Chapter 2: Valentina

Once on the surface, Iñaki's heart relaxes. The sounds of traffic surround him and, with the image of Black sweatshirt still in his mind, he gets into the first taxi he sees.

"It's hot for September, huh?"Comments the taxi driver looking at him in the rearview mirror. "It's usually colder these days."

"Yes."

"Have you heard the news?" He asks while looking for a radio station to listen to.

"No," Iñaki replies, contemplating his hands.

"Unemployment went up another three percent."

Iñaki finds the taxi driver's eyes in the rearview mirror and says, "Three percent?"

"That's what they said on national radio." Says the man after scratching his mustache. "What struck me was the number of patients who are being admitted to hospitals across the country. The journalist commented that they had had an increase of 30%. Some hospitals are overflowing. I hope it's not contagious."

Iñaki's body rocks with the movement of the car and, as the driver continues to tell the news, he closes his eyes.

"It's 80 pesos." Says the taxi driver for the third time.

After paying, Iñaki gets out of the vehicle and contemplates the building with its brick facade <<I am at home>>.

"Iñaki? Are you okay?"Valentina asks as soon as she walks through the door.

"Something happened on the subway…."

Valentina grabs him by the hands, helps him sit on the couch, and turns off the TV.

"Tell me."

Little by little, Iñaki tells her what happened without omitting any details. Valentina nods without letting go of his hands. When he finishes, she looks at him frowning.

"You said the man tried to bite you?"

"Yes."

Valentina grabs the remote and turns on the TV. The sound of the news breaks into the home. She points the screen at Iñaki.

<< What some doctors have already described as a case of Rhabdoviridae, that is rabies, has already been reported in several areas of the country and, according to our correspondent in the United States, in different parts of America and Europe too- the young presenter gives the news as if it were a simple rain-. Several of these infected are violent, so it is recommended that they be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.>>

"They were repeating this all afternoon".

A small image appears on the far left of the screen and the presenter changes the tone of voice. <<It is inevitable that, after hearing about these cases of rabies in humans, many of us will remember the incident a few weeks ago in which the President of the European Central Bank was savagely attacked during a live conference by an English government leader >>.

The sound of boiling water coming from the kitchen breaks the trance in which Iñaki finds himself and he looks at Valentina hungrily.

"I know that hungry doctor face." She says, standing up.

"I'm not a doctor yet, I'm barely halfway through my studies."

"You don't have much left to finish." She says while winking, "I put the noodles on and we eat in ten minutes."

Iñaki follows Valentina to the kitchen.

"Well, well," Valentina says after seeing Iñaki enter the kitchen, "Are you going to help me cook? I'm gonna have to hire someone to try and bite you more often."

"What would you do without me?"Iñaki asks hugging her from behind.

"What would I do without you? Hahaha, go set the table, Prince Charming."

Dinner goes by as usual. Noodles have the same taste as always and the same divorced every Wednesday does his nonsense on television.

On the bed, Valentina caresses Iñaki's hair and kisses his face. Physical contact seems to feed his exhaustion and after a few minutes sleep envelops him.

The next morning...

A ray of light enters the bedroom and illuminates Iñaki's face. He clears his eyelids and in the dark thinks he sees Black sweatshirt for a second.

He turns in bed and after yawning checks that Valentina is already gone. Looks at the alarm clock and its green numbers indicate that it is 7:09.

Dressed and with breakfast ready he sits at the table and lets the aroma of coffee wake him up completely. Iñaki is immersed in his thoughts when his cell phone begins to vibrate on the table. He jumps and the coffee pours over his hand as Iñaki releases an eloquent insult.

"Hello?"

"Inaki, it's Gonzalo, your boss. Did you see the news today?"

"No."

"The government issued a statement <<advising>> the population to stay at home."

"What?"

"It's the rabies cases. I spoke to Martin's wife yesterday. She doesn't know where he is either."

The sounds of that call...<< Didn't Black sweatshirt sound the same?>> Iñaki thinks.

"Iñaki?"

"Huh?"

"That considering the circumstances it would be better not to open today, Valentina went to work?"

"Yes."

"I think you should tell her to come home... at least until the shit epidemic is over."

"Yes, thank you, Gonzalo." He answers and immediately calls Valentina.

"Inaki," Valentina replies, "don't worry. They told us all to go home. That's why you called, right? I'm about to leave."

" I'll get you, stay in the office."

"No need, I'll take a taxi as soon as I get out the door."

"Stay in your office," Iñaki says, squeezing his cell phone, "I'll let you know when I'm outside."

"Inaki, you don't have to." Valentina pauses briefly. "Besides, didn't they say it was dangerous to go out on the street? Why are we both risking our lives?"

"It wasn't an offer, I'll call you when I get there."

Iña..[CLICK]

The streets are so empty that it feels like a Sunday morning. Once Iñaki approaches the center, private cars and a few patrols from both the municipal and national police are seen again. No soldiers can be seen…<<the subway thing must have been an isolated case>> Iñaki thinks.

After about fifteen minutes of travel, Iñaki is at the doors of the offices where Valentina works.

He gets out of the car and calls her.

"Iñaki?"

"I'm already downstairs."

"How's everything out there?"She asks.

"Everything is fine, it seems that they have everything under" when he is about to say <<control>> Iñaki feels a hand on his back.

He turns to find a repulsive being opening its filthy mouth and showering him with a rancid smell.

"...Please." He hears the homeless man say after removing the cell phone from his ear.

"No, sorry," Iñaki replies breathing once more.

"Is everything alright?"Valentina asks as she walks out the door.

"Yes, let's go," Iñaki says just as a patrol passes like lightning spreading the sound of its siren throughout the city.

Iñaki tunes in a music station on the radio and drives back to his house. Sitting next to him, Valentina slides her thumb across the screen of her cell phone reviewing the news.

They soon arrive home and park the car in the building's underground parking lot.

"Would you like something to eat?"Valentina asks after leaving the keys on the table.

"I am <<hungry>> for something else." Iñaki answers while winking.

Valentina wraps her arms around him and brings him close to her chest. Iñaki runs his hands over her body while she does the same. The hug breaks when Valentina pushes Iñaki, laughing in between, and begins to take off her shirt.

"So that's the game, huh?"Iñaki says after throwing his on the ground.

"That's right," Valentina replies and sneaks in her underwear to the room.

<<Let's play>>, Iñaki says to himself.

Upon entering the bedroom Valentina is in bed waiting for him. An index finger invites him to join. His pants fly through the air and he jumps on the bed. Valentina's laughter soon turns into moaning as Iñaki begins to run through her body with his mouth. He dilates the kisses as much as he can as he feels her shudder awaiting that incomparable kiss. When his lips find her pubis, Valentina's hands imprison Iñaki's hair.

"I love you" the words escape between moaning and moaning.

Valentina's breathing is more and more slow, accompanying the rhythm of Iñaki's fingers. Her body suddenly tensed and gave way to a longer, deeper moan than the others. It is then that he joins his body to hers and both get lost in the moment.

A few hours later...