Russian Roulette (by Gabriel Zas)

The five young men entered a field in the early hours of the morning. They were three men and two women. The oldest of the group was Tobias Ruiz. He was 34 years old, somewhat self-centered and quite womanizing. She was followed by Patricia Mornet, 32, one of the most beautiful women in Daireaux, a small town west of the province of Buenos Aires. She was married to Francisco Aguirre, also 32 years old and the third in age group by a difference of four months with his wife. He was followed by the brothers Hernán and Renata Pescusi, aged 31 and 29, respectively.
The five were lifelong friends, practically. They did everything together, they were inseparable. Of course they had their own problems and differences like anybody, but nothing from another world.
That cold night, once on the plain, they lit a fire and sat in a circle around it. They sang songs with a Creole guitar that played Hernán, drank liters of beer and told anecdotes.
Suddenly, in the midst of the laughter and the pleasant moment they shared together, Hernan set the guitar to one side and drew a .38-caliber revolver from his waist. Everyone fell silent at the same time they were frightened. Hernan looked at them all one by one in silence and without the slightest expression on his face. The rest simply stopped reacting to the situation. However, Francisco gathered enough courage and encouraged himself to ask.
"What are you doing with that, Hernan?" Stop fucking!
Hernan approached him and challenged him with his eyes. After a brief lapse of silence, he expressed his wishes.
_ Let's play Russian Roulette! Or are they chickens?
The four friends looked at each other with fear and doubt, but finally they accepted the challenge believing that everything was under control and were arranged again in a circle. Hernan opened the game. It was shot and nothing. He gave Tobias the weapon, which was on his right. It triggered and nothing. It was the turn of Patricia, who achieved the same result as the other two. He brought the gun to Francisco, he triggered and the bullet came out with incredible power. He simply fell dead. From that moment, everything was chaos, stupor, uncontrol and confusion. Everyone was convinced that the weapon was truly unloaded, but that idea turned out to be false.
Patricia rushed forward over Hernan, giving him a series of fist punches scattered along her torso, screaming and sobbing at the same time. Tobias and Renata had to engage all their forces to separate Patricia de Hernán, who on the contrary, only showed an indifferent sketch without being in the least. When they managed to separate them, they left Hernan alone, and the three of them sat down, worried, at the edge of the lake that surrounded the open air. Patricia cried disconsolately and Renata pressed her over her shoulder to contain her.
"We're idiots," Tobias lamented nervously. "We should never have become so crazy.
_ The gun was not supposed to be loaded! It was supposed to be something harmless, not a real weapon! "He shouted wildly, Patricia.
_ Come on! _ Hernan said surprised and annoying, at the same time_ How are you supposed to play Russian Roulette?
Tobias had an impulse to rush mercilessly over him, but the two women avoided him in time.
"What are we going to do?" Renata asked in dismay.
_ Hide the weapon, the body ... We must pretend that here happened another thing_ proposed Tobias.
_ The police will discover it sooner or later and they will accuse us of covering up the crime, retorted Renata.
"What crime?" Tobias asked, angry and proud.
"Francisco is dead because of us ... Because of our negligence!" He stormed in fear, Renata.
"It was an accident," objected Tobias, somewhat calmer. "An unfortunate accident.
Patricia glared at Hernan.
"It is your fault," he said. "You are the only one responsible for his death.
"No, no, they're wrong." Hernan joked. "Everyone agreed to play, so everyone is as responsible as I am that Francisquito is dead. Guilty homicide ... Expelable offense or a maximum of 5 years in effective prison. But as none of us has a history and the benefits that exist ... _ he pointed out, downplaying the issue.
The three looked at Hernan with resentment and hatred.
"We have to think about what we are going to do," Tobias said forcefully as he stood up. "We have to figure this out before dawn. The night is quiet and we can act more easily.
"I agree," Renata agreed.
Tobias turned his gaze to the face of Patricia, who was holding her arms crossed; With a languid look and very afflicted, lost in unison.
_ And you? ... Look, I understand your pain, I really understand. We are all the same
_ Almost all ... _ interrupted Hernan, mockingly.
"Stop your mouth!" Tobias threatened. "You better watch out and do not lose any of our patience.
_ If we cover our tracks ... _ Patricia intervened, dazed. What are we going to say?
_ First, we have to throw the gun at the lake so that the current will take it far._ proclaimed Tobias_ We grab the body, we buried it here, we leave and tomorrow we make the complaint accordingly.
_ The complaint? _ Renata asked, caught. Are you crazy, Tobias?
We will say that Francisco separated from the group; Or that we left him in this or that place at a certain hour and that from that moment we never heard from him again. But we must make sure that for the police, we were never here.
_ For me, we have to take charge and say things as they really did. We did not win anything by covering up an accident, "Renata said.
"What for?" Said Tobias in a louder voice. "They're going to get us over. You know how this works. They impute us, they process us, they take us to trial, they draw a little the cause, they manipulate the tests a little at their convenience and we all go in cane.
"May I have an opinion?" Hernan raised his hand.
"Shut up, I told you!" Tobias cheered. "Because of you, we're in this quilombo.
"Because of everyone," corrected Hernan, almost as if mocking the situation.
Tobias frightened him, but both women calmed him down.
_ Fighting us is of no use to us. Stop fucking and behave like adults! "Said Patricia.
"Tell Tobias," replied Hernan.
Patricia faced him.
_ I thank you that I do not kill you._ she attacked_ Ganas do not lack me.
"Oh, what a scare!" And Hernan simply took a bottle of beer that was scattered on the floor and drank a drink from the beak.
"Are they with me?" Asked Tobias authoritatively.
_ My father can help us. He is a defense lawyer, "Renata said.
"Is it trustworthy?" Asked Tobias doubtfully.
_ He is my Old one.
_ And how do we know he will not betray us?
Renata looked at him circumspectly and defiantly.
_ Ok, I understood._ Tobias surrendered_ What do you propose?
_ Tell him the truth and make sure that Justice creates one hundred percent our history. He fixes it, we cover each other, he guarantees us, they leave us alone, each one continues with his life and we forget that this happened.
Tobias was quite suspicious of the proposal, but at last he said:
_ We have to do well.
"He has many contacts," Renata said. "He knows how to do it. He is fully engaged in the subject.
"What do you think, Patricia?" Tobias asked, addressing the aforementioned one.
"Is there any other alternative?" She asked hesitantly.
_ This is the best option we have_ replied Tobias.
_ And well ... _ expounded respectfully.
_ Look at the trunk of the car, Hernan, that there must be a shovel, when I went yesterday to help the boys of Monte Hermoso with the construction of the work, "said Tobias.
_ How convenient: the gentleman has a shovel in the luggage of the car, "he said in the same old ironical tone, Hernan.
_ Do not fuck, give it.
"It's true!" He reflected suddenly, Patricia. "Was it not that you were going to return them this afternoon? Why do you keep it?
It was late, and I told them that I had them tomorrow, but I did not come to look for you.
Everyone looked at Tobias in a strange way.
"Do you think that I have anything to do with Francis' death?" Tobias reacted stunned.
"You had a reason." Patricia added. "I owed you more than ten lucas, and you tired of not paying you and confronted you. Or did you forget about that?" Do you remember that I witnessed everything?
Do not say silly things, do you? In addition, the weapon had that tared one and the initiative of all this of the game was his.
"Do not get me involved with you," Hernan defended himself, but they ignored him.
All attention was focused on Tobias.
_ And you agreed to play._ continued Patricia_ Mirá what a coincidence ...
_ Because you accepted before I could decline the proposal so that the baby of Hernan was not offended because we did not play their sickly game. It would be no danger to anyone.
_ You misunderstood.
"And you, Genious, what did you suppose?"
There was a brief silence.
"Are you going to tell me that you did not think so?" Resumed Tobias. "If you said it yourself.
_ I accepted because we have known for many years and I had no reason to doubt, "Patricia said.
_ I had no reason to doubt either.
_ Enough! _ Renata intervened, decided_ The death of Francisco was an accident. They look like two creatures fighting over a toy, che ... Please! He could have touched any of us.
_ I agree: accident, said frivolously, Tobias.
_ Same thing_ reaffirmed Patricia.
_ Hernán: _ said Renata_ is going to look for the shovel, give him, collaborate on something.
_ The ladies commanded_ replied that, and obeyed.
"Where are we going to bury him?" Patricia asked.
Tobias scanned the room, very slowly.
"There, next to that tree," he said, pointing to a large space a few feet away, near the edge of the lagoon.
"We have to do it fast," Patricia suggested.
"We'll make a shallow hole," said Tobias, "enough for Francisco to fit in, and then we'd cover him well, with leaves and everything.
Hernan came back with the shovel.
_ Why do not we load the body in the trunk of the car and look for some place more agreed? That way, if we leave it to the side of the route ... _ Hernan suggested, a little more serious than before_ Here is to bury it, clean and get rid of everything.
"He's right," Renata said. "Burying him here is very risky. In addition, we would spend a lot of time digging the pit.
"Yes, but on the way someone can see us," Tobias said.
"If a soul does not pass at this time of the morning," Renata remarked. "We are looking for an isolated and ready place.
"I insist that it is better to bury him here," Tobias confided.
It was heard that something hit the water of the lagoon.
"What was that?" Patricia asked, somewhat alarmed.
"I went," Hernan said. "I threw the gun before we forget.
_ Here or elsewhere? _ Renata asked in a loud voice_ We have already lost a lot of time, what do we do? Let us decide now.
"Call the Old Man," Hernan said, in an attitude completely different from the one he had adopted until that moment.
_ Look if I'm going to call you so late ... _ Renata objected.
_ He always stays up late, going ahead of the lab.
_ It seems crazy to me. You have to explain everything just now and it does not give. We have to resolve this on our own, urgent. We catch him quietly tomorrow.
_ Tomorrow has a very complicated day. In addition, he is accustomed to advise the big mafia about these and other more delicate issues.
_ Corrupt lawyer _ asked Tobias_ How cute, uh ... I love the help.
_ The police are more corrupt, still, said Renata_ Do you know the despelote that can do us? Corrupt with corrupt everything is solved. It is the formula that shows how things work in these times. In this way, they cover us ...
_ Cover us with something we never did ...
Renata grabbed her cell phone, dialed, and talked to someone for a few minutes. He cut off the communication and addressed the rest.
"I talked to Dad." He looked at Hernan.
"What did he say?" He answered.
_ That we take it home, that he personally takes care of everything. We have nothing to worry about.
But Tobias was divergent about it.
_ That is the worst idea of ​​all_ opined firmly.
_ It is already decided._ slipped Renata_ We are majority.
_ The opinion of Patricia is missing.
And the looks turned to her. He let the word flow after an instant of reflection.
_ If your old man is an expert on the subject ...
"It's done," Hernán said.
But Tobias continued to oppose the initiative.
"We all win," Renata said.
"What do you mean?" Tobias snapped, somewhat nervous and intrigued at the same time.
Think of it this way: you wanted him dead for all the Guita that owed you for the loan you gave him four years ago; Patricia wanted him dead because I left him several times unfaithful ...
"I thought that was in the past ... that they had already spoken and filed definitively ... And you wanted it dead, too?" Tobias asked, boldly.
_ When they get in with my friends and the people I love, they also mess with me, "she replied, with frivolity.
"He owed me money, yes ... But he was my friend." Tobias replied. "We were a close group. I never wanted anything like that. And you?
"No," answered Renata. "But fate did us a favor and we had a huge advantage. Let's take advantage of one hundred percent.
Tobias was silent. He walked ceaselessly, at the same time that he was bursting with sighs of concern.
"Where are we going to take him?" Tobias finally decided.
"In your car, where else, but?" Hernan shot.
_ And if we stop the Transit? If we are arrested by the Gendarmerie, do they check us and catch us?
_ At this time? It's almost four in the morning. Soñás. But there is an alternative and safer way to my Old Man, if that reassures you.
Tobias nodded slightly.
They opened the trunk of the car and between Hernán and Tobías they loaded Francisco's body inside and closed it.
"One last thing," Tobias said, before getting into the car.
_ And now, what? _ Patricia complained.
"How did you convince your old man to help us so fast?" He asked Renata.
They all looked at each other, while Tobias glimpsed what was really happening.
_ They are rubbish! _ Tobias released, angry and disappointed_ Above, they used me ... Francisco was unfaithful to Renata, right? Did she go with her, Patricia? Sure ... And instead of breaking with their friendship, they decided to arrange things differently.
_ He fanned suddenly, "Hernan teased.
_ This was no accident ... It was a detailed murder planned! How did they do it, huh?
_ Killing him at the entrance was going to be very obvious._ he said coldly, Renata_ So we asked for help from my old man. He gave us the weapon and prepared the bullet so that it fired in the fourth shot.
_ In the round, he had to place fourth ... they put the round together and left Francisco in fourth, they left him forcibly ... And I, naive, helped them to make that possible._ he lamented deeply, while he despaired .
Hernan pulled the gun from his waist. Tobias was astonished.
"What I threw into the water before was a stone," Hernan confessed.
"We put the body in your car," continued Patricia, "there was evidence, we planted the gun in the glove compartment and with the influence that Dad has, you were condemned for simple homicide and we would testify the three against you.
"You were the perfect bait, Tobias," Renata told him. "You had the motive for the murder, too. It was not difficult to manipulate you, after all. It was a plan devised by the brilliant mind of the Old Man.
"Did not you realize, idiot," Hernan explained haughtily, "that when I took out the gun to" play "I did not turn the drum, as it usually does before starting the Russian Roulette?" And laughed.
To treason, Patricia struck a forceful blow behind his head with a stone to Tobias that killed him in the act. She simply threw the stone she used to kill the pond and looked at the other two with bright eyes and a cryptic smile on her face.
"Tobias was going to give us away," she said with satisfaction.
The three friends celebrated the triumph of their evil plan.