Chapter 2

In Chapter Two, all of the men of the town are assembling at the bridge in order to hunt down Lupito and ensure that he does not kill anyone else. Antonio’s father tells Maria to lock all of the doors and then seizes a rifle and walks to the bridge with Chavez, unaware that Antonio is secretly following them.

In order to make sure that his father does not notice him, Antonio takes a different route along the river and inadvertently comes across Lupito, who is hiding in the reeds a few yards away. Antonio watches as Lupito is momentarily sighted by the men on the bridge and then lost again in the darkness. The men on the bridge begin to argue about killing Lupito; some argue that he is an animal that must be shot, while Antonio’s father and Narciso, the town drunk, urge the men to be respectful of life. Narciso tries to talk to Lupito from the bridge, reminding him that they are friends and that he understands the war sickness. Antonio watches as Lupito reacts physically to Narciso’s voice and seems to be about to turn himself in but then shoots his pistol into the air to draw their fire.

At the sound of the gunshots, the men on the bridge immediately shoot in their direction and swiftly kill Lupito.