The chosen one

THE CHOSEN ONE

(A story inspired by real events)

They inspected the place: the track was broken, full of stones. Tremendously rough. Here and there were some pieces of glass shining, remains of bottles from previous parties. On top of that these days the heat was terrible. At noon this terrible soil would burn a lot, as if they were burning embers.

-The party is in three days, it's impossible! No dancer will accept this pavement!

-But they can wear dance shoes to dance ...

- Not to mention, the Marinera Norteña is danced without shoes! And have you seen this ground? Impossible!

The lieutenant mayor nodded. No dancer would accept to dance barefoot on such a floor.

- Should we change the program, ma'am? Should we put another number instead of the marinera?

The Mayoress looked at him. Her face showed sadness, worry and frustration at the same time. She thought about it. It would have to be like that, they would have to change the program.

And in that, as soon as she was about to accept the modification, a voice was heard.

-I know someone who can do it

It was the second deputy mayor

-Do you really mean it?

-Yes ma'am, I mean it. Her name is Yuditza, and she is unique. Let's go to the office and see it yourself.

***

- This girl is amazing!

The Mayoress was surprised, admired by what she had just seen. Yuditza's photos and videos on Facebook and YouTube had left her open-mouthed

-This is our girl, contact her immediately, I'll interview her!

***

- Nice to meet you Yuditza, go ahead, sit down!

-Many thanks, Mayoress. How can I help? They told me that there is a show the day after tomorrow.

-So it is my child, that's right. And you are the only one who can help us.

-I? The only one? And why?

-Well ... the show will be in the main square at noon, in one of the side streets ... and, frankly, the pavement there is shattered. Also you know that these days the heat is tremendous, and the dance will be at noon. I have seen your videos on Facebook and YouTube, and what you do to your feet is incredible, I have become a fervent admirer of yours. Tell me more about these challenges, these dares, please.

Yuditza smiled. She told the Mayoress about her passion for the Marinera Norteña, about how much she loved this dance, which was really her life. She told her that to dance it it took a lot of willpower, dedication ... and strength in the feet too. She told her how she had set out to train until she turned the soles of her feet into leather, so that she could dance wherever she went. She told her how she had become a barefooter, how she had begun to walk without shoes in the street, in the countryside, in wild places, on stony and hot roads, and how all this had hardened the soles of her feet. Then, with more emotion, she told her about the challenges, the dares she put her feet through to overcome her fears. The time she had gotten off the bus to walk barefoot in the snow. How her friends extinguished cigarettes on the soles of her feet. She told her about walking on broken glass and how she stumped the shards with her bare feet to break them into smaller pieces, without hurting herself. She told her about the bastinado, the falaka, the lashes on the soles of her feet to make them stronger and to strengthen her will. She told her how she had climbed without shoes, in full sun, to the caves of Pikimachay, while the ground burned the soles of her feet and the pointed stones made the ascent even more uncomfortable, while the tourists looked at her admiringly. She told her about the nail bed, her most difficult and painful challenge, but how she had defeated it on several occasions.

- I love Marinera, as nobody has idea. It's my life!

The Mayoress looked Yuditza in the eyes, moved. She saw the passion throb in those big beautiful eyes, and she said:

-Yuditza, I admire you. Can you let me see your feet please?

Yuditza said nothing. She took off her shoes and put her feet on the desk, as the Mayor indicated. The Mayor approached to appreciate the beauty of those feet, strong and resistant, brave. She appreciated her long toes, the high arches. She watched her calloused soles and touched them. She felt the skin, tanned, hard, rough ... strong and flexible, like leather, able to endure anything. She also felt the skin on the arches, which were still soft and delicate, as once, long ago, the soles of those feet had been.

-Your feet are beautiful, the feet of a true Marinera Norteña dancer. You are the chosen one.

-Thanks Mrs.!

Yuditza smiled happily, while the Mayoress explained the details of the show.

***

The day had arrived. Yuditza was ready. She had left her shoes at home and had walked her way to the place. Yes, the pavement was scorching hot, and was getting even hotter. It was rough. She watched the pavement where she would dance. The Mayoress had not exaggerated at all: the ground there was smashed, full of gravel and pointed stones. She watched some pieces of glass glisten under the intense, inclement sun. She remembered her rehearsals, her training, the challenges she put her feet, her soles through, to make them stronger and tougher. She remembered walking without shoes in the street, around the city. She remembered her barefoot visit to Huari, climbing up to Pikimachay in full sun, the trek along that extremely hot country road. She remembered her friends pouring the hot wax on the soles of her feet and extinguishing cigarettes on them, as if they were simple ashtrays, amazed by the resistance of Yuditza.

The music began. She and her partner slowly approached the center of that terrible dance floor. "She's barefoot!" "She wears no shoes!" "Poor girl!" "Her poor feet!" "Her soles are going to get burned!" She heard the exclamations of surprise and admiration from the audience, who did not understand how this pretty girl could walk with bare feet on that terrible and burning ground.

The dance started. The flirting, the dance steps, the elegance of the chalán. The coquetry of the female dancer. The footwork, strong and elegant.

"God, look how hard she stomps, loot at her poor feet!"

People exclaimed when they saw Yuditza stomping barefoot on that floor. It hurt, it burned. The soles of her feet were so sore. I felt as if they were being burned with burning coals. It felt as if they were being whipped, flagellated, as if someone were whipping the soles of her feet. And that motivated her to continue, to dance with more desire, with more strength, with more joy and grace. People applauded with gusto to the rhythm of the music, until the couple melted into a simulated kiss at the end of the dance.

A great ovation arose spontaneously from the audience. The "bravos" and the "vivas" were heard strongly.

The drum roll announced the next piece. "There is no first time without a second one!" The presenter said cheerfully. The people applauded. The torture to Yuditza's feet continued. The burning feeling, the pain in her soles was intense, unbearable ... Yuditza remembered the broken glass, the bed of nails, felt the pain of the soles of her feet that ran down her spine and made her smile, made her dance with more desire. The audience admired this beautiful and brave dancer girls who tortured her feet with passion, with love for the Marinera Norteña. They took pictures and recorded videos with their cell phones. The flutter of the handkerchieves and the hat continued, until the music ended.

The crowd erupted in applause. Yuditza and her dance partner smiled. The Mayoress came over to hug them both and accompanied them to the improvised dressing rooms they had assembled near the dance floor.

-Are you OK Yuditza?

-Yes ma'am

-Can I see?

Yuditza knelt down on a chair so that the Mayoress could see the soles of her feet. They were black, only the arches were white. But they had not been hurt at all, not a blister, not a scratch, those tanned soles had endured everything.

- Doesn't it hurt?

Yuditza looked at the Mayoress, who was watching her in surprise.

-Very much. They burn me tremendously. It was just as you said it. I felt as if the soles of my feet were being flogged, as if I were dancing on burning coals.

-Forgive me Yuditza!

-Madam, do not worry! Yuditza said. This is the Marinera Norteña. This is what gives me strength, what motivates me. I would do it again and again.

Both women embraced. The Marinera Norteña had made its magic again.

THE END

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