Rodrigo Pérez Fernández

Candice watched the fire in Naomy's kitchen. It caught her attention how the stove didn't need firewood to ignite; it was like magic seeing the blue flame appear out of nowhere. She watched and listened to what Naomy's mother was watching on the television.

To her, all of this was strange. Even movies and the cinema were a novelty for her. This era felt strange. The things they called "cars" moved at a frighteningly fast speed, the women dressed scandalously, and she had the sensation that there was more chaos, more people, and more fights.

Candice saw Naomy and her brother arrive at the dining room to set the table. They laughed and shoved each other while placing the plates. She remembered the times she skipped meals so she wouldn't gain weight—and the times she did eat, her mother always insisted on double the training so it wouldn't show.

Candice had one last chance to be free. She had managed to survive the fire, but the cost was being trapped in the mirror that showed the future. She had ruined everything.

She saw the future assigned to her. There was Emily, with an older man who smiled, but it was clear his intentions were not honest. That was why she had decided to go through Naomy, the owner of her mirror. She knew that girl would get involved. She knew that strange girl would change the future.

If everything went well, she might have a chance at redemption—to be free from that mirror and go in peace to whatever place awaited her. Candice was startled by the girl's scream.

"Are you serious?!" Naomy shouted excitedly. Her brother nodded with a certain excitement as well.

"Very, very serious, morra," Juan told her, smiling at his thrilled sister. "On Wednesday, I’m takin’ you and your friends to La Feria."

Naomy was so excited that, without realizing it, she bumped the table, making the plates rattle. Her mother told her to calm down, saying it wasn't that big a deal, but added that she should hurry if she wanted her friends to accept the invitation. Candice sighed. Although she didn't quite understand what they were going, what she did feel was envy.


Emily hated vacations. Their only advantages were simple: staying up late playing at rituals, waking up late, and going somewhere with her friends. Her mother worked too many hours, and Nina only knew how to watch television.
She hated it. Nina hated Emily staying home all day. It meant the routine would change; she couldn't actively ignore her while watching TV.

Monday morning felt warm and quiet. Emily was already awake, but she was in bed reading old magazines, looking for something to do. She jumped when her bedroom door was thrown open by her grandmother.

"Get up and get dressed," Nina ordered her granddaughter. "It's your turn to help me clean the house."

"It's vacation, Nina," Emily replied crossly. She had finally managed to find something to do that day.

That morning, Emily's room was messy; much of her unwashed clothes lay on the floor, the windows likely hadn't been opened in a long time, and it smelled of dampness and confinement.
"Exactly," Nina explained, fed up with seeing Emily in pajamas and in bed. "That doesn't mean you're going to be a damn lazy girl. Now, obey!"

Nina left the room and went to the bathroom. While she was changing, Emily heard the phone ringing. She ignored it for a few seconds while putting on an old blouse. Then the doorbell rang. It rang several times, but she already knew how to ignore those kinds of nuisances. Both sounds made Nina scream.

"Emily, for the love of God, answer the door!" the old woman shouted from the bathroom. The phone had stopped ringing, but the person outside insisted on knocking.

Emily finished dressing and went downstairs. She opened the door and found a man with black hair, glasses, and new clothes.

"Who are you looking for?" Emily asked, confused. The man's smile made her uncomfortable.

The man just smiled, which confused Emily even more as she stood there observing him. The bathroom door closed, and Nina came down to see who it was.

"What do you want?!" Nina shouted as she approached the door.

"I’ve come to visit," the man remarked. "I’ve come to see Sandra and her beautiful daughter."

Nina's eyes widened in shock; she was terrified. She began to whisper incomprehensible phrases, backed away, and fell from the fright. Emily only started to get scared when her grandmother began to gasp for air.

"What’s wrong, Grandma?" she asked, approaching, not knowing how to help her.

The man calmly took out a phone and called the Red Cross, stating that an elderly woman was having a heart attack.

Nina started screaming—that she was fine, that he shouldn't be there. That she could call the police, that he had no right. Emily watched the situation with growing unease. Neighbors were already starting to gather; she saw them talking amongst themselves and kept wondering who he was.

"I’m Rodrigo, Emi," the man said, smiling, which made Emily even more uncomfortable. She didn't like being called that. "I’m your dad."


The ambulance arrived a few minutes later. The situation was awkward for Emily. That man was talking to the neighbors, assuring them he was her father and that he was visiting for the holidays. Nina was agitated, caught between the gossiping neighbors and the shock.

"Is he really my dad, Grandma?" Emily asked while the paramedics attended to Nina.

She was already curious, excited, and at the same time wanted to get closer to the man talking to the neighbors. Nina ignored the question, evading her granddaughter's gaze. Fury was evident in her eyes. Emily timidly approached the man and asked the question:

"Are... are you really my dad?" she asked, touching his arm.

The man turned to look at his daughter. That wide nose was clearly an inheritance from him, as was the messy, half-combed hair she had. He smiled.

"Yes, my girl," he replied while further messing up Emily's unkempt hair. "I’m Rodrigo, your dad, who finally came to see you."