Duration: 2 minutesGender: FemaleAge: Older AdultGenre: Drama

Context: Talking in her sleep, Belen relives her plea to her husband Toli to spare her another pregnancy after seven lost children.

Belen: (In her sleep) I don’t want to get pregnant any more, Toli. (As Toli) What are you talking about, Belen, shut up. (As herself) It’s not that I don’t want to make love! (As Toli) It’s a sin to talk to your husband about making love! Stop it! (As herself) But when I’m pregnant … I’m not me anymore … I’m God’s servant … delivering another soul to the world. I can’t eat and everything makes me vomit and it feels like a war in my womb … why does God put the seed in my belly and make my body fight it? What acid, what poison, do I shower on the fetus, suffocating her and stopping her heart? Why did God give me seven? Why did God erase them? Ay, no more, Toli, no. Let’s silence our passion and be like brother and sister from now on. I’ll cook and honor and care for you. I’ll doctor your wounds and sing away your nightmares. I’ll be your wall and your sanctuary: God will never find fault with our love, Toli. He’ll know its purity is as clean as any marriage, like Mary and Joseph, even if we never touch each other again. (As Toli) You talk like a witch. I’m a man, Belen, and I must have what a man must have. I won’t have the men of Las Arenas think less of me. This house will have a child. Bless me, Belen. (As herself) May God bless you, Toli. (As Toli) Again. (As herself) May God in his Infinite Compassion embrace you, Toli, and bless your home with children, children, children.

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Adoration of the Old Woman