Huitzilin´s house

Rumor has it there is a sacred animal called “Huitzili”, it is a hummingbird, but it

used to be a girl, a beautiful girl, called Meztli, she was very polite, humble and
overall she was happy, people used to say that she was the happiest girl in the
world, she always smiled, always had something nice to say, always spreading her
happiness with others, even the wisest and oldest people wondered how she was
so happy, given the situation she was involved in, but it didn´t occur to them what
would happen at some point.

When Meztli was born, her mother died giving birth to her, therefore, it was only
her and her father from then on. As Meztli grew older, her father’s alcoholism took
a dark turn over their lives. He struggled with his addiction, and this burden
weighed heavily on their family. Despite the challenges, Meztli remained being a
happy girl, given to the memories of her childhood, the memory of her father
carrying her and throwing her into the air, that sensation of freedom, or when she
was sad or scared and her father comforted her, hugging her, the feeling of his
arms around her, making her feel as if everything was going to be okay, that safety
sensation.

At the age of 15, her father, desperate to alleviate his financial troubles owing to
the fact of his addiction, arranged a marriage for Meztli with a 30-year-old man
named Juan. This man was known for his aggressiveness and controlling behavior.
From the moment she was married to him, Meztli’s life took a tragic turn.

Juan sometio Meztli to physical and emotional abuse. He isolated her from her
dad, cutting her off from the support system that had once nurtured her happiness.
Her radiant smile began to fade, replaced by a mask of sadness and fear.

People in the village, who had once marveled and admire at her happiness, now
saw her transformation and realized the suffering. But Meztli’s strength remained,
even in the such a difficult situation, hoping that someday she could get out of her
situation.

Seems like Meztli´s saving was not that far, the next morning while Juan was at the
bar, and Meztli was cleaning their house, someone nocked the door, Meztli
wondered who could it be, and although she could not open the door because he´s
husband prohibited Meztli to open it, given to his toxic and controlling behavior, in
his mind, if Meztli even saw any other person, she was already cheating on him,
and he was really serious about that, Mezli´s only way to escape from her reality
for a moment, was sitting by the window to watch a hummingbird who was always
near her window, she sat there for hours imagining she was that hummingbird,
wondering how she would fly, wondering if the sensation of the air would be the
same as the one when her father carried her and throwed her into the air, that
sensation of freedom, how it would feel to have control of her life for once.

Later on, his husband came back home, Meztli quickly went to the kitchen heat up
Juan's food, while Juan was hanging his coat on the coat rack, they both sat on the
table to eat, Meztli was just about to tell Juan about the mysterious person that
knocked the door earlier, when suddenly, someone knocked the door again, Juan
furiously opened the door, and he wouldn´t imagine who it was. It was Meztli's
grandmother, who she hadn't seen in years. Time had placed deep wrinkles on her
face, and she leaned on a wooden cane for support. Juan's anger vanished as he
recognized Meztli's grandmother. He knew of her reputation in the village – a wise
woman with knowledge of ancient healing remedies. She rarely visited into the
village these days, and her arrival was unusual. Meztli's grandmother, who was
known as Abuela Rosa, had a strong character and expression. She looked at
Meztli with a mixture of sorrow and determination. With great effort, she spoke to
Juan, her voice trembling with age and the weight of what she was there for. "Juan,
I have terminal cancer," Abuela Rosa began, her eyes fixed on him. "I don't have
much time left. But there's something I need to ask of you, for the sake of our
family." Juan listened carefully with surprise and curiosity in his eyes. He had never
heard Abuela Rosa speak to him in such a serious tone. Abuela Rosa continued, "I
have a small cornfield behind my house. It's been abandoned for years because of
my illness. Meztli is a skilled farmer, and she's always had a special skill for that. I
need her help to tend to the cornfield, to ensure our family has enough to eat and
sell when I'm gone." Juan was silent for a moment, his thoughts racing. He knew
that Meztli's farming skills were exceptional. And perhaps this was an opportunity
for him to have her out of the house more often, making it easier for him to control
her. "I'll agree to this," Juan finally said. "But there's a condition. Meztli can help
with the cornfield, but you'll pay me a considerable sum for her labor." Abuela Rosa
had no second thoughts in agreement. She knew she had no other choice. "I'll
ensure you are compensated fairly, Juan." With the deal struck, Meztli's face lit up
with joy when she heard the news. She hoped for the opportunity to spend time
with her grandmother again and return to her farming roots again. The thought of
helping her with the cornfield filled her with happiness. In the following weeks,
Meztli visited her grandmother's house daily, working tirelessly in the cornfield. The
bond between the two women grew stronger with each passing day. Despite
Abuela Rosa's concerning health, they found peace in each other's company. One
day, as they sat together on the porch, Abuela Rosa pointed to the hummingbirds
flitting around the garden. "Meztli, do you see those hummingbirds?" she asked,
her voice barely more than a whisper. Meztli nodded, in love by the delicate
creatures. "Yes, Abuela. They're so beautiful." Abuela Rosa smiled weakly. "These
hummingbirds bring joy to our home. They are messengers of hope and
happiness. Meztli, my time is near darling. I want you to promise me something."
Meztli's with tears in her eyes as she leaned closer to her grandmother. "Anything,
Abuela. I promise." Abuela Rosa's voice was barely audible now. "Promise me that
you will find a way to escape this life of suffering, that you will be free to chase your
dreams and hopes" Meztli nodded slowly, holding her grandmother's hand. "I
promise, Abuela. I'll find a way. I promise it on your name." Little did they know,
fate had a different plan. The day Meztli decided to execute her escape plan, she
was on the way to her grandmother´s house as usual to tell her that she was going
to do it, although she felt an strange silence as she approached her grandmother's
house. The once lovely and colorful garden was empty of hummingbirds, and an
silence hung in the air. Meztli pushed open the door and found the lifeless body of
her beloved grandmother, Abuela Rosa, lying in her bed. Her battle with cancer
had finally come to an end. The grief overwhelmed Meztli, and in her pain, she
collapsed beside her grandmother. In that moment, something extraordinary
happened. As Meztli's tears fell onto Abuela Rosa's lifeless form, a brilliant
transformation occurred. The two of them began to shimmer and change, making
the place magical. They became ethereal, their forms turning into radiant
hummingbirds, their wings were beating with newfound life. Meztli had become
"Huitzil," a magnificent hummingbird, and her grandmother, Abuela Rosa, joined
her in this magical transformation. Together, they flew into the sky, their radiant
plumage glistening in the sunlight. Their home, once filled with laughter and
suffering, was now known as the “Huitzilin´s house" the House of Hummingbirds. It
became a place of wonder and reverence in the village. Those who were lucky
enough to catch a glimpse of Huitzil, the sacred hummingbird, believed that their
dreams would come true, and good fortune would befall them. And so, the legend
of Huitzil, the girl turned hummingbird, and her grandmother Abuela Rosa, lived on,
a testament to the enduring power of love, hope, and transformation.