Disclaimer: This story is based on New World Zorro series. Original stories and characters rights belong to Zorro productions. Some of the characters and most of the story is original. I don´t make any profit with this work.

This story is part of Halloween Challenge. Reviews are welcome.

Summary. We have all wondered about the fact nobody can recognize Diego under the mask. Maybe there is a non-conventional explanation and Diego has capacities and abilities beyond our knowledge.

Chapter 1. Little dreamer.

Doña Elena was carrying a basket with food, especially fresh fruits. Diego carried a smaller one with sewing tools. In spite of his youth his manner was serious, and his mother very often had to hide her smile.

The mission school was plenty of students. Native children were also welcome, and they could learn with haciendas worker´s children and villagers. Diego hardly ever was with them. He was four when he learned to read with his mother´s help. At his current age of eight he could read better than most adults and perform complex mathematical operations beyond final year students ability.

Padre Molina welcomed them. "Doña Elena. It's always a pleasure to see you."

Diego looked at his mother gravely and she knew what he was thinking. "You can go to play with them if you want to." Then she turned to the priest. "I heard from Maria that there are some sick people at the indian village, so we brought some fruits to help them I am sure they are not well-fed."

"I agree with you. Fortunately the rains have already started, but the drought has reduced the amount of fruits and berries they collect and I suppose it is possible they don´t have enough food. I am sure the fruit will be very helpful."

"We also brought needles and colored threats. I understand it´s difficult for them to get these materials."

"I´m afraid it´s true. Most itinerant traders don´t want to sell goods to them, and others try to banter with them and propose predatory pricing."

The adults were speaking and Diego reached out to the other children who were playing. One of them looked very bad. He had gray skin and he realized the whites of his eyes were yellow.

"Do you feel well?" asked Diego.

"Of course I feel all right."

"You look quite ill. You should go to see the doctor."

Other boy turn to him. "He is looking better than you, weirdo."

Diego turned to Francisco, the tavern owners´ son. He knew him since he was born. "You don´t think he looks ill?"

"I´m sorry Diego, he looks well."

Diego looked at his mother, confused. He was told repeatedly by his parents that he shouldn´t speak about things the other people could not see, but he had believed Pedro´s sickly look was obvious to everyone. Then he realized one of indian children was staring at him, and he felt uneasy.

Doña Elena started looking for him, but when she looked around she could not locate him. "Diego, we are going home." she said in a high voice.

"I´m coming, madre," Diego answered very near her.

"So you are here, I couldn´t see you." she said quite startled. "Is everything all right?"

Diego nodded and they went to the wagon.

zzZzz

María, de la Vega´s cook was whispering with the maid in the living room. When Diego saw them he immediately knew something was wrong. Doña Elena walked up to him.

"Come with me. You need to change your cloths. We are going to the funeral of Alvarez family."

"I don´t understand. Who died?"

She looked at him with a deep sadness. "All of them did. They ate poisonous mushrooms that looked very much like other mushrooms they had been eating all their lives."

At the door of the church, don Alejandro was speaking with the doctor. They both looked very sad. "Don Eusebio, do not beat yourself up over this. We all know you couldn´t do anything to save them."

"I know, don Alejandro. These mushrooms damaged their livers so badly I couldn´t find a solution. I only could give them laudanum to help with the pain. Now I can not stop thinking about them.

Diego didn´t want to stay away from his mother. Some children were looking at him and whispering between them. "He said Pedro was sick."

De la Vega family sat in the second bench and his parents talked to other caballeros and their wives. Many other children came to the mass, wearing their black cloths, but none of them were as grim as Diego.

zzZzz

Diego went to bed and his mother went to say goodnight.

"It was a difficult day, but now they rest in peace."

"I´m sure about that, madre, at least they went together, as a family. They didn´t leave anyone behind."

"I´m relieved to hear that, but remember you must not say things like this in front of other people."

"Yes, I know I can only speak with you."

"It´s all right cariño. Buenas noches." she kissed his forehead. "You were very brave today."

"Thank you madre. Good night."

zzZzz

Doña Elena met her husband in the library. He had a drink in his hand and she looked at it, but she didn´t say a word about it.

He looked tense, and when he spoke, he did it reprouchfully. "There are rumors again."

"I know, but they will soon pass, like all the other times."

"He knows not to speak about the things he can see. I told him hundreds of times."

"He saw a sick child and told him to see the doctor. He only wanted to help him. What else could he do? Do you think he could just ignore it? How could he know what was happening?

"Maybe you are right, It´s just that..."

"Say it already. You think it´s my fault because his gift comes from my family."

"A gift? It´s more of a curse. He will go crazy."

"He is a lot stronger than what you think. If we support him he will learn what he must do. I can help him."

"He must learn to ignore what he sees."

"I don´t think he can do it. You will make him stop trusting everybody else, including you. He could learn to hide his secrets, but he can not stop being what he is."

Don Alejandro glared at her. "You seem proud of him." They looked into one other's eyes for several seconds. "Don't you ever doubt that for a second." she said. He looked away and she added "I should better go to bed. Goodnight."

zzZzz

Doña Elena was buying some goods in the market and an indian woman approached her.

"I wanted to thank you the fruits and other stuff you sent us."

"It was my pleasure to help you."

The other woman stared at the señora for a moment, she looked a little hesitant.

"Can I do anything else for you?"

"Not for me, but maybe you could do something for your son." she said in a low voice.

"What do you mean?"

Our wise man has heard things about him and he wants to know him."

Señora de la Vega though for a while. "I can go the day after tomorrow to take you more supplies. I will ask Diego if he wants to come with me, but I will not make that decision for him."

The indian women nodded. "I will say it to the wise man."

zzZzz

"I will go to the indian village tomorrow. I wold like Diego to go with me."

"It´s all right, but take Juan and Ernesto with you. The roads can be dangerous."

"The indians wouldn´t hurt us."

"I think so, but I don´t want to take the risk."

She went to the garden and found Diego playing there.

"Diego. Do you want to come with me to take food and clothes to the indian people?"

"Of course I´m coming. I will change my shoes."

Diego and his mother took the wagon. The two men were riding a little behind them.

"The wise man wants to know you. He might be able to help you with your abilities."

"Can I tell him the things I see?"

"I want you to decide what you want to tell him or not. I think we can trust him, but I´m not completely sure."

They arrived to the village about half an hour later. Some of the women asked the two vaqueros for assistance and doña Elena thought they wanted to distract them. A man approached them, he looked old but still strong.

"So this is the little dreamer." He looked at Diego, and the boy found his gaze intense but not threatening.

"I think you mistake me for someone else."

"I think you see things only a few people can see, and you've been getting into quite a bit of trouble.."

The child´s expression changed from distrust to surprise. "You can see them too?"

"I can, and not all the things I see are bad. If you listen to the spirits they can tell you many secrets." Diego thought his smile was fascinating.

zzZzz

"I don´t understand why you think is good for Diego to stay so much time with the indian people. He will end up looking like a savage."

"You don´t need to worry about it. He is too much of a gentleman. They think it´s funny the way he speaks."

"Oh, very well, now they also laugh at him."

"But ever since he started going there to teach them to read and count he feels useful. Don´t you realize he is more confident? I think it´s good for him."

"I must admit he has improved as a rider, I was amazed the other day. It´s all right, he can keep going, but he must not neglect his studies.

zzZzz

Diego didn´t stop the horse before turning to wave goodbye. Soon he was out of sight behind the dust of cloud left behind by his horse. The old man just stared ahead and spoke.

"I will continue teaching him everything I know." He used a calmed and firm tone of voice.

The man next to him was a warrior. He spoke containing his fury. "This boy is not one of us. His father is a soldier."

"Yes, he is not of our people, but he is like me. He has been touched by spirits. His guiding spirit is powerful. He has barely begun to learn and he knows more than many of the warriors. He could track the wounded horse through the rocky ground."

"It was impossible. There were no prints on the rocks. He was lucky."

"He didn´t use his eyes, but he believes he did. The spirits guided him, the same way they do when he fights, helping him to avoid the blows."

"You shouldn´t teach him our secrets."

"It´s my decision. The little dreamer stays. Maybe you will understand one day."