tomó y se dijo: —ahora a esperar.

Reyes levantó la taza humeante del café y miró a Ramiro, tomó todo el contenido, se notaba ansioso.

—Alguna novedad, Ramiro.
—¡No jefe! Ninguna.
—Demir está tardando mucho, creo que está perdiendo condiciones, creo que era mejor usar a todos los enanos.

En ese momento se oyó un alboroto y un grupo de enanos salía de entre la neblina, Reyes se quedó callado y Ramiro se llevó la mano a la cintura buscando el arma.

—¡No Ramiro!, quédese tranquilo, —dijo Reyes.

El grupo de enanos colocó el cuerpo de Demir en el pasto, atrás, Evencio Fajardo, como una sombra cubierta de fango agarraba con fuerza el cuchillo.

—¡Busca al muchacho y que se vaya!

Reyes se volvió a servir otra taza de café y bebió de un tirón, luego se acercó al cuerpo de Demir, lo levantó y lo dejó caer con rabia. Evencio Fajardo caminó detrás de Ramiro.

—¡Papá! ¡papá! ¿Cómo supiste que estaba aquí?
—Ya te contaré hijo, ahora es mejor salir.

Cuando llegó a la orilla del rio, El balsero lo estaba esperando.

—¡No tengo dinero para pagarle! —le dijo.
—¡Suba! Eso no importa, generalmente regreso solo o con un cadáver para dejarlo en el río.

Evencio Fajardo miró a lo lejos, miró aquel islote lúgubre a donde se dirigía y un hilo nervioso le corrió por la espalda.

—I recommend that you talk to Reyes, but be careful with that guy, he is dangerous.
—I'm not going to fight with him, —he said to the small man, he was almost a dwarf.
—He lives on the other side of the river, on the islet, on the riverbank he will meet a balsero, he will take you to the other side, you have to pay him in dollars, the son of a bitch doesn't accept any other currency, do you carry money? Because if he doesn't, he'd better go back.

He had to show him the money to shut him up and calm him down.

—He said to him, Go away quietly and don't bother him if he looks at you too much, they say he has thrown many people into the river, you walk alone, and that's not good.

After following all the dwarf's instructions, he was able to get to the so-and-so Reyes, he had him there, in front of him, he didn't even raise his face, he only looked at a glass that was on the table, then he spoke as if I wasn't present.

—Ramiro! Ask him what he wants. I don't know how the fuck he got here!
—What does he want? —Said this Ramiro.
—I'm looking for my son! I know he came to talk to you about work, I have the message here, on the phone.
—And who is your son? —Said the Ramiro.
—His name is Dimas Fajardo.

The man called Reyes didn't even raise his head, as if it wasn't with him, he played with the glass.

—Dimas Fajardo! Ah! a white boy with the air of a know-it-all, —answered El Reyes.
He felt a chuckle and Ramiro smiled.
—So you are his father and you are looking for him, like father, like son, and what is your name?
—I am Evencio Fajardo.

Reyes kept playing with the glass, without looking up.
— Ramiro, tell him where he is!

The man took him through a door that led to a courtyard and raised his finger to a nearby forest.

—Go there, where everything is foggy, it's a swampy place, maybe you'll find it, the dwarves live there, they're not very friendly, but they like to have fun when there's an occasion.

—Why is he there? What did they do to him?
—To talk to Reyes, the privilege must be earned, it's as simple as that, —said Ramiro and disappeared, Evencio was left alone, he knew he had to go, he had to find him, that's what he came for.

When he reached the edge of the forest, the fog did not let him see clearly, but a voice made him turn around.

—Now he has to go in! —It was Ramiro's voice, —there lives Demir, the dwarf, he is a hunter, if he manages to get out he will live, if not, he will be food for the swamp bugs.
—My son was sent there?

—That's right, —this time the one called Reyes spoke, he was further back, standing in the mist, he looked bigger and laughed sarcastically, —you know something, Demir has seven knives and two spears, he usually doesn't need to use the knives... hahahahaha! Now get in!

Evencio Fajardo breathed hard and with the decision, he entered the swamp, he had read a lot about survival and he hoped it would help him, as he entered, he kept hearing that laugh of Reyes, he tried to move as slowly as possible to avoid making noise, but that mud forced him to splash, he felt something moving, he could not guess from which side the whisper was coming, a sudden splashing distracted him; He dropped into the water, a spear came flying from the darkness, it stuck to the side, very close to his body.
He could see the shadow that jumped ahead and an animal that only let his tail be seen, now? where to advance? he moved very stealthily, like a lizard crawling through the mud, he saw the shadow of the dwarf jump, Evencio splashed and hid, the spear whistled past, almost touching him, he got up, ran through a skein of roots, a knife came cutting the air, it stuck in the tree that sheltered him, he took it and said to himself: —now to wait.

Reyes lifted the steaming cup of coffee and looked at Ramiro, he took all the contents, he was anxious.
—Any news, Ramiro?
—No, boss! No news.
—Demir is taking too long, I think he is losing conditions, I think it was better to use all the dwarves this time.

At that moment a commotion was heard and a group of dwarves came out of the fog, they were bringing the body of Demir, the hunter. Reyes remained silent and Ramiro put his hand to his waist looking for his weapon.

—No Ramiro! stay calm, —said Reyes.

The group of dwarves placed Demir's body on the grass, further back, Evencio Fajardo, like a shadow covered in mud, gripped the knife tightly.

—Get the boy and let him go!

Reyes turned to pour himself another cup of coffee and drank in one gulp, then walked over to Demir's body, picked it up, and angrily dropped it. Evencio Fajardo walked up behind Ramiro.

—Dad! Dad! How did you know I was here?
—I'll tell you, son, now it's better to leave.

When he reached the river bank, the balsero was waiting for him.
—I don't have any money to pay you! —he said.
—Come on up! That doesn't matter, I usually come back alone or with a corpse to throw in the middle of the river.

Evencio Fajardo looked into the distance, he looked at that dreary islet where he was headed and a nervous thread ran down his back.