When I Was a Conquistador

It was a new technique: combining hypnosis with a massive dose of Ketamine. Lana had been researching the controversial practice and was willing to give it a try. She was ready to do anything to overcome her nightmares – bloody, violent escapades involving sword fights. In every dream, Lana fought her opponents fearlessly until a sword impaled her from behind. She had developed a pathological fear of knives. Over the years, she had so many kitchen accidents, it became a family joke to say, “keep the knives away from Lana!”

Dr. Simpson spoke calmly. “Keep your eyes closed. All is dark as you are being whisked back in time through a tunnel. You are floating in the dreamasphere and you find yourself in an unfamiliar world. Observe what you witness, like you are watching a movie. What do you see?”

“The ocean. I’m on a boat. The rush of the breeze and feel of salt-water mist is cool and comforting.”

“What do you hear?”

“The captain is yelling out orders. We are approaching the shore. Every man has a job to do. I am working on the rigging. Everyone is speaking Spanish, but I understand everything clearly.”

“Where are you landing?”

“South America. Peru.” Lana rubbed her forehead. “After anchoring, the men disembarked onto dinghies to get to shore. When I jumped out of the boat, my sword accidentally gashed the leg of Carlos Esteban. I tried to apologize. ‘Lo siento, amigo. I’m sorry, friend.’ But, Carlos was furious. The look in his eyes meant business. ‘I will get even with you, Reynaldo,’ he said. Miguel Garces sewed him up when we were on dry land.”

“Do you know what era you are in? What century?”

“No. But, the captain is telling us to prepare for a long march. We are headed inland to the mountain town of Cajamarca. There, we are to meet up with Pizarro’s troops to defeat Atahualpa – the king of the Inca Empire. Timing is everything. Atahualpa had recently defeated his brother Huascar in a civil war.”

“How many men are with you?”

“Hundreds. We marched for what seemed like many days before arriving in the town. The captain ordered us to hide in empty buildings around the town square. Pizarro’s men had convinced Atahualpa that each gun could only fire two bullets and that our horses were powerless at night. Although the meeting was scheduled for noon, Atahualpa arrived at dusk, possibly to eliminate the threat of the horses. He found the town square deserted. A priest - through an interpreter - began badgering Atahualpa about his obligations to the Spanish king and the Christian God. In frustration, Atahualpa threw down a Bible the priest had given him. At that point, Pizarro gave the signal, and the attack began.”

“What happened?”

“It was a massacre. The soldiers, cavalry, and artillery rushed out and we began killing hundreds of terrified Incas. Atahualpa was taken as prisoner.”

“How do you feel about this experience?”

“I am shaken to the bone. Men, women, and children dead. I am responsible for this carnage.”

“What happened next?”

“Many days passed. Atahualpa offered Pizarro a room full of gold for his freedom. Llama-load after llama-load arrived from throughout the empire. Atahualpa was held under “protective custody” and forced to act as a puppet ruler. He became the focal point of a conspiracy to overthrow the Spanish, so it was determined that he must die. He was charged with treason and condemned to death by burning. However, on account that he had become a Christian, his sentence was reduced to strangling instead.”

“Lana, this is all in the past. Now that you have experienced this memory, do you think you can move on?”

“We marched on to Cuzco to do more looting and killing. I wanted no part of it. I thought about running away into the hills when I heard his voice.”

“Whose voice?”

“Carlos Esteban. He yelled, ‘Your time has come pendejo.’ I felt the cold, hard steel penetrate my mid-back. It took my breath away as I saw the sword emerge from my abdomen.”

Lana shot up from the sofa and began coughing up blood. Dr. Simpson grabbed a wad of tissues from his desk in an attempt to salvage the upholstery.

When Lana made eye contact, she realized that Carlos Esteban was staring back.

* * * * * * * * * *

I am convinced that I was a sailor in a previous life. I absolutely love the ocean: swimming, sailing, bodysurfing. Although I have no Latino ancestry, I speak Spanish with a perfect accent. In my lifetime, I have suffered numerous serious knife accidents, and like Lana in the story, my family gives me a bad time over it, as does my local ER. Finally, I am obsessed with some day going to Argentina and Chile. I chose to place the action of this story in Peru, because the conquest of the Incas is one of the most amazing stories in world history.