“Red Alabama”

(English version)

I was at the village’s celebrations, as most of the inhabitants of Greenville did, as you already know, sheriff, sharing this relevant day. I was close to one of the huts, the one working as a bar, finishing my beer and observing how my friends managed to dance with the uncultured girls. Suddenly, just behind me, a silky voice came up.
—You are too attractive to miss this dance.
When I turned around I hardly could say a word due to such a beauty .That girl with that pearl skin, silky black hair and big clear eyes. If you had to identify her, she was wearing a T-shirt with the confederate flag on it, the same she was playing with as she smiled at me. But as I have mentioned before, there was something weird in her. It would be said she was about twenty three although she could have been older according to the deep gaze she had.
It is really difficult to explain but she instilled a kind of wisdom, quite far from her teen appearance.
—Hi, I am Scarlett, and you? —She told me.
—Bobby —I answered as I shaked hands with her.
—Why don’t we dance? —She said.
—I can’t dance at all —I muttered.
—Come on! What a drip! Look how your friends have fun! —She censured pointing at them. As I turned again I could see all of them dancing there, except for Taylor who was walking towards the trees in order to pee and probably to smooth out his inebriation.
"Sweet home Alabama" started playing at that moment so I thought it made no sense to the Lynyrd Skynyrd if I wasn’t able to dance with her. As I tried to ask her to do so she had vanished. I seeked everywhere, a bit upset.
A few minutes later I noticed Taylor wasn’t there so I went to the woods to avoid he could fell asleep as he used to do .When I got to that point I felt really shocked by the scene I witnessed, Taylor was being kissed as he was laying on the grass or it seemed to me.
A bit later I realised his body was shuddering.
Scarlett glanced at me and putting her forefinger in her bloody lips, she asked me to be quiet.
That’s why I am here telling this story, sheriff.
—It’s pretty clear guy. Go home, I will have a look.
A thunderous noise on the roof shut off our conversation and a soft and nice voice said:
—Bobby, I asked you to tell nothing? —His face turned into wax— Why didn’t you obey?
—Sheriff, please, run away to save - the boy added in a resigned tone - I am already dead. It is Scarlett....

Pepe Gallego
(Translated by Cristina Figueras)


"Red Alabama" (English ) by Pepe Gallego is licensed under a Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional License.