La Linea

The migrants share their food. Elena offers Miguel a piece of banana as a token of reconciliation. Miguel takes the banana but thinks he will never forgive her. They arrive at a small town next to the river bordering Guatemala and Mexico. Miguel notices migrants being ferried across. Javier plans a diversion for when the group exits the bus. His message quietly spreads among the passengers. Morales and the immigration officer argue while the migrants wait lined up next to the immigration building. Miguel assumes they are exchanging money to cover up their infractions. Javi fakes a convincing seizure, and the migrants escape. Shots ring out as Miguel and Elena run away. Miguel wonders if Javi has been shot. Miguel plans to send Elena home and continue north by himself.

Miguel and Elena run into town and pause in a quiet alleyway behind a market stall. Elena changes out of her cumbersome indígena disguise and into jeans and a t-shirt. Miguel seizes her bag, which also holds her purse of Mamá’s letters, and takes Elena’s wallet. Miguel is shocked at how much money Elena has and accusingly asks where she got it. Elena cries, but Miguel angrily grabs her wrist and insists she talk. Juanito casually provided the money when Elena asked. She knew how to go north from reading Don Clemente’s instructions—which Miguel had hidden from her. Miguel blames Elena for their predicament and declares she should be ashamed for leaving Abuelita alone. Elena retorts that Miguel only thinks of himself and has never cared about her or her feelings. Miguel keeps Elena’s money. He buys two bus tickets back to San Jacinto and plans to talk to Don Clemente about starting his journey over. They spend the night on a portico at the market. Miguel hopes Elena is miserable.

Miguel and Elena sleep next to an old oil drum that reeks of urine. Other migrants, mostly solitary men, also sleep on the dirty, rat-infested porch. Miguel hides his money pouch behind the oil drum and tries futilely to stay vigilant. An armed mugger kicks Miguel awake. One man grabs Elena and one searches Miguel, taking his soccer jersey and Chuy’s knife. They empty Elena’s bag and purse and throw out the letters. They realize that Miguel and Elena have nothing else. The lead thief, Colmillo, carries a gun and has an ugly, acne-scarred face and a gold tooth. He is Miguel’s age. Colmillo is unconcerned that they have no money, instead, he touches Elena’s face. She crumples to the ground in terror. Miguel desperately says they have money hidden behind the oil drum. Colmillo and his partner take the money and leave. Miguel knows they have lost everything and thinks things cannot get worse. 

Elena frantically searches the ground where Mamá’s letters have fallen. When Elena finds her purse, she urges Miguel to leave the letters behind. They return to the alley behind the market stalls. Elena rips open the lining of the purse and reveals the other, hidden half of her money from Juanito. Miguel calls her deceitful. Elena resignedly says she will go home, and he can go north. Miguel is secretly impressed with Elena’s planning. He decides they will continue together, whatever they do, but they need help. They call Papá in California, but the family has moved. Abuelita has no phone. They call Don Clemente, but Juanito answers. He tells them Don Clemente was killed in a car accident, and he is taking over all Don Clemente’s business operations. Miguel knows they cannot go back to San Jacinto in case Juanito decides Elena owes him extra money. They must go north. Miguel divides the money equally. He is thankful he still has Abuelita’s Virgen de Guadalupe medallion.

Miguel and Elena plan to hop the local freight train north to the border. The mata gente, or “people killer,” passes through town daily. People think it is an easy, free ride north, but many are hurt trying to get on the train, such as one woman who lost both her legs, and one man who was pushed off the train for his spot and paralyzed. Elena thinks their youth will make it easy for them. Miguel feels that his relationship with Elena has changed after what they have experienced together. He no longer wants to bully or order Elena around. While waiting for the train they see Javi, who greets them excitedly with a big hug. Javi was in jail for a day then sent across the river, but he came back immediately. Javi shows them a safe spot to wait where patrols of federales will not find them. The trampled underbrush reveals others have camped and waited there.

Javi tells Elena to cut her hair to look like a boy because there are criminal gangs on the train who in addition to robbing and stealing also rape women. With her super-short hair, Javi thinks Elena looks like his daughter, Magdalena. To further protect Elena, Javi has Miguel write Tengo SIDA, or “I have AIDS” in marker on Elena’s chest. Miguel is frightened by the many unknown dangers of their journey. They practice running alongside the tracks. The train arrives, moving faster than Miguel thought. They run beside the train. Elena catches hold of a ladder on a train car. Miguel pulls himself up next, and then Javi makes it aboard. They hang onto the ladder and watch as dozens of other migrants rush toward the train. Many do not make it onboard. A boy falls off. An older man reaching for Javi’s helping hand slips under the train wheels. Javi cries. Shocked, Elena, Miguel, and Javi climb to the roof of the train and lay down holding hands.