As Mateo's spade struck a patch of soft dirt near the edge of the fresh grave, he saw it: a small, cream-colored envelope, sealed with red wax. It hadn't been there a moment ago. It seemed to have fallen from the pocket of the deceased's coat just as they began the burial.
Mateo looked up at the old oak tree. The moon was indeed rising, silver and cold. Eladio, who had been listening in silence, let out a long, shaky breath. He took the letter from Mateo, his rough, calloused fingers tracing the ink. LA CARTA DEL ADIOS "Los Sepultureros"
"To the ones who will hold the shovel when I cannot hold my breath: As Mateo's spade struck a patch of soft
I have watched you from my window for twenty years. You work in the heat and the rain, burying the city's secrets while the world forgets you exist. People fear you because you remind them of the end, but I see you as the final keepers of peace. Mateo looked up at the old oak tree
Do not rush. Let the earth settle slowly. There is a bottle of vintage wine buried exactly three feet to the left of the old oak tree near the gate. It is for you. Drink it when the moon is high, and remember that even in the dark, someone was grateful for your hands."
But Mateo couldn't help himself. The wax was already brittle, and as he turned the envelope, it snapped open. Inside was a single page, written by a man who knew his time had run out. It wasn't a message to a lover or a child. It was addressed to .
Eladio stopped, leaning on his shovel. "Put it back, boy. We don't read the mail of the silent."