Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

The girl introduces herself as Adeline. Petra is taken aback that the girl can speak Spanish despite being white. The two chat for a bit until Adeline leaves to eat dinner with her mother. Afterward, Adeline returns to Petra, telling her she needs to show her something. Adeline takes Petra to another room and hands her a slate and a piece of chalk. To her delight, Adeline teaches Petra how to spell her name. Adeline tells Petra that she and her mother are headed for America and offers Petra a piece of pan pobre, a kind of bread made with corn. Petra tells Adeline she can teach her how to make the bread, though the recipe is a family secret.

Later, Petra tells her family that she learned how to spell her name. When Amelia suggests that perhaps Petra can become a teacher one day, Abuelita laughs; she says that learning to write and read are “barefoot dreams” and won’t go far. Petra is bothered by her grandmother’s dismissive comments.

Early the next morning, Adeline invites Petra to eat bread with her again. Adeline tells Petra that her mother says the Federales are going to show up soon, and Adeline is scared that Petra will be hurt. Adeline wants to make a deal with Petra, but before Petra can ask what she means, a priest rushes in and announces that the Federales are on the way. Adeline tells Petra there is one extra seat in the car that will take her and her mother to America. She wants Petra to take it. Petra is tempted, but ultimately decides to stay with her family. The two girls say goodbye.

Petra and her family pack what little they have and head out of the chapel, not knowing where they will go.

Walking away from the church, Petra asks her grandmother several times where they are headed. Finally, Abuelita tells her that she has no idea where they are going or what will happen to them. Petra proposes that they find a train station and take it north to America. Amelia expresses concern, wondering how their father will be able to find them if they leave the country, but Abuelita agrees to Petra’s plan to head for America. When she goes to sleep that night, Petra feels relieved to finally have some sense of direction.

After walking for another two days, the family has yet to come across a train station. Suddenly, they are hit by a dust storm, with wind so powerful that it blurs everyone’s vision and knocks Amelia to the ground. Petra sees that Amelia’s feet are bleeding and she can no longer walk, so she carries the girl on her back. When they come across a signpost indicating their location and providing directions, Petra feels resentful that she can’t read them. She collapses from exhaustion, grabbing sand and throwing it at the sign, screaming in frustration. Trying to calm her, Abuelita urges Petra to connect to nature in order to ground herself. Matching her breathing to the sound of rustling leaves and cicada’s songs helps Petra feel better. She decides she is ready to let nature guide her.