Hecoveredhermouth
so hermother wouldn't wake up.
We decided not to tell my mom.
And to never do it again.
I promised Antonio I'd find myself a boyfriend
right away so I'd have someone to play with.
Here, I'll loan you my mom for a couple days.
I masturbated because of you,
but ended up thinking of him.
But we didn't do it.
I'm not even sure I saw him.
I just felt him.
Spying on me from behind.
At least I think so.
How nice!
You never greet me this way anymore.
I should get home early every night.
Your mom was great.
Quite an actress.
You got off?
Yes.
If only I'd seen you
through a hole in the wall.
Are you Belen's boyfriend?
Would you like him to be?
Yeah, sure.
Then that's that.
I have to sleep
at Luna's tonight. Her parents are going out.
I can ask if my boyfriend can come along.
She's really cool.
What's her name?
Elena.
Well,
I'd prefer just to see you and Luna, no one else.
Why the boyfriend?
Can't they wait?
She asked me as a special favor. Maybe they can't.
-They'll fuck. -Good for them.
We don't even know him. And in our bed?
You're just like your dog.
Hi, boyfriend. The doors are open.
Be nice to him or I'll have you fixed.
You hear me?
Delicious.
You're a great cook.
And what do you do?
You won't tell me?
I'll find out later.
I want some water.
Before I met Luna I thought I'd never have kids.
Wouldn't you want a daughter like her?
Of course.
To me...
You'll always be my first.
And to you?
The first and only.
Can I watch TV?
It's late, go to bed.
If Lorenzo tucks me in.
You'll have to show me where.
And a kiss?
-Can you tell stories? -Of course, that's my job.
Did you know that island has the lowest moon?
That's right. But only a few of us
in the world know it. It also has
great weather, and it grants wishes.
If you need something, the rocks below the shore
give it to you as a gift.
But watch out for the holes in the ground.
Though it doesn't matter, because
no one ever dies there.
For example, if you fall, you can choose any life you want.
You can be your favorite fish.
The island was glad when the girl arrived,
especially the rocks below the shore,
so they decided to give her something.
But what?
A raft.
Bigger.
A dog.
No. Something she didn't have.
Her father.
Bull's-eye, butterfly.
Tonight you keep watch outside.
All she had to do was
Iook everywhere for him until she found him.
Her father could be whoever she wanted.
But then the girl had doubts, like everyone.
Would she choose a lighthouse keeper or a fisherman?
She knew one thing: what she really wanted
was her mother to become a beautiful mermaid.
She's asleep.
Belen, I want you to know something.
I changed into this, do you mind?
Hi, it's Elena.
Is Belen there?
Yes.
It's Elena.
Hello?
-How are you? -Better.
I'm improving.
And you?
Well, I haven't cried.
I can't. I haven't seen her.
They told me, but I don't understand.
I don't want to imagine it. That's why I came here.
To be closer to her by swimming in the sea.
Cry, Belen.
Now that you can.
It helps me to hear you cry.
That's it.
Cry.
You need to cry.
She hears you, too.
A big kiss from the sea...
from both of us.
Lately you're always in bed.
You know what time it is?
It's a beautiful day. Sunny and clear.
And it's my day off.
Get up, lazybones!
You need all
these pills just to sleep?
You never had problems sleeping before.
Lorenzo, honey.
I'm worried about you. You've been depressed for days.
Trouble with the novel?
Is that it?
You look terrible.
Something's happened.
What?
You're sweating.
I've left, and there's no coming back.
Your life
is more important than your novel.
Than any novel.
Writing is vital to you, but you need to take care of yourself.
You're too good a person to see the shit I have inside.
Stop, that's enough.
I have a confession.
So you see how close I am.
I've been reading the novel.
Everything you've written.
At night, when you're asleep. Do you mind?
I understand
why you're so affected, why you reject it,
and why it's hard for you to go on.
It can't be easy, living there,
in that house,
with that stormy relationship.
So much repressed desire, impossible to control.
He's coming between a mother and her daughter,
breaking a sacred bond.
But the passion's there, too. The lust.
I identiry with her.
I understand exactly how she feels.
Disgusted, guilty, selfish...
Her mom's jealousy...
But she's forced to choose
between passionate love for a man,
and love for a mother.
I'd have chosen the same. Such decisions are made
by gut instinct.
Sex...
The thick, burning lust
filled the mother,
the man and the daughter.
They were sex-crazed.
The stench ofraw sex...
The mother and the man,
the man and the daughter,
the daughter and the man.
All the man's poisoned love...
Alone with the daughter, the daughter and the man...
The smell was...
heavy, hot, overwhelming...
Stuffy...
Stale air.
Exhausted...
The paint fell from the corners of the room
and the walls became rocky,
Iike those in a cave.
A filthy den of...
Get out!
Relax.
Just wanted to let you know that I'm here.
The man was selfish, a coward.
He hated himself so deeply, so utterly, there wasn't even
time for forgiveness.
Only time for death.
Death, death,
death, death.
Belen's fine.
She's home with her family.
Forget the whole thing.
You've suffered enough.
Will I ever read the novel?
Of course.
Another thing.
Tell me about Elena, too.
My sister writes to her on-line.
She's on that Mediterranean cooking chat everyday.
-Her user name is "Alsi". -"Alsi"?
A-L-S-l.
That's Spanish for "island" backwards.
Hi, Alsi. How are you?
I don't know you.
It's better that way. I'm here to help.
What's your user name?
I don't understand the icon.
It's a lighthouse for your island.
Are you the keeper?
Yeah.
I have a story for you, it's full of advantages.
I'd like that.
Thanks.
The first advantage is at the end of the story.
It doesn't finish, it falls in a hole.
And the story starts again halfway.
The other advantage, and the biggest,
is that you can change course along the way...
If you let me. If you give me time.
All the time you want.
Go on, please.
To be continued.
What happened? Why are you so late?
My boss invited me to dinner.
He wanted me to try a new dish.
Did you screw him?
What?
Did you go to bed with him?
That's right, you guessed it.
And how was it?
-Tell me about it. -No.
You first.
What's going on?
What's your problem?
I lost track of you ages ago.
You're not alive!
Was it the first time with him?
The second.
The first was before we met.
Or should I say before I proposed?
So it doesn't count.
You could have told me before.
Yeah, I could have.
And today?
Well...
It doesn't count, either.
It's a lie.
But we came close.
How close?
Did you stop or did he?
What about you stopping with me?
Lorenzo, do you love me?
I need to hear you say it right now.
Yes. Deeply.
More than myself. But I'm lost.
Then let me help you.
You don't deserve this.
Why not? I'm your girlfriend,
and I love you more than myself.
Come on, it's obvious. You're draining my life away.
I'm doing all I can to get back, and accept myself,
but if I can't,
don't wait for me.
I wouldn't, either.
What happened to you?
Belen, it's Elena.
How are you?
It's real hot here.
Why don't you come out? The sea will do you good.
I have a guesthouse for the whole summer.
I'll have a room free in August. Upstairs.
My best room. You'll watch the sunset
from your bed. Bring someone if you want.
Well?
The truth is, I'd love to visit an island...
with someone.
Then that's it.
-It's difficult, Elena. -Difficult?
Nothing is here. All the bad's left behind.
-Just bring along the good. -Right.
The good up front.
I really want to see you,
but here.
I don't want to lose touch.
Say you'll come.
Promise me.
I promise.
I'll try.
Good bye.
Forgive me, Lucla. I've got to end this.
I'm going to kill them for once and for all.
Both of them.
Right now.
If you've stopped being a writer, you have to
explain why.
You're holding back.
If you don't tell me,
I'll never forgive you!
You hear me? Never!
I can't talk like this.
Talk?
You're the one who won't talk.
You keep it all inside.
You won't let me help you.
Everything's you.
I'm crumpled up in the corner.
Look.
You were meant to live alone,
and to suffer alone.
And to drive yourself fucking crazy, which I don't understand.
You're sick, Lorenzo.
Sick of yourself, of your own standards, and nothing else.
Of your fucking secrets!
You keep me around, but in the dark.
Because my complaints don't count.
Because you don't give
a fuck what happens to me.
Your troubles are so deep,
I'm fucking stupid,
and all you care about is if I screw my boss or not.
I'm exhausted.
You're driving me nuts.
I'll be late to work.
Enjoy your hole.
Have fun rotting by yourself.
Look, I've never been this mean
to anyone.
It's the last time I'll let myself talk like this.
It's for me, not you.
That's right.
It's time to think of myself,
of my own needs.
Because I see no future with you.
Lucla!
Come over here and lie next to me.
Relax, Lucla.
Let the mud absorb all the bad.
Later it'll wash away in the sea.
I don't want sex.
I'm not ready yet.
Don't worry.
We'll just lie here,
drying out in the sun.
Yeah, he looks like Carlos.
"Missing for 6 months".
"Manuela and Belen Lozano, mother and daughter,
and Antonio Castillo, were all living together.
If anyone knows where they are, please contact the police."
The police?
We'll...
act like we didn't see this,
Iike nothing's happened.
We know he lived with two women.
Mother and daughter.
Yeah, and the daughter...
What?
The daughter was taking care of...
my daughter.
They left without him,
quietly, without saying good bye.
As he slept,
Iike in a dream.
When he woke, he felt the two lifeless women
were still with him,
Iike any morning
at that hour.
And he lay still, wishing his life would also
Ieave him, through his blood.
What good was his blood now?
He wished it softly, without real intent.
And he chose to escape, to start over,
to be new.
To change his blood.
So he said good bye
and left.
We should give him a chance.
Don't we all deserve one?
Just in case, if in doubt,
isn't it better to trust people?
Right?
So when he gets back, we'll ask him to explain.
It's better this way.
-Especially for you. -For me?
I just want to forget.
You can't forget some things.
In this house you can. That's why we're here.
Then it's too late.
I should have come before.
When there was time...
for Lorenzo.
I wanted him to show me the island.
I asked him to, but he wouldn't.
It would have been his birthday soon.
-What day? -The 23rd.
Of May?
We could have celebrated
here on the island.
Maybe even with you.
Who knows if
we'd have met, right?
Right.
When was Lorenzo here?
A long time ago.
Before we met.
How long ago?
About six years ago.
Yeah.
I think he turned 25 here.
Lucla...
What is it?
I'm overwhelmed...
But I can't cry.
Don't worry.
You don't have to.
I'm the one who should cry over him.
I'll just faint, then.
It's the sea.
Must be high tide.
I'll never cry again.
I'm going to bed.
What's going on?
"Luna,
spring of 1988".
Luna.
"Why bother being a father
if she didn't know?"
He knew then that ifhe'd told her,
she'd have kept the secret.
Lucla, never talk to me about this.
I don't want to hear it.
Well, I do.
He's out diving.
Beneath the island.
Do you like Carlos?
I don't anymore.
Go ahead, he's all yours. I won't even be jealous.
What are you doing?
Asking a friend for advice.
I don't know him,
but I'm getting to like him.
He's been writing me since I got here. He made up
a sweet story to help me.
He taught me to forget.
And to escape pain.
Want to read it?
You could get into it.
It's full of advantages.
Because in the end...
there's a hole
to escape through.
Back to the middle.
To change course,
if you want.
That's his icon, it's a lighthouse.
But it has no keeper,
it must be a computer.
Maybe his.
You'll meet my daughter.
I can't read this.
Why not?
It will grab me.
And won't let go.
That's good.
Did you finally do it?
Do what?
Change course?
Not all the way, there wasn't time.
That's why I'm writing him.
WHERE'S THE KEEPER?
Don't write him.
There's nothing more he can do.
Has he written you since I first got here?
Hi, Lorenzo. How are you?
Your face says it all.
They called to say you were more awake.
Do you know who I am?
Pepe.
Thank God.
Glad to have you back. You'll be writing in no time.
Where's Lucla?
It says here that
your craneal hematoma has subsided.
And the rest of your bruises are history.
Where's Lucla?
You were in bad shape.
We didn't think you'd make it.
How long have I been here?
Well...
One week in a coma,
with this horrible respirator...
And two more weeks
breathing on your own, but unconscious.
And in this room since four or five days ago,
blabbering in your sleep.
And when you'd wake up, you were out of it.
We haven't heard from Lucla.
I looked everywhere.
She hasn't been to your place, nor the restaurant, since the night
of your accident.
Lorenzo.
I think Lucla believes you're dead.
That's why she left.
I talked to the ambulance guy.
He said a cop called your house
and talked to her.
He mentioned the car
and she hung up.
He tried to call back
but she wouldn't answer.
I need to pee.
Do it there,
-in the pan. -No way!
Wait, wait.
Thanks, Pepe, but I can manage.
Lose the attitude.
I've helped you all week.
You just don't remember.
I know where she might be.
You came by car?
As soon as they called.
Good morning.
Tell me right now why you're here and Belen isn't.
You see?
I don't want to forget anymore. Thanks to you, honey.
Well?
Won't you answer me?
It's time to show you who I really am, no more stories.
Were you there with Belen, in my room,
when that fucking dog killed my daughter?
-lt wasn't me. -lt wasn't?
Then why are the cops looking for you?
Belen was with some guy
who met her in the park with your daughter.
But he disappeared after that night.
What about Belen?
Where is she? Since you know everything.
She left with her mom but didn't tell me where.
She changed in the end, and chose her mom over me.
Can't blame her.
A mother always comes first.
I don't trust you anymore, Antonio...
I won't ask you any more questions.
I'll leave that to the police.
Lying to them won't be so easy.
Look how brave I got all of a sudden.
Wait.
Please don't call the police.
Why not?
Are you holding back anything else?
I've no one left
who I can trust.
Where are you going?
Making a getaway?
They'll track you down!
If you call the cops,
I'll leave, too.
Are you stupid?
Yes.
Where are you going?
I don't understand.
I trust Carlos, and I believe him. I want to know more.
That's the easy part.
Believing what you want.
What pleases you.
I did that, too. Until tonight.
I'll chase whomever I please!
Men matter less and less to me.
That's my lot.
They've never given me anything.
Except sex.
No? What about the keeper?
What? Besides wild sex
and a daughter?
Don't forget that story
full of advantages that he wrote just for you!
That's right.
Maybe your boyfriend was the last
-good man on earth. -No, he wasn't.
You're wrong, but that's my business.
And I suppose Carlos is also your business.
Yours alone.
You're the only one chasing him.
Yeah.
Come to think of it,
I always chase men. When I like them.
To each his own, right?
Where could he be?
I don't know. I'm going home.
You guys cook tonight.
I'm so sorry.
Carlos! It's me, Lucla.
I want to come down.
Come and help me.
I know how to dive, too. What did you think?
Lucla. It's me, Elena.
Where's Carlos?
Down there.
Did he escape?
Maybe he's dead.
If he turns up, we have to believe him, okay?
Whatever you want.
That's right.
He's a crab.
Let's go home.
What for?
To eat.
So early?
I'm not hungry.
Tough. It's about time you helped me cook.
We'll make a special meal and we'll be together
and have fun.
You're a gift to this earth.
Elena. You're crying.
Tears of happiness, which is what I am from now on.
Great. I hope it's contagious.
Piece of cake. Let's go.
The first advantage is at the end of the story.
It doesn't finish,
it falls in a hole.
And the story starts again halfway.
The other advantage, and the biggest,
is that you can change course along the way...
If you let me. If you give me time.
A ray of sunshine...