Evolution

“The day a Perseid land” Teresa read carefully. Her grandfather had given her the first page and the front cover of the newspaper at the girl’s insistence.

“It doesn't make sense…” Yuusuke said.

“We already know that, brainiac, that's why we're here.”

“Is there anything else?” Imobach asked in full stretch.

Adassa challenged him with her gaze, she was forced to be rude at times.

"I guess yess" Coral added, acting like a cow . "Where is it?" She took a deep breath.

“In Fuerteventura, the police are reportedly investigating the incident, but as there is no risk to the public, they have not closed any roads. I don't know if the internet portals say anything different.”

“They're going to contaminate everything,” Imobach rolled his eyes.

“Not only the environment, but also the evidence we can obtain. In any case,” Yuusuke looked at Adassa, “I assume you've already bought the tickets.”

“This afternoon at seven.”

“H-how?” Teresa crumpled the paper.

“I'm always prepared, you guys get organized. You have to do my bizum, by the way.”

Facing the serious faces of those around her and Yuusuke, who had already gotten up to pack his suitcase, Adassa's laughter burst out.

“Do you really think I'm that crazy? It's due tomorrow morning, so we can get the car from... mmh... seriously, I can’t… the blonde guy…”

“Joel …”

“I know an Airbnb from a trip not long ago, so I call and try my luck.”

“No! I'm not going to risk it…” Coral corrected herself, “risk it like last time. Do you know how many syringes I saw in the forgotten building?”

“It wasn't that bad, and this is safe…”

“Two, that's enough. I'm already looking at hotels.”

“Yes. With a pool, I see,” Yuusuke observed how, while his friend was doing the cobra, he searched on his screen. “What could it be?” until now it was the mystery that had worried him the most, and that was less than ten minutes ago he didn't know it. He knew it couldn't be anything good, but to have compared it to a stellar phenomenon... how disconcerting. “I assume it could be related to Aisuke. An unpredictable singularity.”

“Couldn’t it be something like an orb ?” Teresa pointed out, sounding quite bright, like when she helped her cow, Cow-roline, give birth. “But without a camera, an orb that you see with your eyes, like a light.”

“They are explained by the backscatter effect.” Yuusuke spared explaining that this is why they are only visible when the images are developed. “But you are right about one thing, there are no photos. You're welcome.”

“They could be a hoax, due to atmospheric conditions, right?” Point for Coral. Yuusuke had told her days before that she no longer seemed as stupid as a beluga, she had evolved; She made sure to finish off all the cinnamon biscuit and/or butter reserves at home and in nearby supermarkets. “Density, temperature… or even our proximity to the equator.”

“They are closer to the Tropic of Cancer, from what I've read, although yes. Changes in the electromagnetic field. Fluctuations.”

“Do you know the miracle of the sun? It happened in Portugal. If it is like that, we are missing a historic event.” Imobach could not help but tear his hair out lightly.

“Marfa Lights!” Adassa's keyboard echoed in the room, she read all the open pages from the screen at once. “If I use it properly…” she was aware that they were looking at her for raising her voice. “Things” she avoided saying My.

The commotion that had formed in the group, already habitual and increasingly frequent, only made the room fill with noise and no solution.

“I need silence to think.” Yuusuke lost his usual charm (quite different from Imobach's), because with this he won over anyone, old man, baby, bad-tempered housewife or lazy policeman, and gave way to his unpleasant dryness.

“I'd like to sort something out first,” Imobach said as he stood up.

“I have to go home to ask for permission and pick up a couple of things.” Teresa added.

The three girls set off, the gentle breeze contrasting with the heat, which only made them feel hotter on the steep climb to the farm.

Although she was walking slowly, Coral was the most advanced of the three, thanks to the crutch. She was also the first to enter the hall, an obligatory stop for Teresa every time.

The room was not as full as it had been in years past, but it was more so than in recent months. Some of the previously regular customers had returned, and many new ones had joined.

“What a scoundrel. Stand up. I've been waiting here for my turn for quite a while.”

The lady, whose perm was on a par with Marge Simpson and whose voice tone could be used to imitate Hayami Show , attacked the lady with the semi-pink cast. She had used two cans of nail polish to do so, although her work was overshadowed because someone decided to sign it in big letters in the middle of everything with a 14x17 size “Adassa” in burgundy (Teresa’s only nail polish); her brother chose to write “Andy” on the sole of her nail, smiled as he did so, and when he saw that no one followed suit, his mouth immediately turned serious.

“No, excuse me, I'm not here to be cured.” Coral replied. “I'm here with them.”

She pointed to the door through which her friends were entering, their tongues hanging out and red as tomatoes.

“Bring us a glass, come on, brunette,” Adassa spread out on top of the waiting chairs.

“Thank you.” Teresa was surprised to hear that the errand was for both of them and not just Adassa alone, she smiled, it seemed that some of her influence had taken effect.

“You look so pretty, Maria,” the lady intervened again, “you don't even look like yourself. These months when I haven't been able to come have done you good, you're an adult now.”

“I prefer… to be called Teresa,” she said somewhat suspiciously.

The brunette raised her head slightly and opened one eye to see the situation, but upon hearing the answer she returned to her resting position.

“Oh, yeah, well, keep putting on your makeup like that, your mother did it too and drove everyone crazy, oh, if only I had learned sooner…” she shook her head at her misunderstood youth.

Adassa stood up again.

“Dude, they don't let you rest here” she finished getting up to leave.

Teresa subtly stopped her with her hand. She continued to look the woman in the eyes and, unconsciously, she clenched her opposite fist against her chest.

“I would rather,” she began again, “that he didn't remind me of that person. She has hurt me a lot.”

“Like what?” The woman's eyes turned voracious. “I've heard things but I've never fully believed.”

"Tere! Can you help me, my crutch has fallen," Coral called for help from the other room.

“Yes. Excuse me, good day. I hope it will be a fruitful session.”

Teresa left the room. Adassa was more reluctant and took a detour.

“Only to Sirin in Women looks good this hairstyle. Save yourself the waste of money.”

She raised her voice slightly, she shouldn't indirectly bite the hand that fed him, more money would mean more chocolate cereal for breakfast.

Adassa entered the kitchen, Coral seemed to be managing without much difficulty without the crutch, in fact she had left it leaning against a chair and was hugging Teresa while she was on one leg.

“Well done! I heard it.”

“And if I've done well, why do I feel so bad?”

Coral responded with a laugh.

“Now do you understand me?” She looked at her smiling.

"Let's go, and the glass?" she asked as she took a drink from it. "I want to try out our foot massager and get it ready for when we get back from the next excursion."

“We don't have that” Teresa was surprised, in seventeen years she hadn't seen one in the house.

“Since this morning, yes.”

“As?”

“The post office box , red-eye.”

“Weren't you more surprised that I said our?” Coral said, equally stunned and ironic.

"Yes, it is," Adassa replied. "And to be honest, I borrowed five euros from your wallet. They were missing," she said without shame or concern.

Still, Coral was overcome with a feeling of pride, as if a mother were watching her baby walk, she would normally say with wide open eyes that it was hers and hers alone.

“But they were for more books” now Teresa had to wait a little longer to start that book with the title of a Beatles song .

“You are helping to deforest the Amazon. Stop!” Adassa defended himself.

“And you don't?” Coral's tone was sarcastic. 2Go on... go,” she stretched out her a, “I'll take prime!”

“I'll punish you by not having Internet,” Teresa scolded him.

“Try it.”

That night Adassa had to play Minesweeper until the battery on her cell phone ran out. For some reason, there was no internet, the light didn't turn on when he pressed the switch, and when she plugged in the cables, they didn't charge.

After her comforting massage, on one foot only, at the risk of making the other worse, Coral left the farm radiant.

She stopped several times to admire the landscape. The descent gave way to the immensity of the restless ocean. Most of the nearby bushes were dry due to the time of year, but the insects seemed to continue doing their job. Some were taking their first steps on the protective rubber of the park, others were creating a pleasant noise around the beers they were drinking, and those who weren't were busy eating sunflower seeds.

Until he saw them.

“Alex, I haven't seen you in a while” Imobach greeted him with two kisses.

“How are you?” he glanced at Imobach.

“I already explained it to you. I behaved badly because of my fears, but one little person made me think again,” he shook his sister's head like a dog.

“Yes… I could have acted better too,” Alex said..

“It's good that you are reconciled, those were silent weeks,” Coral said looking back. “And I approached thinking that behind them was a home-wrecking cat” her joke made the three of them laugh.

“No, it's already clear to me that he has priorities,” Alex pouted, between pride and respect.

“We have to grow up,” the brown-haired boy replied.

“You will always have skin-diving” Coral positioned herself between them, creating a perfect triangle.

“There is friendship ahead, don't worry,” said Imobach with tense hands. He expected a quick answer, but he knew he had to get used to it not always being like that.

“A fruit smoothie?” Coral suggested.

“Of course” Alex took them both by the shoulders and started walking, “By the way, Coral,” of his brother's flirts, Alex was the one she had become the most friends with, “what are you going to do about the tournament? 100 meters or something like that.”

“It annoys me, I won't deny it. I've prepared for so long for nothing, so to speak, you know what I mean, I'll try again next time and I trust that it will turn out well, but I know that it will also be good for me when it comes to healing, to give myself some time where I don't look for praise, so that when they really do, it will come to me and, in addition,” she changed his tone to a more lively one, “my team will have a very passionate cheerleader. I'll give it my all!”

Coral clenched her fists and raised them in victory.