By Enrique Alfaro

Sometimes strange things happen. Today, when I arrived at Panteón Inglés Wetland —without a soul, not a human, car or bicycle around— I found a young woman under one of the structures; she was alone.

With absolutely no one, except the inhabitants of the wetland, I got out of the car and walked into the wetland. She didn’t move, I got worried and I approached her.

“Do you need help?” I asked.

“No,” she replied.

“Do you need to talk to someone?” I insisted.

“I’m talking to myself,” she said.

Oops! Stay away, I’m intruding, I thought to myself.

I finished the work as planned and I got in the car. Then she shouted at me and asked for a cigarette lighter. I did have one, but I said I didn’t.

I started the engine, I backed up and drove away. I wasn’t too far when I looked in the rearview mirror and to my surprise she was gone without a trail.

From the other side of the wetland, I took my monocular and looked around the place. No one was there.

Today, I will go to bed thinking that I didn’t help the woman to smoke her cigarette at ease.

I’ll have a lighter on hand just in case she decides to visit me at night. Even better, I’ll leave one by the fence so she doesn’t come inside. I’m not afraid of ghosts, but just in case.