He gazed at his namesake as if for the first time.
His mind diseased, his body frail, his family in agony. His end was near and the memories of his past fluttered through his mind in a disarray of jumbled thoughts–the house his hands had built, children he once scolded, grandchildren he teased–all became one. Who was this man staring back at him with concerned face? His confusion worried him as he struggled to examine every crevice of his memory for a clue of who this man was.
The girl with him he recognized. It was his granddaughter–the one once stolen from them–the one they recovered–la traviesa. But who was the solemn man with her who studied his face so intently? There was some hint of familiarity, he thought, but he simply couldn’t understand why. Could it be he no longer recognized one of his own?
His heart beat faster and faster as the anguish enveloped him and he grew scared agitated at the realization. His life escaped him. It was gone along with so many memories that were now only garbled foggy dreams.
When did he become what now sat helplessly on this hospital bed?
