La rabia (2002), Luis Miguel González Cruz

Rabies, translated by Gwynneth Dowling

Context:

A man dying of rabies is visited by a priest in his final moments.

Sample text

PRIEST:: Hail, purest Mary …; The darkness responds with a bellow, more like a howl. The PRIEST answers.
PRIEST:: Conceived without sin.; The body howls again, like a wolf. Once. Twice. Three times. Once finished, its chest begins to sob. The PRIEST gets up from his seat and opens a little window. Light falls on a body curled up at his feet. It howls. The PRIEST looks at it gravely.
PRIEST:: I’ve come to help you die in peace.; RABID howls even more. He howls and cries.
PRIEST:: You must be brave. At times like these, you must learn to surrender.; RABID cries uncontrollably.
PRIEST:: Let it out, my child. Release all your fears, all your regrets, all your sins.
RABID:: I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die. I don’t want to die! Do you hear me? I don’t want to die!
PRIEST:: Scream, if you want, my child. Scream. Release all your bitterness, all your body’s anger.
RABID:: I don’t want to scream! I don’t want to scream! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die screaming!
PRIEST:: Calm down, my child. Don’t forget yourself.
RABID:: It’s already too late, father. I’m already alone …
PRIEST:: My child …
RABID:: It’s very late …I’m already abandoned …

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