Leila looks with strangeness at the call log that says unknown number while driving a green Jeep on a dirt road on the outskirts of the border.
She tries to return the call, but this function is not enabled for this type of number. At that moment, the car passes abruptly over a hole, making her hand shake and the device slip, falling onto the road.
She brakes.
After stopping, she lets out a deep sigh. Through the rearview mirror, she looks for the phone, and sees a blue dot in the middle of the packed dirt. She opens the door and goes to it.
When picking it up from the ground, she blows the dust and removes the back cover. Then she analyzes whether the N2 core is intact, after seeing that it still glows in a slightly bluish tone, she lets out the air while placing her hand on her chest. After closing it again, she puts the device in the pocket of her brown jeans.
While returning to the car, she pats her hands on the vest of the same color to remove any dust that may have gotten stuck there. She ends up finding some on the black fabric of the tank top, upon realizing it will not come out so easily, she makes a pout to the side with her mouth. Lastly, she checks her hat, which when moved, exposes more clearly the red strands under the sun, which soon makes a point of reminding her why she uses such protection on her head.
Without delay, she returns to the car and continues the trip.
After more than two hours on the road, she arrives home and parks in front. She grabs her shoulder bag made of beige fabric and heads to the gate, then to the door.
"I am hooome!"
Already taking off her boots and leaving them beside the door, she goes to the living room through a small corridor.
"Hi daughter!" Without losing her pace she continues toward the kitchen.
"Hi mom! How was it there? Did you find anything?" Sarah asks her while lying on the sofa, reading a book.
"Unfortunately not, just stones and roots."
"That is a shame, do not get discouraged, soon you will find something!"
"I hope so. If not, the Guild will revoke the restriction of the place, then that is it..."
"Why do you not join the Hunters' Guild? They pay much more." Sarah suggests.
"You know what I think about those filthy ones. We Archaeologists, at least have scruples, and we give much more value to the findings. Not everything comes down to money." Leila finishes her speech with a sigh.
"Just do not have a heart attack if you find something!" Sarah does not miss the chance to tease her mother while giving a slight smile without losing focus on the reading.
"Very funny you! And how was school today?"
"It was all normal, I am still undefeated, but the boys do not want to let me play ball anymore."
"Do you not think it would be nice to let them win once in a while?" Leila rummages through the kitchen looking for something in the fridge.
"I will not! They have to work to beat me! Oh... there is food on the stove inside the pot."
Sarah flips a page while remaining lying down, with her legs crossed, supporting the book.
"Are you serious Sarah? Potatoes? Again?" Leila looks in disbelief at the pot full of boiled potatoes with a bit of rice underneath and some pieces of meat in the corner. "Seriously! You must dream about potatoes, it is not possible."
"Dad did not complain..."
"He does not care about anything. A bottomless pit. It even seems like you take after him."
Leila already approaches the sofa with the pot in one of her hands and the fork in the other.
"Heeey..." Sarah murmurs, after Leila throws herself onto the sofa.
"Make some space there."
Sarah sits cross-legged while placing the pillow on her legs to support the book. Then, she gives a light intentional bump into her mother.
"Hey! Settle down, creature!"
"There, soon you will call me a fossil too." Sarah comments in a low tone with a slight smile.
"Hm... great idea. You would definitely be the fossil of a Cus-Cus. Troublesome like one!" Leila lets out a big laugh while looking for a channel on the television with the remote control.
"It would not be that bad. I could run around freely without worrying about homework."
"I would not want to be your teacher." Leila continues her search with the remote control. "Now be quiet, I want to watch the news of my team!"
"Our team!" Sarah closes the book and sits in the corner of the sofa.
A few minutes later and Sarah is already leaning her head on her mother's shoulders, who is still finishing eating the little food that was in the pot.
"The royalty thinks they can ev... A new shipment of human slaves captured in the desert is arriving to work at the commercial port with... New cases of unsolved kidnappings are piling up... The wall that divides us will one day fall... Ice creams for me, for you and for everyone... A new treatment with N2 that will restore your youth in the blink of an e... They are superior, what can we do? The world belongs to the st... The Atlás tournament ended with another noble earning the right to elite guard, they..."
Channels and more channels and Leila even begins to snort.
"He is in great form and is confirmed for today's match!!"
"Hey! Today we win! He will score a great goal as always!" Leila already celebrates as if victory were certain.
"Calm down mom, that team is annoying, they always make things difficult for us." Sarah gives a warning while her eyes and thoughts are still lost among the various lines she heard on TV.
"They are playing badly, this year they get relegated." Leila sentences the rival.
"Well... if they play like in the last round, it is a sure win!" Sarah joins the excitement.
"Do we have popcorn stored?" Leila already plans the night.
"Yes, there is still half a pack left. Make sure you do not forget to add butter this time."
"You are spoiled, you see!" Leila gets up from the sofa after finishing the part of the program that talks about her team. She heads to the kitchen to wash the pot and drink some water.
The day passes, the night arrives, the match begins. The two cheer for each play while eating popcorn and complaining about the refereeing.
Sarah's father is not at home.
And no one comments about it.
The match ends with a tight victory.
Mother and daughter, happy, go to their rooms and to their beds.
Sarah because she will be able to tease the boys who support the rivals and Leila excited for another day of excavation.
The lights go out, and silence fills the house, occupying the emptiness left by them.
Outside, the night remains awake.