Santiago Guzman

Becky's body fell out of my grasp with a thud in front of me along with the nunchucks. Steph had begun to back away when a shape darted behind her.

"Behind you," I choked. My hands were shaking but my head felt cool. Why don't I feel anything? What's wrong with me?

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Min struggling. Somehow I ended up by his side, fists swinging wildly. I don't think I was registering what was happening, everything was so fast. At some point, I had someone in a headlock while beating the shit out of another. Eventually, the fighting had stopped and before us lay bodies of others our age, limp, some no longer breathing. That could have been me. The ground swayed beneath me as I collapsed to my knees. What the fuck just happened? Oh my God, what did I just do?

Drip

                   Drip

Tears flooded down my face as I yelled until my throat was raw. Min had at some point sat next to me, holding me as if to keep me from melting away.

Surely none of this is real.

It's just a dream

A really shitty dream

When I wake up, Mama will have already started cooking breakfast.

Any second now, Steph will barge in and start yelling.

Please.

"Santiago." Min's voice pulled me away from my dreams to reality. Through bleary eyes, several guards emerged from the woods. Instead of fear, the feeling in my stomach was that of despair. Oceans swam before my eyes, my jaw quivering until it became unhinged. I don't want this.

"Hearts stopped," a woman grumbled as she stalked over to the bodies, glancing at the wristbands. Her blurry figure was sharp and angular, giving off a threatening aura. She strutted over to Becky, clipboard in hand. Come on, surely Becky's just faking. She'll wake up in a second and laugh at us for thinking otherwise.

"Someone did a number on this one," the woman made an offhand remark, kicking the small girl over.

My stomach lurched and I felt the sudden desire to throw up.

"Who killed number," another guard had appeared, squinting his eyes, "263?"

That's all she was? Becky has a name...had a name.

I slowly raised my hand blinking back tears.

"Number 261. Noted."

"She was a pretty little thing, what a shame." One of the men reached down to touch her face.

"DON'T!" The three of us shouted in unison. My voice had come out raspy due to all the crying before.

"She has to be collected, anyways." Ignoring our protests, Becky was thrown over his shoulder, limp like a rag doll, tears yet to dry on her face.

Oh my god. What have I done? I'll become just like him.

"San?" I couldn't hear Min's voice, my mind was too busy conjuring up a past memory, one I wanted to forget.

"Honey?" My mom's sweet voice floated into my bedroom as I cowered under my sheets. It would have been a funny sight out of context. A teenage boy who had flirted with too many girls to count, huddling under faded blue sheets as if there was a monster under his bed.

"You fucking b!tch! How dare you?" This man was sure to haunt my memories for years to come.

SLAP!

                           CRASH!

All I could do was hide in my bed, waiting for this hell to be over. Mama never should've started dating that man. I told her not to date him. I knew a year ago he was a terrible person, but she wouldn't listen.

"Please! You'll wake up Sant-"

"You think I give a flying fuck? That bastard fucking told-"

"NO! You will not talk about my son that way!" Mama, please don't.

SLAP!

"Who the hell do you think you are? I should've just left you!" I covered my ears trying to block everything out. The front door slammed shut and my bedroom door opened, letting in a small stream of light.

"Hey baby, are you alright?" I nodded under my covers, not wanting to show her my tear covered face.

"I love you so much-"

"Why are you dating him?" I interjected, fear slowly being replaced with anger.

"It's just for a little, just until I can get a job. I promise we won't be stuck here forever." I peered up at her, taking in her bruised face and teary eyes, wanting to believe it was true.

A couple of months later, she filed a report for domestic abuse to the police and we moved across the country where mom had met Mr. Johnson. And his daughter.

"Steph is so sweet, I'm sure you'll love her!" I nodded, not wanting to spoil her happiness. I had never seen mom so radiant and bright in years.

"San?"

"San?"

"Santiago?" I was pulled away from my thoughts to see a fearful face in front of me.

"Thank god! You were fucking out cold!" Min's eyes were red, and his voice hoarse.

"What's going on?" I made a very poor attempt to take in my surroundings. The bodies were gone, but the ground was still stained red. Again, my head started to spin, but Min pulled me into a hug, enveloping me in warmth. I miss my mom. I wonder how she's doing. Is she okay?

"Hey, we actually gotta go. Like now." Steph's high pitched voice forced us apart before Min nodded and helped me stand up. I turned my back to where Becky's body once lay and followed the two of them into the dark.

Thank you so much for sticking with us!