Pietro and Valencia, Part eight

    When Valencia opened her eyes the next morning she was alone in the bed in the little house.  She walked outside to find Estrella and Pietro deep in conversation.  They did not even hear her approach.
     "Pietro, what is going on, what are you two planning?  I was afraid."
       Pietro turned and put his strong young arms around Valencia.  "You are right to be afraid, my love, but Estrella has a plan.  No matter what happens, you and I will face it together.  Come, we will go back inside and talk about this plan."
     They returned to the house and Estrella began to tell them of her plan.  They would take her jeep and go through the mountains where there were no roads to follow.  She knew the mountains and knew the way to go where they would find water, and knew where they would have to be very careful.  She would draw them a map.  Eventually, they would end up in a little town called Talico.  She had a friend there that would help them get further away from the coyote's evil justice.   Estrella would hide their truck, so there would be no trace of them ever being here.
     She explained what they would need and how long it would take them.  She cautioned that they could not hurry, it would be too dangerous to have an accident.  Both Pietro and Valencia cringed at the thought of being in the mountains with one or both of them hurt.....or worse.  Only the fact that they had no other choice kept them focused.
     Estrella worked on the jeep, making sure it was in as good a condition as possible.  Pietro and Valencia put together food and suppies for the trip.  No one talked very much.  The tension made lines around their eyes and mouths, grim expressions on their faces.  Each had fears of their own.
     By evening time, Estrella decided they were a ready as possible.  Tomorrow they would leave.  None of them slept well.
     The Coyote wasn't sleeping either.  He raged on and on about Peitro and others who had burnt him, at least in his opinion.  His anger grew as he sat in the bar and drank cheap tequilla.  Others in the little bar stayed away from the man.  He smelled of alchohol, sweat, dirt, and a kind of raw putrid odor that came from his odiferous farts.  He was planning revenge.  This stupid young man would be an example to everyone, a warning of what would happen when the Coyote was crossed.  Yes, Pietro would be punished in ways that would put fear in others, but first, he had to find the young couple.
     The tequilla bottle emptied, the Coyote passed out, his head falling in a loud thump as it hit the table.  His last thought was about Valencia's family.  He could hurt them.  They would tell whatever they knew, he had ways.  A lopsided, evil grin made his face into a gruesome, ugly mask of hate.