Chapter 17:

Basilio staggered and went to his mother’s arms. He has kiss marks on his forehead.

Sisa: My son. What happened? (Shocked)

Basilio: Don’t be surprised Mother, I and Crispin were about to raped by a group of men Crispin is staying and hiding in the convento right now. (Crying)

Sisa: At the convento? He stayed at convent? Is he still alive?

Basilio: ( Raised his eyes on his mother)

Sisa: Crispin is alive! Yaaaahhyyy! Did you left him by himself? But why have you wounded my son? What happened?

Narrator: Basilio told his mother what happened. The senior sacristan took him and Crispin away and told them that they could not leave until ten oçlock without kissing the sacristan on the lips, but both brothers didn’t want to. And just decided to run away. Upon running, the Senior sacristan asked helped by a  group of soldiers and they started to catch up Crispin and Basilio. They kissed Crispin and Basilio’s forehead while beating them so hard. Crispin and Basilio were really afraid of what happened, as they did with Pablo, who still sick from it.

Sisa: My God! My God. Let’s Save him.  They would rape my boy! Those civil guards do not think of the mothers.

Basilio: You must say that I fell from a tree so that no one will know that they raped me too.

Sisa: Why did Crispin stay?  My good Crispin! Raping my Son just because we’re poor and us poor people endure everything/. Haven’t you had any supper yet? Here are Rice and Fish. This is perfect match maintaining our sexy bodies.

Basilio: I don’t want anything. I’m on a diet, only a little water.

Sisa: Yes, I know that you don’t like dried fish. I had prepared something else, but your father came.

Basilio: Father came?

Sisa: He came and asked about you and wanted to see your sexy body. and he was very hungry. He said if you continued having a good body he would come back and stay with us.

Basilio: What ?!!

Sisa: Son!

Basilio: Forgive me mother, but aren’t three better off you, Crispin, and I? You’re crying. Haven’t said anything.

Sisa: aren’t you really not going to eat?  Then let’s go to sleep

Basilio: Dreaming Crispin)

Sisa: Why are you crying?

Basilio: A dream, Dream!

Sisa: Tell me what you dreamed. I cant sleep

Narrator: Basilio told everything about his dream/ He dreamed that they have gone to glean the rice stalks in a field where there were any flowers— the women had baskets full of rice stalks the men too had baskets full of rice stalks and children too.

Basilio: I don’t remember anymore, mother.

Basilio: Mother, I thought of a plan tonight

Sisa: what is your plan?

Basilio: I don’t want to be a sacristan any longer

Sisa: What?

Narrator: Basilio told his mother about his plan to let his mother get Crispin and his wages and will tell them that he would not be a sacristan anymore.  He also told his mother that he will ask Crisostomo Ibarra to hire him a herdsman of his castle and carabaos.

Sisa: What can I say? But yesss

Narrator: So Basilio went back to sleep but his mother cannot.