Two households, both alike in nobility. In this dead and broken place, baptized as God’s Purgatory, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge and pure hate break to new mutiny, This is the place, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers, from the deadly bloodlines of these two feuding households, take their life. Whose misadventured piteous overthrows, with their death, they bury their parents' strife. Will present the story of their love and death, which was the only thing that could stop their families' rage. Is now the two-hours' traffic of our stage; Which if you with patient ears attend, we will work to make everything understood.

May 12, 1996

Scene of Purgatory in the Morning

I open my eyes. My heart was pounding in my chest, as I touched the rough, cold linen sheet I had so passionately crumpled the night before. The Moon Boy is no longer next to me, maybe that’s why my heart is drumming again, a tiny machine in my body that makes me still thrive. Juan may be far away, probably running around the Del Río family's palace in search of his father. However, not. Juan, then leaves the bathroom, water drops resting on his dark-skinned body, which can only mean, he didn’t go past me, just stepped into the cold shower to clear his thoughts, as well as his body. Today is the big day, I think, and then I sit up in the hard bed.

“Juliet!” Juan smiles gently as he sees that I am awake and, sitting on the bed, crumbled up in the linen sheets, while waiting for him. He steps closer to me and then gives a soft kiss to my lush lips. 

“Today is a big day, darling!” the smile suddenly disappears from the moon-boy's thick, dark brown lips, then turns into a sad expression.

Today, the fortune teller will talk about the future of the two families, which will crush the dreams of each of us. My heart starts beating hard when I find sadness on Juan’s face. Then I get out of bed and then step closer to my love. “Hey,” I speak softly, then hug Juan-Antonio's chest, tightly. 

“Everything will be fine!” I whisper my words into the boy's ear before I embrace him even more tightly. With my hands, I begin to gently scratch his short, curly hair with my huge, red-stained nails, before he drills his face into my shoulder, and begins to sob softly, showing his weakness. 

“It's okay, moon boy, nothing is wrong.” I speak, then let go of my arms. 

I walk slowly to the terrace of the apartment, picking up my pack of cigarettes and my lighter on which our Jesus was painted.

“Come with me?” I ask, and the boy nods, then goes to the terrace.

“Do you think Father Lawrence will talk about us?” he asks as he takes the cigarette I'm giving him. 

“For sure! I sigh and then bite my lip.” I tell, then after a sigh, I continue “We're the only ones born here, and between us, it’s really love, not sex, like the filthy nights at the Bolivars.” I roll my eyes and light the cigarette, and then I suck it in heavily. I blow out the metallic smoke as I pack the Jesus lighter into Juan’s hands.