Mexico
Mark and Claudia had been going out since their freshman year. They moved in together in the middle of their sophomore year. They were both at a small mid-Western college. Mark was majoring in computer science, Claudia in economics. Both were serious about the relationship from the beginning; they decided early on that they would get married the summer after graduation. The wedding was in June; their friends stayed after graduation for their wedding ceremony. Claudia took Mark's last name: Mark and Claudia Pinter. They were both 22.
They planned to move to San Francisco in the fall. They had already spent the last two summers there, Mark working for a software research company, and Claudia for a major California bank. Their summer jobs had worked out, and each had a job offer to start in September. They hoped to find a house in August; they had agreed that it would be more romantic to start looking for a house once they were husband and wife. But first they planned a two-month honeymoon trip through Central and South America.
The object of the trip was to spend time alone together. They had worked hard all through college. Their friends had gone to Florida for spring break, and to Europe in the summer. Mark and Claudia had spent the time working. But now the hard work had paid off, and they had good jobs waiting for them. They would spend the next two months alone together. They had told their friends and families only that they would be in San Franciso by August 15th, and that if they were lucky they might get a postcard from someplace exotic.
Mark and Claudia hoped to explore Latin America's pre-Columbian past, and to see some of the area's spectacular flora and fauna. It was Mark who was most interested in ruins. While he had never taken an archaeology course, he had always been fascinated by the idea that there were complex civilizations in the Americas before the European explorers arrived. Claudia was more interested in nature.
Their flight from the States took them to Mexico City. Mark's parents had given them a weekend in a suite at the Four Seasons Mexico as a wedding present. They were both very excited. They had been busy over the last four years; they had never been able to spend this much time alone together, just the two of them. As they came in over Mexico City, the pilot pointed out the two snow-capped volcanoes, Popcatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl, visible above the smog. Mark leaned across to look out the window, putting his arm around Claudia. They looked together at the volcanoes, the snow pale orange from the reflected light of the setting sun. Then the plane banked away from the volcanoes as they began their final approach to the airport. His arm still around her, Mark murmured into Claudia's ear,
"Are you looking forward to the first night of your honeymoon, Mrs. Pinter?"
Claudia had not been married long enough for the thrill of being called "Mrs. Pinter" to have worn off. She felt a shiver up and down her body.
"Oh, Mark. I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Claudia and Mark had starting sleeping together within the first two months of their relationship. They had taken a practical attitude toward sex: they were in love, so why shouldn't they sleep together? Neither of them had been virgins -- they had both had relationships in high school. Their sex life together was, if nothing else, regular: they made love an average of twice a week. They seldom made love much more or less than this.
While they had made love many times before, and had made love several times since the wedding, they both felt that this first night of their honeymoon was special. As a special honeymoon surprise for Mark, Claudia had bought black lace panties and a matching bra, which she was wearing under her dress.
The plane taxied up to the terminal. After the inevitable wait while the passengers in front of them collected all their carry-on luggage, Mark and Claudia were out in the terminal. They knew almost no Spanish. Claudia had taken one course in college, but she had forgotten just about everything. She could remember scarcely more than "buenos dias." Not much good for getting around. But Claudia was confident that people would speak enough English for them to get by. As a last resort, she had a small phrase book with her -- given enough time, she thought she could say just about anything she needed to say.
They came up to the immigration counter. "Welcome to Mexico. Passports, please." No problem. This was easy. They picked up their bags (practical bags with hidden backpack straps if they needed them), sailed through customs with a green light, and in a moment were in a taxi at the curb. Mark leaned forward, "Four Seasons Hotel, please."
The taxi took off into the city. By now, it was dark. Holding hands, Mark and Claudia watched the lights of the strange city as the taxi drove along. They marveled at the signs with the messages they couldn't understand, and laughed at the ones that were the same: Coca-Cola. Marlboro. Levi's. They thought about the night ahead of them.
The taxi ride was taking a long time. There were no longer as many lights, and there were fewer and fewer people on the street as they drove by. Mark leaned forward again.
"You're taking us to the Four Seasons, right?"
The taxi driver either did not understand what Mark had just said, or he chose to ignore it. He kept driving. Mark enunciated his words carefully.
"Take...us...to...the...Four...Seasons...Hotel."
After a pause, the taxi driver nodded. "Si seΓ±or, por supuesto que si."
Mark leaned back in his seat. In spite of the fact that the taxi driver appeared to have understood, this did not look like the hotel district. On either side of the road were abandoned, decaying buildings, with small makeshift wooden shacks spread between them. Some of the shacks looked empty; in others candles or lanterns flickered briefly as they drove past. Claudia clutched Mark's hand tightly. She was getting frightened. Mark squeezed her hand, trying to be reassuring, although he was becoming increasingly alarmed himself.
The road turned sharply, and they found themselves in the midst of what was clearly a huge garbage dump. Piles of smoldering rubbish surrounded the car. Through the smoke, patches of flame were visible, casting an eerie reddish glow over the scene. The taxi pulled to a stop. The driver turned off the ignition. In the sudden silence, Claudia and Mark could hear the crackling of the burning garbage. A putrid smell was beginning to seep into the car. The newly-wed couple were terrified. This was clearly not the Four Seasons hotel.
The driver turned around to face them. In his hand, pointing at them, was a revolver.
"Out. Get outside."
The driver motioned with the gun for them to get out of the car. His English was heavily accented, but he could speak it. Mark opened the car door. He got out, still holding Claudia's hand. Claudia was shaking with fear. Mark helped her to her feet, and they stood beside the car.
"Put the money on the ground."
Mark took his wallet out of his pants' pocket. He put it slowly down in front of him.
"You. Walk that way."
The driver motioned with the gun for Mark to walk away from the car. Mark started to walk, still holding Claudia's hand. Claudia began to follow him.
"No. She stays. You walk."