Read The Nightmares of Carlos Fuentes for Free Online Page B

knaa. My job’s to hand ye over to the authorities. That’s me done. You’ll have to ask them. Nowt to dee with me. Now. I’ve had a look on Tripadvisor. (Looking at his phone.) There’s only two reviews. Baghdad doesn’t seem to be a very popular tourist destination. Shame you’re not Turkish. I coulda had more time in Istanbul. Looks a lot more lively. And I heard the birds are alreet too. But em…what do you reckon? Shall I gan to the Iraq Museum or the Maximall?
    CARLOS is lost in his thoughts not paying attention .
    KEVIN: HERE! Wakey-wakey! Iraq Museum or Maximall? I haven’t got time to do both. And I wanna get some decent pictures to stick on Facebook.
    CARLOS: The Iraq Museum or the what?
    KEVIN: The Maximall. Here. Hang on. I’ll read ya the review. (Reading from his phone. He reads slowly and stumbles over the occasional word.) This isn’t actually a mall. It is a four-storey department store which offers an experience like any Western department store. Clean, good fitting rooms and nice help. The food court on the top floor is clean and nice. Food offerings are the usual fast food crap. However there is one cafe where the atmosphere is truly lovelywith modern (not tacky) decor and huge windows of what was going to be the biggest mosque in the world before construction stopped. In America, I avoid shopping and malls and departments like the plague, but I go here to just feel a slice of cleanliness in a city where there is still garbage and filth everywhere. (Beat.) Sounds alright. What d’ya reckon?
    CARLOS: Sounds wonderful.
    KEVIN: Well there’s that or the museum. Shall I read ya the museum? I’ll read ya the museum. (Reading.) I must say this museum was amazing. They had so much to see and discover but after the States invaded they pretty much took all the good stuff. I really think it was wrong, but there was nothing to do. The museum was really one of a kind! I hope it gets the same as it used to be! Aye. Sounds fucking shit. I’m gonna gan to the Maximall.
    KEVIN sees CARLOS ’ head is bowed down towards the ground .
    KEVIN: Salim. HOW! SALIM!
    CARLOS looks up at KEVIN .
    KEVIN: I thought you’d fallen asleep again.
    CARLOS: No. I was. (Beat.) I was thinking.
    KEVIN: Ah. Right. Well…
    TANNOY: Turkish Airlines flight number 786 to Istanbul now boarding at gate one.
    KEVIN: That’s us.
    KEVIN starts packing up the rucksack .
    TANNOY: Turkish Airlines flight number 786 boarding at gate one.
    KEVIN: Right. Well I’m gonna go for a dump before we get on the plane. I canna shit on planes. The air pressure. Plays havoc with me insides. D’ya wanna use the toilet before we set off?
    CARLOS: No.
    KEVIN: Alreet. Suit ya self. I’m gonna lock this door. You sit tight here and I’ll be back in a jiffy.
    KEVIN zips up the rucksack and places it on the table. He is about to leave when he stops and unzips the rucksack. KEVIN takes out CARLOS ’ ring from the bag. KEVIN holds up the ring so CARLOS can see it .
    KEVIN: Divn’t want to forget me ring. Cannat trust nee one these days.
    KEVIN pockets the ring and leaves .
    CARLOS looks at the rucksack. He opens the rucksack and rifles through it, emptying it of its contents. He finds a washbag and opens it up, sizing up each object before disregarding them. A toothbrush, a mini can of deodorant, a bar of soap are all taken out and thrown away .
    CARLOS finds a biro pen. He takes off the lid and looks at the tip. CARLOS prepares to stab himself in the wrist. He lifts up the pen with his right hand and brings it down hard on his left wrist. He lets out a scream of pain .
    CARLOS: AH! FUCK!
    CARLOS looks at his left wrist. He has not even drawn blood. CARLOS throws the pen away. He looks in the bag again. He rifles through it until he finds a pair of shorts. The shorts have a leather belt attached. CARLOS removes the belt, pulls it to check the strength and then makes it into a loop .
    CARLOS looks up at the ceiling. CARLOS stands up and climbs onto the