The Broken Woman (English/Spanish)
When the earthquake started, people were ready to leave the house, they were the guests of a big party that was now being shaken by a strong tremor. Alicia could not stand up, she heard screams and things breaking around her, but she remained transfixed on the couch with her head tilted upwards. The glass panes hanging from the chandelier in the ceiling were crashing against each other causing a shrill sound, it sounded like they were going to shatter. So she clenched her fists and prayed a little for the crystals, that they wouldn't break, to avoid the disaster of broken glass on the carpet. It had been a long time since Alicia had felt like this, as if something was shaking her inside, she recognized herself in the fragility of the crystals and in the pendular vertigo, as well as in the terrible presentiment that at any moment it was going to break.
She felt someone grab her by the shoulder and her body responded by rising, her feet walked after the strength of the hand that pulled her by the arm through the people. She moved, advanced on the floor, but only thought of the crystals in the form of drops of water hanging from the lamp, as if the rain had stopped there, in the middle of the room. When everyone arrived outside the earthquake had already ended, in fact it only took a few seconds, but people were still agitated. Alicia realized that the person holding her arm was her father, when she finally came to her senses, he was reproaching her with his eyes, she didn't feel uncomfortable, she was used to it.
When the tears and the impressions caused by the earthquake were over, someone said loudly and energetically: Let the party go on ladies and gentlemen! And everyone responded with laughter as they headed back inside the house. This time Alicia was conscious, but had no desire to go inside, she thought she could run off and get lost in the woods like a wild animal, but there was her father again, watching her vigilantly, expecting so much from her, who had long since had nothing to give. She smiled forcibly at her old father and walked inside the house, aware that she no longer had a choice.
She returned to the couch to prostrate herself there again, while the nightmare of the party ended. She noticed that the windows were still moving slightly, she was glad they were intact after the shaking. She was glad for herself too, she was still alive and in one piece, despite everything. She was uncorked again by the sound of glass, this time it was her mother subtly tapping the champagne glass to propose a toast.
-I want to thank you all for being here tonight - Alicia's mother began her speech - we have gathered to celebrate the engagement of my daughter Alicia and young Mauricio, who love has given them the opportunity to be together.
Alicia stopped listening to her mother when Mauricio came through the door, he smiled pleased and charming, she felt envious of him, she too would have liked to look more polished that night. At that instant the earth began to shake again, but no one besides Alicia seemed to feel it. The crystals began to crash against each other again, causing a more thunderous sound this time. She stood up and looked around her, people were quiet listening to her colorful mother's mellow speech. She searched with her eyes for the door, but found her father standing in front of it, like a prison guard, preventing the prisoners from escaping.
The sound of the glass clattering stunned her, and the people around her began to notice that she was turning pale. She hurried away from the crowd to the bookcase, began to read the titles of the books compulsively so as not to hear anything else: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Hamlet by Shakespeare, Song of Myself by Walt Whitman, The Broken Woman by Simone de Beauvoir. Here she stopped, The Broken Woman, she repeated it several times in her mind, she also whispered it, that title that revealed itself to her as a powerful manifesto contained her, the trembling inside her began to stop. The broken woman, she could perfectly well be any of the three women in the book, shaken by the agony of an unwanted marriage, of an unwanted love, of an unwanted life.
She felt again that she was taken by the arm, this time it was not her father, she recognized Mauricio's hand in the touch. He invited her to pass in front of the guests, she understood him, even though at that moment she could no longer distinguish any voice. She walked with her fiancé through the crowd, she felt that the stares of others pierced her, her insides began to shake again but this time Alicia was resigned.
Mauricio offered his words to the crowd, he stopped to look at Alicia, she smiled at him as best she could. When her fiancé advanced on her to plant a kiss, Alicia clearly heard the glass shatter, she looked out of the corner of her eye, to make sure only she had heard him, and struggled to hold back her tears. She knew that from now on everything would be different, that she would have to exist with that break, with that cold pain in her stomach. She knew that she was broken and that she would probably, in time, continue to break, that she would no longer be able to contain the crystals, that no matter how much she prayed and clenched her fists, they would end up splintered on the carpet.
Original content by the author.
Resources: Tablet ZTE E10Q
Images from Pixabay
Translated with Deepl.com
All Rights Reserved || @jetta.amaya// 2023
La mujer rota (Ingles/Español)
Cuando inició el sismo la gente se dispuso a salir de la casa, eran los invitados de una gran fiesta que ahora estaba siendo sacudida por un fuerte temblor. Alicia no pudo ponerse de pie, escucho gritos y cosas rompiéndose a su alrededor, pero ella se quedó pasmada en el sillón con la cabeza inclinada hacia arriba. Los cristales que colgaban de la lámpara en el techo chocaban entre sí provocando un sonido estridente, parecía que iban a romperse. Así que apretó los puños y rezo un poco por los cristales, para que no se rompieran, para evitar el desastre de los cristales rotos sobre la alfombra. Hacía tiempo que Alicia se sentía así, como si algo la sacudiera por dentro, se reconocía en la fragilidad de los cristales y en el vértigo pendular, así como en el presentimiento terrible de que en cualquier momento iba a romperse.
Sintió que alguien la tomo por el hombro y su cuerpo respondió levantándose, sus pies caminaron tras la fuerza de la mano que la tiraba del brazo entre la gente. Ella se movía, avanzaba sobre el suelo, pero solo pensaba en los cristales en forma de gotas de agua que colgaban de la lámpara, como si la lluvia se hubiese detenido allí, en medio de la sala. Cuando todos llegaron afuera el sismo ya había terminado, de hecho solo tardo unos segundos, pero la gente seguía agitada. Alicia se dio cuenta de que quien le sujetaba el brazo era su padre, cuando ella por fin volvió en sí, este le reprochaba con la mirada, a ella no le incomodo, estaba acostumbrada.
Cuando se acabaron las lágrimas y las impresiones provocadas por el sismo, alguien dijo en voz alta y enérgicamente: ¡Que siga la fiesta señoras y señores! Y todos respondieron con risas mientras se dirigían al interior de la casa nuevamente. Esta vez Alicia estaba consciente, pero no tenía el deseo de entrar, pensó que podía salir corriendo y perderse en el bosque como un animal salvaje, pero allí estaba de nuevo su padre, mirándola vigilante, esperando tanto de ella, que desde hacía mucho no tenía nada para dar. Le sonrió forzadamente a su viejo padre y camino al interior de la casa, consciente de que ya no tenía otra opción.
Regreso al sillón para postrarse nuevamente allí, mientras terminaba la pesadilla de la fiesta. Noto que los cristales aún se movían levemente, le alegro que estuvieran intactos después de la sacudida. Se alegraba también por ella misma, seguía viva y en una sola pieza, a pesar de todo. La desencajó nuevamente el sonido de un cristal, esta vez se trataba de su madre golpeando sutilmente la copa de champagne para proponer un brindis.
-Quiero agradecerles a todos por estar aquí esta noche – comenzó así su manifiesto la madre de Alicia – nos hemos reunido para celebrar el compromiso de mi hija Alicia y el joven Mauricio, a quienes el amor les ha regalado la oportunidad de estar juntos.
Alicia dejo de escuchar a su madre cuando Mauricio atravesó la puerta, sonreía complacido y encantador, sintió envidia de él, a ella también le habría gustado parecer más lucida aquella noche. En ese instante la tierra comenzó a sacudirse nuevamente, pero nadie además de Alicia parecía sentirlo. Los cristales empezaron a chocar nuevamente entre sí, provocando esta vez un sonido más estruendoso. Se puso de pie y miro a su alrededor, la gente estaba tranquila escuchando el meloso discurso de su pintoresca madre. Busco con los ojos la puerta, pero se hayo a su padre de pie frente a ella, como un guardián de prisión, que evita que los reos escapen.
El sonido de los cristales percutiendo la aturdían, y la gente a su alrededor empezó a notar que estaba palideciendo. Se alejó velozmente de la multitud hasta el librero, empezó a leer los títulos de los libros de manera compulsiva para no escuchar nada más: El conde de Montecristo de Alejandro Dumas, Hamlet de Shakespeare, Canto a mi mismo de Walt Whitman, La mujer rota de Simone de Beauvoir. Aquí se detuvo, La mujer rota, lo repitió varias veces en su mente, también lo susurro, aquel título que se revelaba ante ella como un poderoso manifiesto la contuvo, el temblor en su interior empezó a detenerse. La mujer rota, ella podía ser perfectamente cualquiera de las tres mujeres del libro, sacudida por la agonía de un matrimonio no deseado, de un amor no deseado, de una vida no deseada.
Sintió nuevamente que la tomaban del brazo, esta vez no se trataba de su padre, reconoció en el tacto la mano de Mauricio. Él le invito a pasar al frente de los invitados, ella le entendió, a pesar de que en ese momento ya no distinguía ninguna voz. Camino junto a su prometido entre la gente, sintió que las miradas ajenas la atravesaban, su interior empezó nuevamente a sacudirse pero esta vez Alicia ya estaba resignada.
Mauricio ofreció sus palabras a la multitud, se detuvo para mirar a Alicia, ella le sonrió como pudo. Cuando su prometido avanzo sobre ella para plantarle un beso, Alicia escucho claramente como el cristal se rompía, miró con el rabillo del ojo, para asegurarse de que solo ella lo había escuchado y se esforzó por contener las lágrimas. Sabía que de ahora en adelante todo sería diferente, que tendría que existir con aquel quiebre, con ese dolor frio en el estómago. Sabía que estaba rota y que probablemente, con el tiempo, seguiría rompiéndose, que ya no podría contener los cristales, que por más que rezara y apretara los puños, terminarían astillados sobre la alfombra.
Contenido original del autor.
Recursos: Tablet ZTE E10Q
Imágenes de la fuente Pixabay
Traducido con Deepl.com
Todos los derechos reservados || @jetta.amaya// 2023
Greetings, @jetta.amaya! you convey very well alicia's state of shock in the face of a future that her parents impose on her. The images of the fear of the broken glass are very eloquent. I really liked the intimate character of your story.
Alicia was literally breaking from so much pressure, she herself was the glass. I'm so glad you liked it and felt Alicia's state of despair. Thank you for reading and commenting, it is very pleasing and valuable to me. A hug.
An earthquake and the image of glass about to shatter are the perfect image of someone whose willpower has been broken and who has been subjected to a complacency that denies her own being. We hope that from the fragmentation that Alicia suffers she can recover and put an end to the reality that threatens her. your narrative is very convincing and takes us to the depths of the protagonist's feelings, @jetta.amaya
Hopefully Alicia will come out of this situation unscathed, but something in her is already broken, let's hope that from those fragments she will build a better Alicia.
It is always a pleasure and an honor to share and read so many wonderful writers. Thank you for the space and allowing me to participate.
I read it and I got. Alicia is the broken woman. The broken glass and shards of crystal represent the angst, the pressure and the fear she had been going through. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this dearest @jetta.amaya. An absolutely fantastic tale.🤗
excellent use of words, I had to read it twice but I got it the second time, wonderful story