Orpheus - Haunting the Dead.pdf - Dice

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DIA DE LOS MUERTOSAUNTING THE DEAD
“That was quick,” Eileen said. “How’d you get it to
light?”
“Easy,” Teo replied. “It’s one of those patio torches,
like the ones you can buy in Home Depot. You know,
‘Give a bit of Polynesian flair to your backyard barbecue.’
It’s got its own fuel supply and an attached
striker.” He handed the torch back to Eileen.
“Thanks.” Eileen said. “You seem stronger now.
What’s she doing?”
“I think she’s given up, at least for now. I still can’t
get anything out of her mind but at least she’s not trying
to kick me out anymore.”
Eileen nodded. “Okay, but stay on guard. This chica
killed a man in cold blood. I don’t think she’s the type
who gives up easily.”
Perla’s body nodded.
Holding the torch near the wall where she had
found it, she almost started again at the ferocious head
that growled at her from the wall.
“What is that thing?” Teo asked.
Eileen inspected the angry-looking feline head.
“It’s a jade jaguar, I think. It looks Aztec, like the
dagger.” She waved the torch around, illuminating the
rest of the tunnel wall in bits and pieces. Flat bas-relief
carvings in a similar style covered every inch of available
space, including the ceiling. Every five meters or
so, she could see another carving of a snarling animal
with a hole in it’s forehead and a tiki torch in its teeth.
“Actually, this all looks like Aztec work.”
“You think it’s genuine?”
“I don’t know—I’m not an archaeologist—but it
just might be.” She shoved the torch into the jaguar’s
head and walked forward to the next animal carving.
“Still,” she said, lighting the next torch and mounting
it in the head, “these torches certainly aren’t Aztec.
Someone’s been down here recently.”
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