The story happened in April 2005: Victor, a 17-year-old barrow boy working in Asuncion's famous Mercado 4, was distracted by imagining himself famous and adored on television at a stall selling pirated DVDs in the market, which would result in customers being snatched away by another hauler who was one step ahead.
Which would result in his customers being snatched away by another hauler who was one step ahead.
Meanwhile, his sister was trying to sell what was then a high-end phone (which included a movie camera), so Victor is in awe of such a phone as he seeks to film himself and look like TV celebrities, although such an exorbitant price for him leaves him wanting.
The market world is hostile and competitive, and there are thousands of people like him waiting to send customers' purchases for a small fee.
Victor understood that he needed to move that day to get some money.
Then he received a somewhat unusual offer to transport seven boxes with contents he didn't know in exchange for half a torn $100 bill (actually, the price of the phone in question).
After he finishes his job, he will be given the other half of the money. With a loaner cell phone, which the contractor uses to keep track of which street to travel on, Victor sets out on his journey.
Traveling the 8 blocks covered by the market seems easy, but it gets more and more complicated:
A crate is stolen, he loses his phone and the police surround the market looking for something he has no idea about.
On top of that, there is an army of forklift drivers willing to escort the boxes for a small profit.
Victor and his pursuers become unwittingly embroiled in a crime they know nothing about: the cause, the victims and the perpetrator.
It was dark and Victor realized that he was now an accomplice to something very delicate and dangerous. Then necessity drives him to run, scream or simply remain silent and wonder what is in the boxes.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first.
