Jirones en el tintero

"No hay que escribir si no en el momento en que cada vez que mojas la pluma en la tinta, un jirón de tu carne queda en el tintero" (TOLSTOI)

Ir a La Hipocondria

Jirones 18 de enero de 2018
Tiempo de lectura:7 min., 37 seg.

Imagen: Colores Llano 4 (Charles Ash)

“Este maldito llano parece no terminar nunca. A lo lejos se oyen ladridos de perros, pero sólo los percibo cuando el aire caliente del atardecer los hace flotar hasta mí. Y al llegar casi están desvanecidos, como si el sonido se hubiese ido derramando por el camino y sólo quedasen unas gotas de él al llegar a este lugar desierto. Es increíble que aquí haya habido alguna vez un pueblo, pero puedo ver el Eucalipto a no más de cuatro kilómetros desde donde me encuentro…”

Esta noche, 21 de junio, es la “Noche del Agua”. Todos se están preparando ya en sus casas. Tan sólo es un ritual; una simple ceremonia que los más ancianos cumplen escrupulosamente y nos transmiten a los jóvenes como una obligación. Pero debe de haber algo de cierto, porque el Hombre de la Guadaña vuelve siempre a Redención cuando llega esta noche.

Hace muchísimos años que apareció por aquí por primera vez, y ni siquiera los más ancianos son capaces de recordar cuáles de sus antepasados fueron los primeros en verle. Sólo cuentan que Ruth, la vidente, había visto Redención en llamas una madrugada y que, presa del pánico, había despertado a todo el mundo gritando y arrojando cubos de agua a todas las casas. Pero nadie vio el fuego aquella noche.

Sin embargo, los ancianos cuentan que todos en el pueblo entraron en sus casas y salieron con cubos de agua para vaciarlos contra las paredes, las ventanas y las puertas. Porque Ruth, la vidente, era descendiente directa de Davinia, la bruja; la mujer más poderosa y clarividente de todas cuantas hayan nacido nunca. Y si Ruth veía fuego, había que apagarlo. Aunque sólo fuese cuestión de fe y no de llamas.

Hubo un gran alboroto aquella noche en Redención. Todos corrían de un lado a otro llevando agua en cubos, cántaros, ollas, o cualquier cosa hueca que tuvieran en sus casas.

Esa noche los perros huyeron del pueblo, y corrían alrededor, aullando, lastimosos y asustados…

Cuando Ruth paró, todos pararon. Nadie había entendido nada de lo que había ocurrido, pero todos notaron que una brisa fresca les rozaba los rostros, y sintieron alivio en el pecho. Ruth estaba sentada en el suelo, exhausta, con el pelo desordenado y la mirada perdida. Entonces el Hombre de la Guadaña atravesó el pueblo desde el extremo donde crecía el Eucalipto, en silencio, con un rumor sordo y un viento negro que se levantaba en pequeños remolinos detrás de él. Ruth lo siguió con los ojos fijos hasta que hubo salido de Redención sin mirar a nadie.

“Este maldito llano… Nunca pensé que fuera cierto, pero la noche del 21 de junio es, sin duda, la más calurosa del año en este paraje. Sólo que aquí el calor parece salir del suelo. Y el gran Eucalipto es lo único que sobrevive en esta desolación. Se alza inmenso, majestuoso, en el centro de esta gran nada, como si las leyes que gobiernan el llano no le afectasen. Adán Cazcaleo supo lo que hacía al plantarlo aquí si su idea era que este árbol sobreviviese a todo y a todos. Supongo que será un buen lugar para pasar la noche. Al menos estaré cerca del único ser vivo en muchos kilómetros…”

Cuando el Hombre de la Guadaña se hubo marchado, Ruth pareció volver en sí. Se levantó y miró en derredor, a todos, uno a uno. Entonces gritó, salió corriendo y se encerró en su casa.

A lo largo del resto de la noche los perros fueron volviendo poco a poco a Redención. Pero ya nunca entraron en las casas. Se limitaban a deambular por las calles, con los ojos vidriosos y mirando al suelo, olisqueando tristemente cada rincón. Ni siquiera respondían a las llamadas de sus dueños.

“El gran Eucalipto. Ahora puedo ver claramente que se alza sobre una pequeña loma. A unos veinte o treinta metros hay una zona donde la tierra es más oscura que la de alrededor; como si estuviese quemada. Ni siquiera la he pisado. Tal vez sea el lugar donde estuvo situado el pueblo que fundara Adán Cazcaleo junto a su mujer y su hijo. Él fue quien trajo este eucalipto. Y se asentó aquí después de gastar la mayor parte de su vida persiguiendo la promesa de una bruja. Porque Adán Cazcaleo buscaba su tumba y la promesa que Davinia había hecho a aquel que la encontrara y la tuviese bajo su protección y cuidado. Porque Adán Cazcaleo era muy supersticioso, como lo somos todos por aquí. Y la promesa de una bruja es algo que hay que tener muy en cuenta. Porque todos queremos vivir eternamente y nadie aún lo ha logrado.

“Esta noche dormiré junto al Eucalipto. Mañana…”

Todos los años, desde aquella noche, ha sido igual. Cuando el Hombre de la Guadaña regresa y se acerca al Eucalipto que el fundador de Redención plantara sobre la loma, todos entramos en nuestras casas. Esperamos a que el sol se esconda y la luna se eleve por encima del árbol. Entonces salimos, rociamos todas las casas con agua y esperamos a que él se vaya.

Puede parecer extraño, pero cada veintiuno de junio, cuando se acerca el momento, un rumor de hojas se extiende desde el Eucalipto. Un rumor lejano que parece gritar, con la voz de Ruth, “¡fuego, fuego!” Y cuando el Hombre de la Guadaña desaparece con sus remolinos negros tras él, una brisa suave nos acaricia los rostros, y entonces volvemos a entrar en las casas…

“Corre una leve brisa por entre las hojas del árbol. Tal vez suene paranoico, pero juraría que susurran algo parecido a “¡fuego!” una y otra vez. Quizás los gritos de la gente que vivía en el pueblo quedaron, de alguna manera, incrustados en la corteza del Eucalipto. Porque la memoria de los árboles está en su tronco, escondida. Debió de ser horrible. Un incendio a medianoche y ningún superviviente. Todos murieron en sus camas, mientras dormían. Tal vez los que despertaron ya no tenían salida y sólo pudieron gritar. Sólo los perros se salvaron. Los perros… y el Eucalipto. Y ahora sé su secreto…”

Ya está aquí el Hombre de la Guadaña. Los perros le  temen, y en cuanto él entra en Redención huyen horrorizados. Esta noche, sin embargo, parece que tiene compañía. Hay un forastero tumbado bajo el Eucalipto de Adán Cazcaleo, pero no parece darse cuenta de nada. Debe dormir profundamente. Quizás prefiera la soledad. Ni siquiera ha atravesado el pueblo…

La luna comienza a aparecer sobre la copa del árbol. Ahora puedo oír el susurro de las hojas, creciendo lentamente, como si fuese una ola en el mar arrastrándose desde el infinito hasta la playa. “¡Fuego, fuego, fuego, fuego…!”

“Sí. Yo conozco su secreto. Y ahora sé que Davinia, la bruja, ha cumplido su promesa…”

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