Marshland (La isla mínima)

MARSHLAND

SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1980

We thought you weren't coming.

Our car broke down.

We gave one of the rooms away.

You'll have to share a room tonight.

Upstairs on the right. Thanks.

Your new country.

We'll grab dinner and go to bed. We want to start first thing.

Yeah, I miss you. A lot.

How are you?

Have you been throwing up?

Sure.

I have to go. We'll talk tomorrow.

Estrella's the eldest, she's 17. Carmen is 15, I think.

Sixteen. Hey.

Excuse me.

Where were they seen last? At the edge of town.

Their father runs the ferry at the Point.

They live a couple miles down the road.

They were walking home. A neighbor saw them get in a car.

She's the last one who saw them.

What kind of car? A Citroén.

Model?

A Dyane 6 or a 2CV. The lady isn't sure.

How long ago was that?

Three days. Nice marinade. What fish is it'?

Striped mullet.

Never tried it.

Very tasty.

Is this the first time they've gone missing?

No. They have a reputation.

But they were always home by bedtime.

What for?

A reputation. You know.

No, I don't.

They like to have a good time.

You don't?

A reputation for being easy.

Give me another ten.

Bad time to pick on the military.

What that fascist said is antidemocratic.

All I did was write a letter to the paper. That's not a crime.

This country isn't a democracy. They're not used to it.

You can't criticize a general and expect a pat on the back.

The military still has power.

So what do we do?

Leave it like it was?

Look where it got you.

Yeah, with you. No.

I'm not the cop with a future in Madrid.

For me this isn't a punishment. I don't want to be a hero.

You'd rather extort money from hookers and bars.

Who told you that?

I have a good ear. What else have you heard?

That's not enough for you?

A bottle of sweet wine and two glasses.

No, one.

Good night.

What are they drinking?

Gin. Gin'?

Give them another round. Is this enough?

Plenty.

And a donut or some churros. Keep them lucid.

And for you?

Another beer.

I'd better not mix anymore.

Well, okay.

Give me both.

What time is it? Late.

Get up. They gave us a car while they fix ours.

FAIR WAGES

I heard last night the girls wanted to leave town.

People talk a lot when they drink.

And go where?

Anywhere.

Their father wasn't very happy with them.

Rocio.

Give these gentlemen some wine.

Say when.

When.

For you? No, thank you.

Smells good. What is it?

River crabs.

Spicy?

So what now?

Which is their bedroom?

May I?

WELCOME TO THE LABOR MARKET

Any idea where they may have gone?

Did you argue about anything?

Notice anything missing?

A bankbook, for their savings account. And clothing.

Do you know why your daughters wanted to leave?

My daughters didn't want to go anywhere.

Did anyone want to hurt them?

Any money, anything valuable? Do you know why you're here?

To find your daughters. No one gives a shit about them.

You're here because her cousin served with Judge Andrade.

So skip the song and dance and just find them.

Lunch.

I'm coming.

I found it in the brazier.

Please don't tell my husband. If he finds out he'll kill them.

They've already brought him enough shame.

Were they with anyone? They were alone.

Did you talk to them?

They were far away.

We were with them after that.

Where?

At the bumper cars for a while, then we went home.

What time was it? Midnight.

I know because we had to go.

Where did you leave them? On the road.

At the edge of town.

Did they have boyfriends? No.

Is it true they wanted to leave town'?

Who doesn't? I don't.

You're lame. And you're jealous.

Okay.

Did they ever say where?

Anywhere is better than this.

Any friends with a white car, a Citroén?

No.

It's Quini.

What?

Her boyfriend is outside.

Can we go now?

You can leave.

Your son? The youngest. He's in Germany.

He's been working there for two years.

I have two more in Barcelona

and my daughter's in France.

Can you tell me what you saw?

On the bend.

That's where it stopped.

Did you see how many people were in the car?

No.

Were they forced into the car?

I think they knew each other. Because they were laughing.

I drew a sketch for you.

This one is a 2CV, with round headlights on the hood.

And the Dyane 6 has them built in.

It was more like this one.

The Dyane 6.

Who are they? Pickers.

Here for the harvest.

He's from the town. They know him.

Could be a picker who comes every year.

Or someone who works at the fair.

The father has a Dyane 6. Yellow.

It was parked outside the house.

Yellow looks like white at night.

And gray. It's a common car. Excuse me.

Someone wants to talk to you.

Angelita is psychic, she sees stuff.

She talks to the dead in her sleep.

She asks them what she wants to know and the dead tell her.

Have a seat.

I've been talking to my dead mother the last two nights

and she said

she saw the girls at the abandoned farmhouse.

Something wrong?

Nothing.

LONG LIVE FRANCO VICTORY WAS OURS AND ALWAYS WILL BE

Pedro!

Over here!

What's up?

I'll get the car.

I'll see if I can reach it.

I'm almost touching the water.

Careful!

Are you okay?

I got it, pull me up!

Estrella was wearing hose like those.

Freeze!

Stop!

Why are you running?

I don't have a permit. What is that?

A baby deer?

Roebuck.

Where are you from?

The town.

Get up.

What's your name?

Jesus.

You and I met the other night at the fair, remember?

My head still hurts from the gin.

How did you get here?

I walked.

It's along walk.

Not if you know the trails.

See anyone go in or out of the farmhouse?

I don't like that place. Nothing but ghosts around.

Can I go?

How much do you get for Bambi?

250 pesetas a kilo.

Don't sell it, you owe us.

So find someone who knows how to cook it.

Son of a bitch!