Marked in Mexico Excerpt
“The last stop on the tour
will be at the sacred well. The sacred well is a sinkhole about sixty-five feet
across and is located a half mile from here. Legend is that the sacred well was
used for human sacrifices. Skeletons of about fifty people have been found at
the bottom, giving credibility to the story. It’s a magnificent feature of the
ruins, but if anyone is not up for the hike, you can wait here or meet us back
at the bus.”
Many of the older
participants in the group decided to wait at El Castillo, fearing the half-mile walk might be too much for them
in the oppressive humid heat of late afternoon. The sun blazed down and no
clouds offered any hint of relief as the rest of the group strolled toward the
final stop on the tour.
The group encountered few
other visitors as they walked to the sacred well. At the well, the guide went
into detail about how the sacrifices were carried out. Jessica felt he was
being a little melodramatic and started to tune him out until he abruptly
stopped talking. His silence jolted her back to attention.
The look on the guide’s
face sent shivers down Jessica’s spine. His eyes were focused on something
behind the group which only he could see. Jessica’s eyes darted from Amber to
the other twenty-five people standing around her and could tell they were all
aware something was wrong. As if on cue, the entire group eased around to face
what stood behind them.
One of the young college
girls screamed, but the sound was cut short by the butt of a rifle being
slammed to her temple, knocking her to the ground. An old man moved to go to
her, but stopped as a gun was raised to his head.
Two gunmen held automatic
rifles at the ready and motioned for the group to turn back around and face the
tour guide. Everyone quietly complied except for the young woman still lying on
the ground, bleeding and whimpering.
Jessica reached for
Amber’s hand and squeezed it hard as they looked at the shaking guide with a
pistol pressed to his temple. The gunman said something to the guide in Spanish
and the guide translated.
“He says do not move and
do not make a sound and no one has to die today.”
Everyone obeyed, the
silence broken only by the birds singing in the trees, a sound too pleasant for
the situation. The gunman again said something and the group eagerly waited for
translation.
“Everyone lay face down on
the ground and clasp your hands behind your neck. Do not move, do not make a
sound and do not look up.”
Jessica hated to release
Amber’s hand, but knew they had to comply. She stayed as close to Amber as she
could while easing down to the hard-packed ground. She joined her fingers
behind her neck and turned her head to the side so she could breathe freely and
still see her friend.
She heard a whimper as
someone was drug to her feet. The noise was feminine and sounded young, so
Jessica imagined one of the college girls had been grabbed. She waited and
listened. This time she heard a yelp, followed by a slap, and another person
being drug to their feet. Another heavier, clumsier shuffle sounded, but little
else.
Jessica lay on the ground,
fighting the urge to scratch the itching caused by biting insects, feeling the
vibrations of boots hitting the ground as footsteps neared. She bit her lip and
held her breath. A gunman grabbed Amber by the hair, crouched down and stared
at the terrified woman for a moment before dropping her head to the ground and
stepping away.
Momentary relief flooded
Jessica that Amber hadn’t been hurt or taken, then the pain hit. A fist yanked
her by the hair and pulled her face up. She opened her eyes, looking directly
into the cold dark eyes of a gunman. She wanted to scream, but pulled it in
before a sound could escape. He scanned her face and he was so close she could
smell the acrid odor of cigarettes and booze on his breath. He continued to
hold her head up until another man came to his side. The other man looked at
her and nodded, and she was abruptly yanked to her feet by her hair.
Jack and Zach made a move
to stand at the same moment. A boot crashed hard into Zach’s back, forcing him
to the ground while the man’s gun swung around and aimed at Jack’s head.
“Don’t move or he’ll shoot
you!” the guide screamed.
Everyone froze. Two of the
college girls and a balding middle-aged man huddled in a group not far from the
man with the pistol to the guide’s head. Jack stood about five feet away, but
didn’t move.
“¿Cuántas?”
asked the man holding
Jessica’s hair.
“Cinco,” replied the man with the pistol.
Jessica was pushed in the
direction of the two girls and balding man, while the third gunman jabbed his
gun in Jack’s back, forcing him to follow Jessica.
“Stay on the ground with
your heads down. If they hear anyone move they’ll shoot one of the hostages,”
the guide stuttered.
Jessica watched in horror as
the guide’s head was bashed by the butt of the pistol, knocking him to the
ground. The assailant then joined the other gunmen, seizing Jessica’s arm, and
the three men began herding the group away from the ruins.
They were forced into a
slow jog. The balding man’s gut bounced as he tried to keep up and each time he
slowed to rest, he was jammed in the back with the barrel of a rifle. Jessica
couldn’t see Jack behind her, but she could hear heavy male breathing so she suspected
he was close. She wanted to turn and confirm his presence, but the man’s grip
on her arm was strong as he pulled her along and she doubted he would tolerate
even the slightest pause. His fingers dug into her skin, bruising her, though
at the moment bruising was the least of her problems.
Everyone in the group was
gasping for breath by the time they arrived at a battered old van. Two men
pushed the hostages into a line facing the vehicle. The third man moved through
the group and claimed every visible bag or pack. He then focused on each person
individually. He started with Jack and quickly frisked him, removed his wallet
from his back pocket, tied his hands behind his back, placed a strip of duct
tape across his mouth, and shoved him into the van. The gunman repeated the process
with the older, balding man before turning his focus on girls.
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